Do Grammar Schools Follow the National Curriculum?

If you're a teacher considering a role at a grammar school, or simply trying to understand how their curriculum works, you might be wondering: Do Grammar Schools Follow the National Curriculum?

Grammar schools have a reputation for academic excellence and often seem to operate differently from state-funded comprehensive schools. But does that mean they're exempt from the national curriculum? This guide will give you the clarity you need.

Key Takeaways

• Grammar schools that are maintained must follow the national curriculum by law.

• Grammar schools that are academies are not legally required to follow it, but most do in broad terms.

• Grammar schools often accelerate content, introduce GCSEs early, and add enrichment subjects like Latin or additional sciences.

• Ofsted inspects all grammar schools on curriculum quality, regardless of whether they strictly follow the national curriculum.

What Is the National Curriculum?

The national curriculum (opens in a new tab) sets out what subjects must be taught in state-funded schools in England. It applies to pupils aged 5 to 16 and covers Key Stages 1 to 4.

Its purpose is to provide a structured framework for learning across all state-funded schools. Maintained schools in England are legally required to follow the statutory national curriculum, which sets out programmes of study and subject content on the basis of key stages.

The curriculum ensures that every pupil receives a consistent standard of education, regardless of which school they attend. It promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society, and prepares pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.

The current version of the national curriculum has been in place since 2014, following a major review. 

Are Grammar Schools Required to Follow the National Curriculum?

Yes, if they are maintained schools. This applies to grammar schools just as it does to comprehensive schools.

Grammar schools can be run by:

• The local authority

• A foundation body

• An academy trust

Those run by local authorities or as foundation schools are maintained schools and must follow statutory curriculum requirements.

However, many grammar schools have converted to academy status. As of 2015, 86% of grammar schools were academies (opens in a new tab). 

This distinction is crucial. Maintained grammar schools must follow the national curriculum. Grammar schools that are academies have more flexibility, which we'll explore in the next section.

How Do Grammar Schools Approach the Curriculum Differently?

Even when grammar schools follow the national curriculum, they often deliver it in distinctive ways.

Grammar schools tend to accelerate curriculum content. This means they cover material at a faster pace than comprehensive schools. For example: 

• Key Stage 3 might be covered in two years; 7 and 8. 

• Some grammar schools choose to introduce GCSE courses early. In many subjects, students begin GCSE work in Year 9.

In addition to traditional academic teaching, grammar schools often add enrichment subjects beyond statutory requirements. These can include subjects such as: 

• Computing and computer science

• Art, drama and music

• A broad range of modern languages

• Latin and classical civilisation

The approach is often one of high challenge and breadth. Grammar schools aim to stretch high-attaining pupils through both curriculum acceleration and enrichment beyond statutory requirements.

Which Subjects Are Statutory in Grammar Schools?

At Key Stage 3, maintained grammar schools must teach the statutory national curriculum subjects. This includes:

• English

• Maths

• Science

• Art and design

• Citizenship

• Computing

• Design and technology

• Modern foreign languages

• Geography

• History

• Music

• Physical education

In addition, the teaching of sex and relationship education and religious education is also statutory.

At Key Stage 4, the requirements narrow. Core subjects are: 

• English

• Maths

• Science

Foundation subjects are: 

• Computing

• Physical Education

• Citizenship

Students at Key Stage 4 have a statutory entitlement to study one modern language and at least one subject from: 

• The arts; comprising of: 

  • Art and design

  • Music

  • Photography

  • Dance

  • Drama

  • Media arts

• Design and technology; comprising of:

  • Design and technology

  • Electronics

  • Engineering

  • Food preparation and nutrition

• Humanities; comprising of:

  • Geography

  • History

• Business and enterprise; comprising of: 

  • Business studies

  • Economics

Maintained grammar schools must also provide relationships and sex education, as well as religious education. 

What About Academies and Grammar Schools?

Many grammar schools have converted to academy status. This fundamentally changes their relationship with the national curriculum.

Academies do not have to follow the National Curriculum, so they have much more flexibility about what they choose to cover. However, academies do have to teach a broad and balanced curriculum, including English, Mathematics and Science.

In practice, most grammar schools that are academies still follow the national curriculum in broad terms. Most choose to follow the national curriculum structure to ensure pupils are well-prepared for GCSEs and A Levels.

How Does Ofsted Inspect the Grammar School Curriculum?

Ofsted's approach to curriculum inspection applies to all schools, regardless of whether they follow the national curriculum.

The Education Inspection Framework (EIF) (opens in a new tab) focuses heavily on ensuring schools:

• Raise standards and improve lives for all

• Meet all safeguarding requirements

• Spend public money well (where relevant) 

On one hand, the government has given academies the freedom to choose their own curriculum. On the other hand, the inspectorate is using the national curriculum as the benchmark for what the expected standard looks like.

This means that even grammar schools with academy status, which are not legally required to follow the national curriculum, still face scrutiny based on curriculum breadth, ambition and sequencing. Ofsted expects a broad and balanced curriculum regardless of the school's legal status.

For grammar schools, this means that while they may accelerate content or add enrichment subjects, they must still demonstrate:

• Strong curriculum intent

• Effective implementation

• Positive impact on pupils' learning

Can Grammar Schools Offer a Broader Curriculum?

Yes, and many do. Grammar schools frequently go beyond statutory requirements to offer an enriched curriculum.

Latin is commonly offered as an additional subject in grammar schools. Some schools make it compulsory at Key Stage 3, while others offer it as an option.

Many grammar schools offer two or three modern foreign languages, rather than the single language required by the national curriculum. Students might study French and German, or French and Spanish, for example.

Triple science is often the default in many grammar schools. The triple award qualification pushes students both in terms of level and content. This means pupils study biology, chemistry and physics as three separate GCSEs rather than combined science.

The rationale is that grammar schools serve pupils who are academically selected and therefore capable of handling a broader and more demanding curriculum. Schools design their offerings based on pupil profile, staff expertise, and their particular academic culture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are grammar schools allowed to teach the GCSE curriculum early?

Yes. Grammar schools can introduce GCSE content in Year 9 or even earlier if they choose. In many subjects, students begin GCSE work in Year 9. And, some grammar schools condense Key Stage 3 into two years rather than three. 

Do all grammar schools follow the same curriculum?

No. While all maintained grammar schools must follow the national curriculum, grammar schools that have academy status do not.

Different grammar schools will:

• Accelerate content at different rates

• Offer different enrichment subjects

• Have different policies on early GCSE entry

• Provide different combinations of modern foreign languages

• Structure Key Stage 3 differently

What's the difference between grammar schools and academies?

These are not mutually exclusive categories. A grammar school can be either a maintained school or an academy.

Maintained grammar schools are run by the local authority and must follow the national curriculum. They must also follow national pay scales and conditions for teachers and adhere to local authority term dates.

Grammar school academies are self-governing and receive funding directly from the government. The attraction of academy status to its management is the freedom to set its own budgets and curriculum. 

Final Thoughts

If you’re thinking of teaching in a grammar school, this means working in an environment that fosters high academic challenge. Knowing the difference between maintained and academy grammar schools is crucial. Understanding the requirements of each is essential to help you work out whether the grammar school environment is the right one for you.

References

gov.uk (opens in a new tab) - National curriculum (opens in a new tab)

Schoolsweek - Grammar School Statistics (opens in a new tab)

Ofsted - Education inspection framework: for use from November 2025 (opens in a new tab)