You can help your child with the national curriculum by getting to know what they’re expected to learn at each key stage. Set up a positive learning space at home, and keep in touch with their teachers to track progress and sort out any issues.
The best way to support your child’s success is to stay up to date with curriculum expectations, weave learning into daily life, and keep open communication with their school. Lots of parents feel unsure about how the national curriculum works or what they should actually do at home to help.
Michelle Connolly, who started LearningMole and spent over 15 years teaching in primary schools, says, “parents don’t need to be experts in every subject, but showing interest in what your child is learning and providing simple, regular support makes a real difference to their confidence and progress.” LearningMole is a UK educational platform with curriculum-aligned videos and teaching resources for primary schools, designed to help parents and teachers support children aged 4 to 11 in maths, English, science and more.
You don’t need to turn your home into a classroom.
Simple, steady habits like reading together, chatting about their school day, and encouraging curiosity about the world all help your child do well.
Whether your child is flying ahead or finding things tough, you can take practical steps to support them through each key stage.
Key Takeaways
The national curriculum tells schools which subjects to teach and what knowledge children should gain at each stage. It applies to state schools in England for children aged 5 to 16, covering core subjects like maths and English, plus foundation subjects.
The national curriculum splits learning into four Key Stages, based on your child’s age. Key Stage 1 is Years 1 and 2 (ages 5-7), Key Stage 2 is Years 3 to 6 (ages 7-11), Key Stage 3 is Years 7 to 9 (ages 11-14), and Key Stage 4 is Years 10 and 11 (ages 14-16).
Core subjects stay the same across all Key Stages: maths, English, and science. Children study these subjects every year, with learning building on what they’ve already covered.
Foundation subjects change a bit by Key Stage, but usually include history, geography, art and design, music, physical education, computing, and design and technology. In Key Stage 3 and 4, children also learn a modern foreign language. Religious education stays compulsory at all Key Stages, though parents can withdraw their children if they want.
Each subject has its own learning outcomes and targets for the end of each Key Stage.
The national curriculum began in 1989 to set the same teaching standards across England. It means your child gets the same quality of education no matter which state school they go to.
Private schools and academies don’t have to follow it, but many still use it as a guide. The structure sets out which subjects schools must teach and the key knowledge children need. Each subject has programmes of study that tell teachers what to cover.
These programmes list the skills, concepts, and facts your child should master. The curriculum also gives advice on supporting children with different needs, including those with special educational needs or disabilities. This helps all pupils learn together.
Standards and curriculum aren’t the same thing. The curriculum says what your child will learn and what’s in each subject. Standards say how well your child should do and what they should achieve.
In England, the national curriculum includes both. It tells you the subject content and sets targets for each Key Stage. These targets show what knowledge and skills children should have.
“Common core standards” is a term used for US education, not the UK. While both systems want consistent learning outcomes, they work differently. The UK’s national curriculum is more specific about content, while the US common core focuses on skills across states.
If you know that curriculum is the learning plan and standards measure achievement, you can support your child more effectively.
Parents shape their children’s development with everyday actions at home and by talking to teachers. When you keep an eye on progress and speak up for your child’s needs, you set up better learning conditions.
When home and school work together, children do better. Go to parent-teacher meetings, reply to school messages, and share any info about your child’s interests or worries.
Chat with your child’s teacher about what they’re learning in each subject. Ask about the topics in maths, English and science. This gives you ideas for supporting learning at home.
Creating a positive learning environment includes routines that help with schoolwork. Set up a quiet spot for homework and regular times for reading together.
Even simple habits like these matter. Stay involved as your child moves through Key Stages. Family engagement often drops in secondary school, but your support still matters.
You need to know how your child is doing against National Curriculum expectations. Look at their work often and talk about what they find easy or tough.
Check homework and projects to see if your child understands the content. Read through marked work from school. Teacher comments show where your child does well and where they need help.
Praise effort and progress, not just top marks. Notice things like learning times tables or writing longer sentences. Recognition boosts confidence and motivation.
Keep an eye on progress reports and assessment results during the year. Compare them to age-related expectations for their Key Stage. If something worries you, speak with the teacher sooner rather than later.
