These are called key stages and depend on pupils' ages. The diagram shows when pupils study each subject. Pupils going into Key Stage 4 before September 1996 do not have to be taught design and technology, information technology and a modern foreign language. The content of these two subjects is decided locally but must remain within the law. The Government also plans to make all secondary schools responsible for providing careers education.
Schools organise their own timetable, and can decide what else to teach their pupils.
Every school has National Curriculum documents for each subject. These documents describe what teachers must teach at each key stage. Most National Curriculum subjects are divided into different areas of learning. The National Curriculum does not include detailed lesson plans for teachers. Schools and teachers draw up their own lesson plans based on the National Curriculum.