§ Mr. SpringTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what statutory requirements relating to the six non-core curriculum subjects for 5 to 11 year olds in maintained schools will be lifted in September. [46099]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisFrom September 1998 we are relaxing the requirement for schools to follow the full Key Stage 1 and 2 programmes of study in geography, history, music, art, design and technology and physical education. Schools must still provide a balanced and broadly based curriculum and must continue to teach each of these subjects, but they will no longer have to teach the subject's full programme of study. It will be for schools themselves to review their current provision and use the new flexibility to decide what changes, if any, might be appropriate. Swimming must remain part of the PE curriculum in all primary schools. This is a safety measure.