You know your child best. Tell teachers about learning difficulties, health issues or family changes that might affect schoolwork.
If your child needs extra help with the curriculum, say so. Being involved in decisions about your child’s education is your right. Ask about intervention programmes, extra resources or different work.
If the work seems too easy or too hard, talk to the teacher. Schools can adjust activities to fit your child’s ability while sticking to National Curriculum rules.
Ask for specific support if needed, like phonics help for reading or extra challenges for advanced learners. LearningMole has curriculum-aligned videos for maths, English and science that you can use at home.
A well-organised home setup helps children get into National Curriculum topics more easily. Small changes to routines and spaces can make learning feel natural.
Set up a regular learning area for homework and revision. It doesn’t have to be fancy. A bit of the dining table is fine if you add a study station with pencils, rulers and other basics.
Keep learning times predictable each day. Maybe your Year 3 child works best right after school, while your Year 6 child needs a break first. Watch for what suits them and build routines around that.
Get rid of distractions during study times. Move phones to another room and switch off the TV. If you’ve got more than one child learning at home, try headphones or divide spaces with bookcases or screens.
Put up a visual timetable so your child knows when different subjects happen. This helps younger children see what’s next and makes transitions easier.
Link curriculum topics to things your child already enjoys. If they’re learning about habitats in Key Stage 2 science, go to a local nature reserve. Learning about fractions in maths? Bake together and measure ingredients.
Ask open questions that get your child thinking. Instead of “What’s the answer?”, try “Why do you think that happens?” or “What would change if we did this differently?”
Use early learning resources that fit your child’s stage. LearningMole has free curriculum-aligned videos for ages 4-11 covering maths, English and science, making concepts easier with visual demos.
Keep things like magnifying glasses, maps, and art supplies handy. Children are more likely to explore when tools are ready to grab.
When you talk to your child’s teacher regularly, you find out how they’re getting on with curriculum goals and where they might need extra help at home. These conversations open up chances to discuss learning and match your home support to what’s happening at school.
Teachers use different ways to give feedback, like written reports, learning journals and quick chats at pickup. Focus on what they say about your child’s understanding in specific subjects, not just the grades.
When you get feedback, ask questions about your child’s progress. If the teacher says your child struggles with fractions in maths, ask which bits trip them up and what helps them in class.
This lets you support a home environment that feels a bit more like what they’re used to at school.
Written feedback usually lists next steps or targets. Keep these handy at home and check them during homework.
If feedback says your child shines in reading comprehension but needs help with phonics, you can adjust your home reading time to match.
Don’t wait for formal reports. A quick email about how your child did with a tricky topic shows you’re involved and helps spot problems early.
Parent–teacher meetings give you time to chat about your child’s progress against National Curriculum expectations. Beforehand, look through their recent work and jot down questions about certain topics or subjects.
Ask which Key Stage objectives your child has nailed and which need more practice. Request examples of their work to see both strengths and areas for growth.
This approach gives you a clearer idea than just hearing general comments.
Two-way communication works best when you share what you notice too. Let the teacher know about your child’s interests, how they handle homework, and any worries you’ve picked up.
This helps teachers get the full picture of your child’s learning.
Take notes during the meeting. Ask for specific ways to help at home.
If your child needs a boost with Year 3 multiplication tables, see if the teacher recommends any methods or resources. Many schools use platforms like LearningMole for curriculum-aligned videos, or teachers might have their own favourite activities that fit with their lessons.
Reading skills grow with daily practice and meaningful time spent with books and stories. Give your child regular chances to hear language, explore stories and get stuck into written words.
This builds a strong foundation for everything else in the National Curriculum.
Reading aloud to your child still works wonders for literacy development, even when they’re reading on their own. When you share stories, your child hears fluent reading, picks up new words and builds comprehension skills.
Choose books just above your child’s current level for these sessions. This way, they hear richer language and more complex sentences.
Ask questions like, “How do you think that character feels?” or “What do you think will happen next?” Bring the story back to their own experiences if you can.
Storytelling doesn’t always need a book. Share family stories, make up adventures together, or talk about your day.
