(1) The curriculum for every public school and assisted school shall comprise core and foundation subjects and specify in relation to each of them—
(a) attainment targets that include the knowledge, skills and understanding which students of different abilities and maturities are expected to have by the end of each key stage;
(b) programmes of study that include the matters, skills and processes which are required to be taught to students of different abilities and maturities during each key stage; and
(c) assessment arrangements that include the arrangements for assessing students at or near the end of each key stage for the purpose of ascertaining what they have achieved in relation to the attainment targets.
(2) Subsection (1) shall not apply in the case of a school engaged in the delivery of special education.