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These regulations prescribe cases in which the National Curriculum is not to apply to pupils. The pupils mainly concerned are likely to be those in the fourth key stage (that is, the last two years of compulsory schooling).
  The National Curriculum in a particular subject does not apply to a pupil where he and all or the majority of his class have taken an examination which has been specified as assessment arrangements for the fourth key stage by an order made under section 4(2)(c) of the Education Reform Act 1988, and the examination was taken before the second and final year of the key stage (regulation 2). If the subject was history or geography the National Curriculum in neither subject applies to him (regulation 3).

  A pupil is additionally exempted from history and geography in the National Curriculum if he has taken an examination in either subject at the end of the fourth key stage for the subject and did so at any time before the school year in which he ceases to be of compulsory school age (regulation 3).

  Finally a pupil is exempted from a foundation subject of the National Curriculum if he is to be, or has been, entered for the GCSE examination for a specified corresponding subject which is to be held in the summer term of the first school year in which attainment targets and programmes of study are specified for the subject at the fourth key stage (regulation 4 and the Schedule).