Key Stage 1 is the legal term for the two years of schooling in maintained schools in England and Wales normally known as Year 1 and Year 2, when pupils are aged between 5 and 7. This Key Stage normally covers pupils during infant school, although in some cases this might form part of a first or primary school. It is also the label used for the third and fourth years of primary education in Northern Ireland. In Hong Kong, it is used to describe Primary One to Primary Three.
The term is defined in the Education Act 2002 as "the period beginning at the same time as the school year in which he attains the age of six and ending at the same time as the school year in which the majority of pupils in his class attain the age of seven".
The term is used to define the group of pupils who must follow the relevant programmes of study from the National Curriculum. All pupils in this Key Stage must follow a programme of education in these areas:
English Mathematics Science Design and Technology History Geography Art and Design Music Physical Education (PE) including swimming Computing Modern Foreign Languages Religious Education
Schools must provide Religious Education, but parents can ask for their children to be taken out of the whole lesson or part of it. Optionally at this Key Stage, schools often teach Personal, Social and Health education (PSHE) and/or citizenship.
At the end of this stage, pupils in England in Year 2 (aged 7 or almost age 7) are normally assessed in national tests (and teacher assessments) in English, maths and science, colloquially known as SATs. The tests, carried out by the teacher during May, cover English reading; English grammar, punctuation and spelling; and maths.
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