§ Mr. GregoryTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether it is his policy that the 10 subjects of the national curriculum should take up approximately 70 per cent. of the school timetable and that the remaining 30 per cent. should be left for schools to use at their own discretion.
§ Mrs. RumboldSection 4(3) of the Education Reform Act makes it clear that it is for schools themselves to determine how much time should be devoted to the subjects of the national curriculum. I would expect that in key stages 1 to 3 schools will devote the great majority of curriculum time to the national curriculum subjects and to religious education, as they have done in the past. In key stage 4, I would expect that schools will offer some optional subjects outside the national curriculum.