Summary of the revised English curriculum for England, 1999
Primary
The biggest changes within the programmes of study were at primary level. The primary programmes of study were revised to ensure alignment with the National Literacy Strategy. In reading, infants would first concentrate on using phonics to decode words. At junior level, non-fiction played a much bigger part in the list of compulsory materials and detailed grammar was introduced much more explicitly than ever before at primary level. The curriculum required seven-year-olds to begin to learn the functions of word classes (academic speak for parts of speech) such as nouns, verbs and adjectives, and understand clauses, phrases and connectives (joining words and phrases).
Speaking and listening were more explicit, with an emphasis on drama, role play, discussion and public speaking. The curriculum stressed that schools which implemented both the literacy and numeracy hours would be fulfilling their statutory duty to deliver the maths and much of the English curriculum. Most schools have done this. All non-core programmes of study were slimmed down and made more flexible to try to create more time for literacy and numeracy.
Summary of changes at different key stage 1 and 2:
Key Stage 1
Pupils should learn to read and write independently and with enthusiasm. They develop confidence as speakers, make relevant contributions and learn how to listen to others attentively. They use language to explore imaginary worlds and their own experiences.
Key Stage 2
Pupils should learn to adapt their speech and writing according to context, purpose and audience. They read a range of texts and respond to different layers of meaning in them. They explore language in literary and non-literary texts and learn how language works.
Secondary
At secondary level, pupils were required to practise a wider range of writing skills including imaginative, descriptive, analytical and persuasive writing.
In September 1999, after protests by traditionalists, David Blunkett ordered that compulsory lists of classic authors and poets be restored to the National Curriculum for September 2000. The QCA had hoped to increase flexibility by allowing teachers to choose which classic authors were taught. For the first time, after a request from teachers for more guidance on non-fiction, the English Curriculum also contained a list for 11 – 14-year-olds of recommended non-fiction writers. This was despite international research published in 2000, which showed that in Swiss schools, where teachers are free to choose texts, pupils acquire language skills at a faster rate than their English peers. The research by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, said lower ability English 14-year-olds were three years behind their Swiss peers in language development.
The national curriculum required all 14-year-olds to read and be tested on a Shakespeare play. The only pupils exempted were the lowest tenth of the ability range. At GCSE, about a quarter of all marks in English (often referred to as English language) were allotted to questions about literary texts.
Summary of changes at different key stages 3 and 4:
Key Stages 3 and 4
In KS3, pupils' repertoire in writing and speaking extends to formal and public registers. They develop their ability to evaluate language in use. They study classic and contemporary texts and explore social and moral issues. During KS4, pupils learn to respond with confidence to the language and demands of academic study and of the workplace. They use and analyse complex features of language. They read many types of text efficiently and make articulate, perceptive comments on a range of issues.
