The statutory National Curriculum Programmes of Study set out what is to be taught in each subject, not how it is to be taught, nor for how many hours each week. The Department does not recommend, nor does it collect data on, the average number of hours spent each week teaching mathematics, English, science, modern foreign languages, history and geography.
However, through the Secondary Schools’ Curriculum and Staffing Survey (SSCSS), we have data available for 1996 and for 2002 on the average number of standardised periods studied by pupils in year groups 7 to 11 in named subjects. The results are set out in the annex and are taken from the ‘Statistical First Release 25/2003, Secondary Schools Curriculum and Staffing Survey: November 2002 (Provisional)’. The SSCSS is an occasional sample survey carried out every four to six years and it does not provide comprehensive time series data.
Standardised periods1 Year group 7 8 1996 2002 1996 2002 Subject Average ± Average ± Change3 Average ± Average ± Change3 Mathematics 5 0.1 5 0.1 0 5 0.1 5 0.1 0 English 5 0.1 5 0.2 0 5 0.1 5 0.1 0 Combined/ General Science 5 0.1 5 0.1 0 5 0.1 5 0.1 0 Biology 2 0.1 2 0.0 -1 2 0.1 2 0.0 0 Chemistry 2 0.0 2 0.0 0 2 0.0 2 0.0 0 Physics 2 0.0 2 0.0 0 2 0.0 2 0.0 0 Other Sciences 3 0.2 5 0.0 1 4 0.2 5 0.0 1 French 4 0.1 4 0.1 0 4 0.1 3 0.1 0 German 4 0.6 3 0.1 0 3 0.6 3 0.1 0 Spanish 4 0.6 3 0.1 0 3 0.6 3 0.1 0 Other Modern Languages 4 0.4 3 0.1 -1 4 0.4 3 0.1 0 Design and Technology 3 0.1 3 0.1 0 3 0.1 3 0.1 0 Information & Communication Technology 1 0.1 1 0.0 0 1 0.1 1 0.0 0 Other/Combined Technology 4 0.4 3 0.1 0 3 0.4 3 0.1 0 Home Economics2 2 0.4 — — — 2 0.4 — — — Business Studies 1 0.0 1 0.0 0 1 0.0 1 0.0 0 Classics 1 0.0 2 0.0 1 2 0.0 2 0.0 0 History 3 0.1 2 0.1 0 3 0.1 3 0.1 0 Religious Education 2 0.1 2 0.1 0 2 0.1 2 0.1 0 Geography 3 0.1 2 0.1 0 3 0.1 3 0.1 0 Other Social Studies 1 0.0 2 0.0 1 2 0.0 1 0.0 -1 Combined Arts/Humanities/Social Studies 4 0.5 6 1.2 0 4 0.5 6 0.4 1 Music 2 0.1 2 0.1 0 2 0.1 2 0.0 0 Drama 2 0.1 1 0.1 0 2 0.1 1 0.0 0 Art and Design 2 0.1 2 0.1 0 2 0.1 2 0.0 0 Physical Education 3 0.1 3 0.1 0 3 0.1 3 0.1 0 Careers Education 1 0.0 1 0.0 0 2 0.0 1 0.0 0 Personal, Social and Health Education 2 0.1 1 0.2 0 2 0.1 1 0.2 0 General Studies 2 0.1 2 0.0 0 2 0.1 2 0.0 0 Citizenship — — 2 0.6 — — — 2 0.5 — Other Subjects Not Covered Above5 3 0.7 2 2.7 0 3 0.7 2 3.2 0
