Key stage 3: The curriculum and working across phases

I believe the secret of an effective key stage 3 is a better transition process, a better curriculum, better quality homework and better assessment and feedback. Continuing my focus on improving outcomes at key stage 3, this article explores how to develop more lasting and sustainable cross-phase partnerships between primary and secondary schools and how to improve the curriculum so that it is more challenging and engaging.

Making a pupil’s transition from key stage 2 to 3 smooth and effective takes more than just a little teamwork at the end of year 6. What is needed is long-term, genuine and sustainable collaboration between schools. We need early years, primary and secondary schools to work in close partnership on all aspects of a child’s education, sharing information and resources, in order to ensure that each child is well-protected and experiences a continuity of service and support.