Nursery rhymes and poetry help younger children develop phonological awareness, which supports phonics activities.
Some children just aren’t keen on reading at first. Let your child pick what they want to read, whether that’s graphic novels, football magazines or non-fiction books about space.
Set up a cosy reading spot with good lighting and few distractions. Start with small goals, like reading for 10 minutes, instead of aiming for a whole chapter.
Audiobooks absolutely count as reading practice. They help kids who find decoding tough but still want to enjoy stories and build vocabulary.
Try linking reading to things your child already loves. If they’re into cooking, read recipes together. If gaming is their thing, look at game guides or stories set in similar worlds.
Comics and graphic novels give real reading practice and feel less overwhelming than big chapter books.
Let your child see you reading too. When they notice you enjoying a book, it makes reading feel normal and fun, not just a school task.
Make sure your home has books, magazines and newspapers within easy reach. Label boxes, write shopping lists together, or leave notes around the house to weave written language into daily life.
Stock up on a range of reading materials at different levels. Keep picture books, early readers and chapter books available so your child can pick what suits their mood.
Visit the library often to keep things fresh without spending extra.
Encourage writing outside of homework. Ask your child to write birthday cards, keep a journal, or make their own comics.
Play word games, do crosswords or solve riddles together to build vocabulary and spelling skills in a relaxed way.
Show off your child’s writing and drawings. Create a space for English practice that feels welcoming, not stressful.
Keep pencils, crayons and paper out so writing feels as easy as chatting.
Parents can boost maths confidence by linking numbers to everyday life. Science learning grows when children get to ask questions and explore their world.
Bringing maths into daily life helps your child see why these skills matter. Practise counting coins at the shop, measure ingredients when cooking, or estimate travel times on your way to school.
Many parents feel unsure about helping with maths, especially since schools now use different methods. Check your child’s textbook or online resources to see how they’re learning.
LearningMole has curriculum-aligned videos on topics like number, shape and calculations, matching what your child sees at school.
Quick maths activities to try:
The trick is to make maths feel part of normal life, not a chore. When your child sees numbers in action, they start to understand how learning fits into real problems.
Scientific thinking begins with curiosity. When your child asks, “Why is the sky blue?” or “Where do clouds come from?”, they’re already thinking like a scientist.
Instead of answering straight away, try asking, “What do you think?”
Give your child space to explore and experiment. Science learning happens when they try things out, make mistakes, and figure out what went wrong.
If an experiment doesn’t go as planned, talk about what happened and why.
Simple ways to encourage inquiry:
Ask your child to keep a science journal. They can sketch what they see or stick in photos.
These notes help them track changes and practise scientific skills.
Children’s social and emotional skills shape their success at school and their overall wellbeing. These skills help pupils manage feelings, build friendships, and find the confidence they need to do well.
Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE) are now part of the national curriculum. RSE became a requirement in all primary schools in England from September 2020, and health education is also compulsory.
What RSE covers at primary level:
The content stays age-appropriate and focuses on healthy relationships, not sexual content for younger children. Most schools teach RSE in special lessons and mix these themes into other subjects.
PSHE goes further, covering health, economic wellbeing and citizenship. Teachers support children’s social and emotional health with activities that help them understand feelings, build empathy, and solve problems in daily life.
Resilience helps your child recover from setbacks and manage stress. Children’s growth in social and emotional areas affects their motivation and attitude towards school.
You can help build resilience by encouraging your child to name their feelings and talk about problems. When they feel frustrated with homework or friends, listen and help them think through what to do next, instead of fixing everything for them.
Ways to support wellbeing:
Schools often use circle time, worry boxes, and mindfulness activities to support emotional wellbeing. You can add to this by keeping conversations open about school and looking out for changes in behaviour that might mean your child needs extra help.
Every child learns in their own way, and some need extra support to access the curriculum. Whether your child has a diagnosed disability or just learns best with certain methods, you can help them succeed by finding the right strategies.
Children take in information differently. Some learn best with visuals like diagrams and videos, others need hands-on activities, and some prefer listening.
