The term is defined in the Education Act 2002 as the period beginning at the same time as the school year in which the majority of pupils in a class attain the age of eight and ending at the same time as the school year in which the majority of pupils in a class attain the age of eleven.
[citation needed] The term is used to define the group of pupils who must follow the relevant programmes of study from the National Curriculum.
[2] Optionally at this Key Stage, schools often teach Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) and/or citizenship.
The tests are externally marked, with results for each school being published in DfE performance tables.
[5] The term is used to define the group of pupils who must follow the relevant programmes of study from the National Curriculum.