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On 20 May 2003, the Secretary of State launched Excellence and Enjoyment - A Strategy for Primary Schools which set out the vision for the future of primary education built on what we have already achieved. This vision is for a sector where high standards are obtained through a rich, varied and exciting curriculum which develops children in a range of ways.

• Empowering primary schools to take control of their curriculum, and to be more innovative and to develop their own character.
• Schools setting their own targets for level 4 and 5 at key stage 2, based on challenging but realistic targets for the progress of each child in the school, with LEA targets being set afterwards.
• Trialling a new approach of supported teacher assessment at KS1, where tests underpin teacher assessment rather than being reported separately.
• Encouraging schools to network together and learning from others in sharing and developing good practice. Partnership with parents, which is vital in helping children to do as well as they can, and making wider links with the community.
• Government acting more and more as an enabler with schools increasingly in control of the support they get to:
  1. strengthen leadership, particularly leadership of teaching, and professional development to help teachers embed the principles of effective teaching and learning both in literacy and numeracy and across the curriculum
  2. help schools design broad and rich curricula which make the most of links between different areas and provide opportunities for children to have a wide range of learning experiences

Copies of Excellence and Enjoyment - A Strategy for Primary Schools were distributed to all primary schools in May 2003. Download a copy from our publication page here. If you would like to comment on on the publication or on primary issues more generally please email jane.pierce@dfes.gsi.gov.uk.

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5-Year Strategic Plan and 2006/07 Annual Plan summaries
The National Strategies regards the effective management of communications as an essential part of its strategic approach to raising standards. It is our intention to ensure that those with and for whom we work are well informed about what we are doing by communicating in a clear and accessible way.

In July 2006, as part of that policy, we published a 5-Year Strategic Plan and 2006/07 Annual Plan - Summary for Schools and a 5-Year Strategic Plan - Executive Summary. Both summaries are available to view in the publications section of this site.

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A strategy for primary schools
In launching the Primary Strategy document (May 2003), Charles Clarke, the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, introduced the strategy as follows:

'Excellent teaching gives children the life chances they deserve. Our system must not fail any child. High standards - especially in literacy and numeracy - are the backbone of success in learning and in life. Our primary education system must not write off any child through low expectations.

Enjoyment is the birthright of every child. But the most powerful mix is the one that brings the two together. Children learn better when they are excited and engaged - but what excites and engages them best is truly excellent teaching, which challenges them and shows them what they can do. When there is joy in what they are doing, they learn to love learning.

I want every school to drive its own improvement, to set its own challenging targets, and to work tirelessly to build on success. However good our schools are, for the sake of our children they can always be better.'

The Primary Strategy encourages schools to use the freedoms they already have to suit their pupils and the context in which they work.The goal is for every primary school to combine excellence in teaching with enjoyment of learning. Schools will:

• develop the distinctive character of the school, building on existing strengths (e.g. sport or music) or working closely with the community;
• take ownership of the curriculum;
• be creative and innovative in how they teach and in how they run the school;
• use tests, targets and tables to help every child develop their potential and measure school performance.

The DfES will:

• support innovation and offer more scope for school autonomy;
• keep a strong focus on standards and maintain the target for 85% of primary pupils to reach level 4 at KS2 as soon as possible;
• Change the local target-setting arrangements: schools will set the targets to begin, with LEAs following;
• provide schools with better performance data;
• maintain high standards at KS1, but trial a new approach to assessing 7-year-olds;
• recognise the achievement of all children, by improving value-added measures;
• look into changing the performance tables to include a school's character as well as performance.

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What happens to the Literacy and Numeracy strategies?
The Primary Strategy takes these under its umbrella and fosters further support of these strategies. Following the successful launch of the renewed Primary Framework for literacy and mathematics in October 2006, those areas of the Standards Site that refer to the original frameworks of literacy and mathematics will be removed from 22nd February 2007. Visitors to the site will be redirected to the Primary Framework for literacy and mathematics; you are encouraged to amend your bookmarks accordingly.

The Primary Framework for literacy and mathematics represents a significant development in the Strategy. It builds on the learning that has taken place since the original frameworks for teaching literacy and mathematics were introduced in 1998 and 1999. The renewal of the frameworks brings new impetus and new structures that reflect a significant development in teaching and learning in literacy and mathematics.

What about the rest of the foundation subjects?
This strategy extends the sort of support hitherto given to Literacy and Numeracy to other subjects: modern foreign languages, PE, and Music. The arts and creativity will be stressed, and teachers will receive support to use ICT towards successful learning and teaching.

What should people working in schools know?
There are a few basic changes and pledges:

• Every school will have the chance to be part of a wider school network.
• A new 'Leading Practice' programme will build on the beacon school initiative
• Every LEA will have a Primary Strategy Manager to help schools.
• LEAs are being asked to use their consultants to support the strategy.
• Schools will need to commit to a programme of professional development for all their staff.
• Schools should look at what other schools do to learn from them and exchange expertise

What about the National Agreement?
Primary schools are already making great strides on workforce reform. The Workforce Agreement is reducing teachers' workload. This will facilitate the integration of the Primary Strategy, because teachers will have time to focus on raising standards and teaching children to enjoy their education.

The result?
Excellent education tailored to each child's needs, setting them up to engage with their schooling and succeed in secondary education. And for teachers? Continuing professional development, interesting new challenges and a better working environment.

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