Watch how your child approaches tasks to spot their learning style. Do they remember better when you show them, or when you explain out loud? Do they fidget while reading but focus during crafts?
Visual learners like:
Kinaesthetic learners do well with:
Auditory learners pick up more from:
Creating an equitable learning environment for children with disabilities means providing tailored support while still expecting a lot from every child. Teachers now focus on adapting how children access the same curriculum, instead of handing out different work altogether.
Positive, proactive approaches usually work much better than waiting for problems to arise. Try breaking tasks into smaller steps, using visual schedules, and sticking to clear routines.
Many children with disabilities respond well to hands-on activities. These often suit kinaesthetic learners too.
Practical adaptations might look like:
Supports and accommodations help children with disabilities learn alongside their classmates. This might mean extra time, assistive technology, or using modified materials.
The goal is for your child to access the same learning as others, just with extra scaffolding when needed.
Stay in touch with your child’s teacher and any specialists. They can suggest strategies based on your child’s needs and help you continue support at home.
Schools keep updating their teaching as new research comes out and national standards shift. When parents actively seek feedback and understand how curriculum materials work, they can support learning at home far more effectively.
Your child’s school uses ongoing feedback to improve how they deliver the National Curriculum. Teachers collect information from assessments, student responses, and classroom observations to adjust their teaching throughout the year.
You can help by sharing what you notice at home. If your child finds certain maths concepts or reading tasks tricky, tell their teacher.
Teachers often say parent observations reveal gaps they might miss in class. Ask about the feedback systems your school uses.
Many schools hold regular parent consultations where you can talk about your child’s progress against Key Stage expectations. Between meetings, you can email teachers with questions about curriculum content or homework.
Consider jotting down brief notes about your child’s learning at home. Note which topics seem easy or hard.
This helps teachers figure out whether curriculum materials suit your child’s learning style.
Curriculum fidelity means teachers stick to a research-based curriculum as intended. When schools bring in new programmes for phonics or maths, they train teachers to deliver materials in proven ways.
Your child benefits most when teachers use these materials as designed. A research-based curriculum includes carefully sequenced lessons that build knowledge step by step.
Skipping activities or changing the order can throw off this learning progression. You can support curriculum fidelity at home by following your school’s advice on homework and practice.
If the school sends home specific reading books or maths tasks, these usually link directly to class learning. LearningMole has free curriculum-aligned videos that follow National Curriculum sequences for Key Stages 1 and 2, so you can reinforce what children learn at school.
Ask teachers which curriculum parts they focus on each term. Knowing the planned sequence helps you support your child without introducing concepts too soon.
Parents can find a wide range of professional learning opportunities and practical toolkits to better understand the curriculum and help their children succeed.
These resources offer structured guidance and research-backed strategies for supporting learning at home.
Professional learning resources give you insight into how teachers approach the curriculum and which methods work for different subjects. Many organisations offer free webinars, online courses, and workshops designed for parents who want to help their children more effectively.
Look for programmes that explain curriculum objectives in plain language. These usually break down what your child should know at each Key Stage and suggest activities you can do together.
Some local authorities run parent education sessions on topics like phonics, maths strategies, and reading comprehension.
Educational resources with videos and study materials help you grasp tricky concepts before you explain them to your child. Parent networks and online forums can be useful for swapping tips with other families facing similar curriculum challenges.
Quality guides turn curriculum requirements into practical activities you can use at home. The best toolkits give step-by-step instructions, printable materials, and explain why certain approaches support learning outcomes.
When choosing guides, pick those developed by education specialists or organisations with teaching expertise. Look for resources that match UK curriculum standards and activities for your child’s year group.
Many toolkits suggest ways to adapt activities for different learning styles and abilities. Free printable worksheets, activity sheets, and planning templates can back up your child’s school learning.
Choose materials that encourage hands-on exploration, not just repetition. Good toolkits often include assessment tips so you can spot progress and see where your child might need more practice or a different approach.
Parents usually have similar questions about supporting their children through the National Curriculum. From practical home activities to knowing when extra help is needed, these answers address common concerns about working with teachers, recognising learning difficulties, and finding resources that fit your child’s age.