Year group 9 10 1996 2002 1996 2002 Subject Average ± Average ± Change3 Average ± Average ± Change3 Mathematics 5 0.1 5 0.1 0 5 0.1 5 0.1 0 English 5 0.1 5 0.1 0 5 0.1 5 0.1 0 Combined/ General Science 5 0.1 5 0.1 0 7 0.1 7 0.3 0 Biology 2 0.1 2 0.0 0 3 0.1 3 0.2 0 Chemistry 2 0.0 2 0.0 0 3 0.0 3 0.2 0 Physics 2 0.0 2 0.0 0 3 0.0 3 0.2 0 Other Sciences 4 0.3 5 0.0 1 5 0.3 7 0.1 1 French 4 0.1 3 0.1 0 4 0.1 4 0.1 0 German 3 0.6 3 0.1 0 4 0.6 4 0.0 0 Spanish 3 0.6 3 0.1 0 4 0.6 4 0.0 0 Other Modern Languages 4 0.4 3 0.1 0 4 0.4 4 0.1 0 Design and Technology 3 0.1 3 0.1 0 4 0.1 4 0.1 0 Information & Communication Technology 1 0.1 1 0.1 0 3 0.1 3 0.6 0 Other/Combined Technology 3 0.4 3 0.1 0 4 0.4 3 0.0 0 Home Economics2 2 0.4 — — — 4 0.4 — — — Business Studies 1 0.0 3 0.0 2 4 0.0 4 0.3 0 Classics 2 0.0 2 0.0 0 4 0.0 3 0.0 -1 History 3 0.1 3 0.1 0 4 0.1 4 0.1 0 Religious Education 2 0.1 2 0.2 0 2 0.1 2 0.2 0 Geography 3 0.1 3 0.1 0 4 0.1 4 0.1 0 Other Social Studies 2 0.0 1 0.0 -1 3 0.0 4 0.0 0 Combined Arts/Humanities/Social Studies 4 0.5 5 0.3 0 4 0.6 5 0.6 0 Music 2 0.1 2 0.0 0 4 0.1 3 0.1 0 Drama 2 0.1 2 0.1 0 4 0.1 4 0.1 0 Art and Design 2 0.1 2 0.0 0 4 0.1 4 0.1 0 Physical Education 3 0.1 3 0.1 0 3 0.1 3 0.2 0 Careers Education 1 0.0 1 0.0 0 1 0.0 1 0.3 0 Personal, Social and Health Education 2 0.1 1 0.2 0 2 0.1 2 0.9 0 General Studies 1 0.0 1 0.0 0 2 0.0 2 0.4 0 Citizenship — — 2 0.6 — — — 2 0.6 — Other Subjects Not Covered Above5 3 0.7 2 3.3 0 4 0.8 6 4.8 0
Year group 11 1996 2002 Subject Average ± Average ± Change3 Mathematics 5 0.1 5 0.1 0 English 5 0.1 5 0.1 0 Combined/General Science 7 0.1 7 0.3 0 Biology 3 0.1 3 0.2 -1 Chemistry 3 0.0 3 0.2 -1 Physics 3 0.0 3 0.2 0 Other Sciences 5 0.3 7 0.2 1 French 4 0.1 4 0.1 0 German 4 0.6 4 0.0 0 Spanish 4 0.6 3 0.1 0 Other Modern Languages 4 0.4 3 0.1 0 Design and Technology 4 0.1 4 0.1 0 Information & Communication Technology 3 0.1 3 0.3 0 Other/Combined Technology 4 0.4 4 0.1 0 Home Economics1 4 0.4 — — — Business Studies 4 0.0 4 0.2 0 Classics 4 0.0 3 0.0 -1 History 4 0.1 4 0.1 0 Religious Education 2 0.1 2 0.2 0 Geography 4 0.1 4 0.1 0 Other Social Studies 4 0.0 4 0.0 0 Combined Arts/Humanities/Social Studies 4 0.6 5 0.3 0 Music 4 0.1 4 0.1 0 Drama 4 0.1 4 0.1 0 Art and Design 4 0.1 4 0.1 0 Physical Education 3 0.1 3 0.2 0 Careers Education 1 0.0 1 0.1 0 Personal, Social and Health Education 2 0.1 2 0.2 0 General Studies 2 0.0 3 0.7 0 Citizenship — — 2 0.6 — Other Subjects Not Covered Above2 4 0.8 5 2.5 0 1 Periods have been standardised to a 40 period week. 2 Restricted to pupils that study the subject. 3 Changes since 1996 have been calculated taking the 95 per cent. confidence intervals into consideration and rounded. 4 Home Economics was classified as an individual subject in 1996. In 2002 it was classified with Design and Technology. 5 Includes Special Educational Needs for both 1996 and 2002 subject classifications.