Curriculum information: what to publish on your school website
What you teach in each subject and year group, including religious education, not just your general approach.
Check this on my websiteWho it applies to
- Published on
- The school's own website
- School type
- Academies and maintained schools
- School stage
- All stages, from early years to sixth form
- Does not apply to
- No school types are excluded
When it's due
Keep it up to date
There's no fixed date. Update it whenever something changes.
What's needed
Publish what is taught in each subject in each year group on the curriculum page on your website, including religious education, your phonics and reading schemes and your key stage 4 courses.
In this requirement
- 1Subject content by year3 parts
- Academy: Must: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.
- Maintained: Must: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.
- 2Finding out moreNo parts listed
- Academy: Should: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.
- Maintained: Must: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.
- 3Key stage 4 courses3 parts
- Academy: Should: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.
- Maintained: Must: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.
- 4Phonics and reading schemesNo parts listed
- Academy: Should: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.
- Maintained: Must: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.
Section 1 of 4
Subject content by year
The school must publish what is taught in each subject in each year group - per-subject content and per-year-group content - not just a general description of its approach; sixth forms should also say how the curriculum meets the 16 to 19 study programme.
- Academies: Must: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.
- Maintained schools: Must: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.
What it must contain
3 parts- Sets out the curriculum content for each subject in every academic yearMust: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.
- Says how the curriculum meets the 16 to 19 study programme requirementsShould: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.
- Includes religious education in the curriculum content, even where it is taught within another subject or under another nameMust: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.
What the official sources say
Set out in 4 official sources:
What maintained schools must publish online
All schools must publish: – the content of the curriculum in each academic year for every subject, including mandatory subjects such as religious education ( RE ) – this applies even if it is taught as part of another subject or known by another name
Must: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.§ Curriculum > What all schools must publish
– how parents, carers or other members of the public can find out more about the curriculum
Must: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.§ Curriculum > What all schools must publish
What academies must publish online
All academies should publish: – the content of the curriculum in each academic year for every subject, including mandatory subjects such as religious education ( RE ) – this applies even if it is taught as part of another subject or known by another name
Should: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.§ Curriculum > What all academies should publish
Academies with 16 to 19 provision should also publish information on how their curriculum meets the 16 to 19 study programme requirements .
Should: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.§ Curriculum > What academies with 16 to 19 provision should publish
School Information (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012
7 The following information about the school curriculum— a in relation to each academic year, the content of the curriculum followed by the school for each subject and details as to how additional information relating to the curriculum may be obtained;
Must: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.§ SI 2012/1124 regulation 2(5), inserting Schedule 4 paragraph 7(a) of the 2008 Regulations
Master academy and free school funding agreement (Dec 2020)
TheAcademy Trustmustpublish information in relation to the current curriculum provision at each Academyon that Academy’s website, including: the content of the curriculum; its approach to the curriculum; if applicable,theGCSE optionsand other Key Stage 4 qualificationsoffered by each Academy and,if applicable,any otherqualifications offered by eachAcademy; the names of any phonics or reading schemes in operation for Key Stage 1 if applicable;and howParents (includingParentsof prospective pupils) and Commissioners(if applicable)can obtain further informationaboutthatAcademy’s curriculum.
Must: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.§ clause 2.23 (Curriculum)
Section 2 of 4
Finding out more
The school must tell parents, carers and members of the public how they can find out more about the curriculum, for example who to contact.
- Academies: Should: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.
- Maintained schools: Must: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.
What it must contain
No parts listedThe official sources name no separate parts for this requirement. We check that it is published and easy to find.
Section 3 of 4
Key stage 4 courses
Secondary schools must publish the courses leading to a GCSE and other courses and the qualifications they lead to at key stage 4, and academies with a sixth form should also publish the 16 to 19 qualifications offered. It does not apply to primary schools.
- Academies: Should: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.
- Maintained schools: Must: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.
What it must contain
3 parts- Lists every course that leads to a GCSE qualificationMust: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.
- Lists every other key stage 4 course and the qualification it leads toMust: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.
- Says which 16 to 19 qualifications are offeredShould: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.
What the official sources say
Set out in 3 official sources:
What academies must publish online
– key stage 4 courses, including GCSEs, available
Should: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.§ Curriculum > What all academies should publish
– 16 to 19 qualifications they offer
Should: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.§ Curriculum > What all academies should publish
What maintained schools must publish online
Schools with key stage 4 provision must publish a list of the key stage 4 courses they offer, including GCSEs.
Must: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.§ Curriculum > What schools with key stage 4 provision must publish
School Information (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012
c in relation to key stage 4— i a list of the courses provided which lead to a GCSE qualification, ii a list of other courses offered at key stage 4 and the qualifications that may be acquired.
Must: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.§ SI 2012/1124 regulation 2(5), inserting Schedule 4 paragraph 7(c) of the 2008 Regulations
Section 4 of 4
Phonics and reading schemes
Primary schools must publish the names of any phonics or reading schemes they use in key stage 1, such as Read Write Inc or Little Wandle.
- Academies: Should: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.
- Maintained schools: Must: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.
What it must contain
No parts listedThe official sources name no separate parts for this requirement. We check that it is published and easy to find.
What the official sources say
Set out in 3 official sources:
What maintained schools must publish online
Schools with key stage 1 provision must publish a list of any phonics or reading schemes they use.
Must: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.§ Curriculum > What schools with key stage 1 provision must publish
What academies must publish online
Where applicable, they should also publish a list of the: – key stage 1 phonics or reading schemes they use
Should: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.§ Curriculum > What all academies should publish
School Information (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012
b in relation to key stage 1, the names of any phonics or reading schemes in operation; and
Must: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.§ SI 2012/1124 regulation 2(5), inserting Schedule 4 paragraph 7(b) of the 2008 Regulations
Questions schools ask
Do schools have to publish their curriculum?
Subject content by year: Academies and maintained schools must. Finding out more: Maintained schools must. For academies, it's recommended in official guidance, but isn't a legal requirement in itself. Key stage 4 courses: Maintained schools must. For academies, it's recommended in official guidance, but isn't a legal requirement in itself. Phonics and reading schemes: Maintained schools must. For academies, it's recommended in official guidance, but isn't a legal requirement in itself.
What curriculum information do we need to publish?
Sets out the curriculum content for each subject in every academic year; Says how the curriculum meets the 16 to 19 study programme requirements; Includes religious education in the curriculum content, even where it is taught within another subject or under another name; Lists every course that leads to a GCSE qualification; Lists every other key stage 4 course and the qualification it leads to; Says which 16 to 19 qualifications are offered.
When do we need to update our curriculum information?
Keep it up to date. There's no fixed date. Update it whenever something changes.
Where does the requirement for the curriculum information come from?
It is set out in What maintained schools must publish online, What academies must publish online, School Information (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 and Master academy and free school funding agreement (Dec 2020).
Recent changes to the official guidance
Updates to the official sources that affect this requirement, newest first.
12 November 2020 · What maintained schools must publish online
The DfE updated the curriculum section.
We last checked these sources on 21 September 2026.
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Official sources last checked 21 September 2026 · register version 1.0.4