Start by asking your child’s teacher which maths, English, and science topics they’re covering. This lets you reinforce the same ideas at home without mixing up methods.
Reading together for 15 to 20 minutes each day really helps across all subjects. Pick a mix of fiction and non-fiction books that suit your child’s reading level and interests.
Use daily life to practise skills from the national curriculum. Cooking covers measurement and fractions, shopping means mental maths, and talking about news stories builds comprehension and critical thinking.
Set up a calm space for homework with good light and few distractions. Keep pencils, rubbers, and other supplies handy so your child can focus on learning, not searching for equipment.
Play educational games that match what your child learns at school. Board games, card games, and word puzzles build skills while still feeling like fun.
Go to parents’ evenings ready with specific questions about your child’s progress in each subject. Teachers appreciate when you ask about particular areas, not just general questions.
Send short emails or messages through your school’s system if you have concerns. Keep them focused on one topic at a time and suggest a few times you could chat if needed.
Share any changes at home that might affect your child’s learning. Teachers can support your child better when they know the full picture.
Ask teachers what you can do at home to support current topics. Most teachers are happy to suggest activities or point you towards helpful resources.
Reply to teachers’ messages promptly and positively. This builds a partnership where both of you work together for your child’s benefit.
Look for signs like your child taking much longer to finish homework or often saying they don’t understand. Regular frustration or tears during homework usually means there’s a real struggle.
Notice if your child avoids talking about certain subjects or makes excuses not to do related activities. This often means they feel worried about their abilities in that area.
Compare progress reports across terms. If you see a sudden drop in grades or repeated comments about needing extra support, pay attention.
Talk to your child’s teacher as soon as you notice concerns. Teachers see how your child does compared to their peers and can tell you if extra support is needed.
Don’t do the work for your child. Instead, work through examples together and let them try similar problems on their own.
Consider whether your child needs their eyesight or hearing checked. Sometimes what looks like a learning difficulty is actually a physical issue that glasses or other support can fix.
The government’s Education Hub gives clear explanations of changes to the National Curriculum so you know what your child will learn. These updates cover more on speaking and listening, reading, writing, and maths from early years onwards.
Your child’s school should provide their curriculum plan for each term. This shows which topics your child will study and when, making it easier to support learning at home.
LearningMole offers curriculum-aligned video resources for maths, English, science, and phonics for children aged 4 to 11. The free videos explain Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 topics in a way both parents and children can understand.
Local libraries run free sessions about supporting children’s learning. Librarians can recommend books that fit your child’s age and what they’re studying.
Parent workshops at your child’s school cover phonics, maths methods, and other subjects. These sessions show you exactly how teachers explain concepts so you can use the same approaches at home.
Check which Key Stage your child is in and see what the National Curriculum expects for that age group. This gives you a good idea of suitable learning goals.
Pick activities that challenge your child but don’t cause frustration. If tasks are too easy, they’ll get bored. If they’re too hard, they’ll give up.
Let your child’s interests guide some activities. A child obsessed with dinosaurs will happily read non-fiction books, write stories, and solve maths problems about prehistoric creatures.
Mix up activities through the week. Include movement, creative projects, quiet reading, and hands-on experiments to suit different learning styles.
Watch how your child reacts to activities. Signs of engagement include asking questions, wanting to keep going after the set time, and talking about what they learned.
Don’t push your child to work at an older age level just because they seem bright. Building a deep understanding at the right level creates stronger foundations than rushing ahead.
Break tasks into smaller steps. Celebrate every little achievement along the way.
Let your child take their time to process information and answer questions. If you rush them, they may feel anxious and struggle even more.
Use concrete objects and visual aids as much as you can. Counters for maths, pictures for stories or diagrams for science can make tricky ideas easier to understand.
Try different ways to repeat information. Draw it, act it out or connect it to something your child already knows.
Start with your child’s strengths and interests. When they succeed in areas they enjoy, their confidence grows and spills over into tougher subjects.
Talk with your child’s teacher about their Individual Education Plan if they have one. Keeping things consistent at home and school really helps children who learn at a slower pace.
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