Designed for parents with children in the British school system, this booklet describes the National Curriculum, which sets out what children should know, understand, and be able to do at each stage of their education from the ages of 5 to 16. Under the National Curriculum, children will be taught what they really need to know, and students and teachers will be given definite national targets to aim for in the most important subjects, thereby raising standards. Teachers will check a child's progress against national tests at ages 7, 11, 14, and 16. Schools will provide parents with an annual report on their child's progress, showing how the child is progressing in the National Curriculum and other subjects. The curriculum will cover the content areas of technology, history, geography, modern foreign languages, art, music, and physical education, and the three core areas of English, mathematics, and science. (In Wales, Welsh is also part of the curriculum). There are brief explanations of the ways in which the National Curriculum focuses on the learning of basic skills during primary education and the ways in which the curriculum changes when students enter secondary education to allow students more choices in regard to the courses they take. Basic information about course offerings, tests, and awards at the primary and secondary levels is provided. The booklet concludes with a brief listing of other sources of information. (HOD)