Curriculum and Assessment Review launched

The government has launched a Curriculum and Assessment Review with the aim of driving "high and rising schools standards" and setting "all young people up for life and work".

Spanning from Key Stage 1 through to Key Stage 5, the independent review will be chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE, an expert in education policy, including curriculum and social inequality.  

It will look closely at the key challenges to attainment for young people, and the barriers which hold children back from the opportunities and life chances they deserve – in particular those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged, or with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND). 

Following the review, all state schools – including academies who currently do not have to follow the national curriculum – will be required by law to teach the national curriculum up to age 16.

This was confirmed in the King’s Speech earlier this week, as the government will introduce a children’s wellbeing bill in the next year to legislate for a variety of its education policies.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the launch of the review is "an important step in this government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity, deliver better life chances and enable more young people to get on."

She added the new government "will breathe new life into our outdated curriculum and assessment system."

The government’s ambition is for a curriculum that delivers excellent foundations in reading, writing and maths, and ensures every young person gets the opportunity to develop creative, digital, and speaking and listening skills particularly prized by employers.    

The said it will also build on the hard work of teachers who have brought their subjects alive with knowledge-rich teaching, to deliver a new national curriculum which is rich and broad, inclusive and innovative. 

The review will look at ensuring all young people aged 16-19 have access to rigorous and high-value qualifications and training that will give them the skills they need to seize opportunity as well as ensuring they are ready for the changing workplace.    

It will also look at whether the current assessment system can be improved for both young people and staff, while protecting the important role of examinations.  

Professor Becky Francis said it was a privilege to lead the review.

"Ensuring all young people access a rich and fulfilling curriculum and meaningful qualifications is core to supporting them to thrive at school and later in life," she said.

Francis continued: "I know how stretched schools, colleges and their staff are. So it’s particularly important to me to consider how any changes could contribute to staff workload and to avoid unintended consequences.  

"Crucially, I want to make sure that the review and its recommendations are driven by evidence and a commitment to high standards for all our young people, irrespective of background."

She will be supported by an expert group made up of individuals with experience right throughout the education system. The review will publish recommendations in 2025.