§ Mr. HanleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he intends to publish for consultation the draft order with attainment targets and programmes of study for English in the national curriculum for pupils aged eight to 16 years.
§ Mr. MacGregorI have today published for consultation a draft order with an associated document setting out the attainment targets and programmes of study for English in the national curriculum, as I am required to do by section 20(5) of the Education Reform Act. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales is consulting on the draft order under the provisions of section 22(3) of the Act. Copies have been placed in the Library.
The draft order relates to key stages 2 to 4—pupils aged eight to 16. The order for key stage 1 was laid before the House in May this year and took effect from September.
The new draft order has been prepared in the light of advice from the National Curriculum Council, following its consultation on the Government's proposals published in June. I have accepted the council's recommendations for attainment targets and programmes of study in full. I believe that the draft order will be widely welcomed as providing a challenging framework for the raising of standards of English in our schools. The consultation period ends on 22 January 1990. I intend to make the final order in March 1990, in good time for implementation starting in the autumn.