What Are Key Stage 1 and 2?
Sarah Cherry
Published Feb 28, 2026
What Are Key Stage 1 and 2?
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) – ages 3-5 (Nursery and Reception) Key Stage 1 – ages 5-7 (Years 1-2) Key Stage 2 – ages 7-11 (Years 3-6) Key Stage 3 – ages 11-14 (Years 7-9)
What is the Key Stage 1 curriculum?
Key Stage 1 is a part of the National Curriculum. It covers children between the ages of 5 and 7 in Years 1 and 2, and sets out which subjects have to be taught. It also determines how children should be tested.
What is the meaning of key stage?
Key Stages refer to the sets of skills and knowledge a student is aiming to develop at a certain stage in their education. Parents thus have an idea of classroom work, standards of achievement and how their child’s skills are developing.
What is the proposed A Time for Key Stage 1?
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) – ages 3-5 (Nursery and Reception) Key Stage 1 – ages 5-7 (Years 1-2)
What is key stage standard?
Key Stage Standard – This shows the degree or quality of proficiency that the learner is able to demonstrate in each key stage after learning a particular learning area in relation to the core learning area standard.
What key stage is my child?
Early Years Foundation Stage – ages 3-5 (Nursery and Reception) Key Stage 1 – ages 5-7 (Years 1 and 2) Key Stage 2 – ages 7-11 (Years 3-6)
Why do I want to teach Key Stage 1?
KS1 is a critical stage in children’s learning. It’s where they learn the basics that they’ll rely on as they move through their mathematical journey. It gives you an overview and lets you know what you need to do to challenge children towards greater depth.
What key stage is as level?
Stages
| Key stage (KS) | Ages | Final exams |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 8-11 by 31 August | SATs, eleven plus exam (generally only for Grammar school entry) |
| 3 | 12-14 by 31 August | |
| 4 | 15-16 by 31 August | GCSEs |
| 5 | 17-18 by 31 August | A-Levels, AS-Levels, NVQs, National Diplomas, International Baccalaureate |
What are the key stage standards?
What’s the difference between Reception and Year 1?
Indeed, the NFER’s research found that children described Reception as a period centred around play, whereas they said that Year 1 was all about ‘work, work, work’.
What age is Key Stage 1 at school?
Key stages
| Child’s age | Year | Key stage |
|---|---|---|
| 4 to 5 | Reception | Early years |
| 5 to 6 | Year 1 | KS1 |
| 6 to 7 | Year 2 | KS1 |
| 7 to 8 | Year 3 | KS2 |
What qualifications do you need to be a key stage 1 teacher?
Entry requirements You’ll usually need: 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and science. 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree. a degree in any subject for a postgraduate course.
