The National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements


The National Curriculum Statement Grades R–12 (NCS) stipulates policy on curriculum and assessment in schools. To improve its implementation, the National Curriculum Statement was amended with effect from January 2012. A single comprehensive National Curriculum and Assessment Policy statement was developed for each subject to replace the old Subject Statements, Learning Programme Guidelines and Subject Assessment Guidelines in Grades R –12. Key differences between the National Curriculum


Statement (NCS) and the National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (NCAPS) are explained in the following table:


National Curriculum Statement (NCS)


Critical and Developmental Outcomes


Learning Outcomes and Assessment Standards


Learning Programmes: Literacy Numeracy Life Skills


National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS)


Critical Outcomes with Developmental Outcomes infused in the content


Content areas with general and specific aims (referring to content knowledge and assessment tools)


Subjects:


Home Language First Additional Language Mathematics


Life Skills (Beginning knowledge and personal and social wellbeing, creative arts and physical education)


Focus: Knowledge and skills


Focus:


Content knowledge Skills


Attitudes and values Improved transition between Grades


The NCAPS and the Oxford Successful series


The Oxford Successful series fully supports the above principles by: • ensuring that all learners progress through the content as required by the NCAPS


• using accessible language, so addressing the needs of learners whose LOLT is not their home language • encouraging learners to meet and exceed the required standards


• providing teaching guidelines that ensure teachers are organised and use teaching time optimally • providing opportunities for learners to engage in enjoyable activities that stimulate and challenge them • providing pacing guidelines to ensure optimal curriculum coverage


Subject Home Language


First Additional Language Mathematics Life Skills


y Beginning Knowledge and Personal and Social Wellbeing y Creative Arts


y Physical Education Time allocation per week 6 hours


4 (5) hours 7 hours


2 (3) hours


2 hours 2 hours


The needs of young learners


Learners in the Foundation Phase need to acquire a number of skills to prepare them for the demands of the Intermediate Phase and beyond. An appropriately structured environment that recognises the unique needs of young learners can help to lay the foundations for future success. The most common needs of young learners are shown in the table overleaf.


Introduction 5


• building learners’ skills base and confidence with increasingly complex tasks


• encouraging learners to interact critically with their context and become active citizens of a democracy • assessing learners at the appropriate level • providing regular opportunities to assess learners’ progress and development


• encouraging learners to read, interpret and follow instructions


• developing the specialist vocabulary and conceptual terminology required in order to improve subject literacy • providing guidance to the teacher regarding suitable support and intervention, as well as extension activities.


SECTION 1 Learning in the Foundation Phase


Subjects and time allocation


The subjects in the Foundation Phase are Home Language, First Additional Language, Mathematics and Life Skills. Teaching English as a first additional language is crucial to the success of learners whose language of learning and teaching (LOLT) changes in Grade 4. The recording and reporting of learner


performance focuses on the content/content areas defined in Languages, Mathematics and Life Skills. The table below shows the teaching time that


should be spent per week on each subject in Grades 1 and 2. The teaching time per week in Grade 3 is shown in brackets.


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