The lack of priority given to Key Stage 3

This doesn’t apply to every secondary school. But across the sector, there’s a tendency to prioritise Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5 when it comes to staffing.

It’s entirely understandable as these are the exam key stages.

However, this means that some Key Stage 3 classes are split between more than one teacher or are taught by teachers with other specialisms.

The Key Stage 3: the wasted years? report had this to say: ‘The status of Key Stage 3 as the poor relation to other key stages was exemplified in the way schools monitored and assessed pupils’ progress. Inspectors found that too many secondary schools did not work effectively with partner primary schools to understand pupils’ prior learning and ensure that they built on this during Key Stage 3.

Worryingly, some secondary leaders simply accepted that pupils would repeat what they had already done in primary school during the early part of Key Stage 3, particularly in Year 7.’

Now while there have been some improvements since the report, it remains the case that there’s more to do.

Pupils in Key Stage 3 deserve a rich, demanding curriculum. And we’ve got some great insights into how to get this going.

It’s not about more work, it’s about thinking and planning the curriculum with a different lens.

It’s called: Key Stage 3: The Ambitious Years and I’ll be setting out the background to this work on a new webinar: Thursday 27th March 4-5pm.

Available on Myatt & Co - live and recorded. Access with an individual or group annual subscription.

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Until next time

Mary