Creating Value In Schools
Please enjoy this free content - for more Need To Know articles please consider a subscription
The final report of the Curriculum and Assessment Review has been published, scrutinised and analysed. Its mantra? Evolution, not revolution. High standards must mean high standards for all. There’s a renewed focus on citizenship, with a recognition that pupils need life skills such as financial, digital and media literacy. There’s a new curriculum to come, more vocational qualifications for post-16s, and further wrangling over Progress 8 accountability measures. The report contains many recommendations – what ends up in practice we have to wait and see!
(Screenshot from Watch: Becky Francis answers reader questions in review webinar)
There is to be a new national curriculum, for implementation in schools September 2028. The revised curriculum should be published spring 2027, giving schools time to prepare.
It will retain a knowledge-rich approach, must be aspirational and engaging, and also supportive of the needs of all young people. There will be a focus on mastering core concepts and a coherent structure, enabling pupils to build on prior learning.
With a recognition that the current curriculum is too content-heavy in places, there’s a call for agreement on what is essential to be taught:
‘It is essential that curriculum content is clear, specific and demonstrates continuity, avoiding both gaps in essential content and unnecessary repetition of it.’ (Full report, page 50)
The curriculum also needs to ‘reflect our diverse society and the contributions of people of all backgrounds to our knowledge and culture’ (page 52).
Remember that the Review has recommended changes, and while the DfE has accepted most of them, there will be further discussions and changes won’t come immediately.
Responses from the sector to the review have been broadly positive, although there are concerns about new tests, resourcing, and also the lack of an anti-racist stance.
For more opinion and commentary on the changes, check out coverage in Schools Week and the TES.
