Curriculum and Assessment Review report published today

Proposals include a triple science entitlement and lessons to build financial literacy and tackle misinformation.

Led by Professor Becky Francis CBE, the year-long review has culminated in a wide-ranging, detailed report, covering the primary, secondary and 16-19 phases.

The Review was informed by extensive evidence, including more than 7,000 responses from the public, with the evidence sifted and considered by an expert panel appointed by Professor Francis.

Professor Jo-Anne Baird, Director of the Oxford University Centre for Educational Assessment at our Department, and member of the expert panel said: “Curriculum and assessment are important drivers of what happens in the classroom. Teachers and learners do not need major upheaval at this time, but the system did need a refresh to keep pace with society. There are some important changes to vocational qualifications recommended, which are crucial to delivering the Government’s Industrial Strategy. Many of the recommendations have already been taken up by the Government and I hope that they will be able to get behind all the recommendations of the Francis Review.”

Professor Becky Francis CBE, Chair of the Curriculum and Assessment Review, said: “The national curriculum is enormously important – for young people, and for the nation. The Curriculum and Assessment Review has been an opportunity to bring our curriculum up to date, and to build on what is presently working well while fixing what isn’t. It is underpinned by a huge volume of research and data analysis, and public input, including from school leaders, teachers, young people and their families, for which I am very grateful.

“Our recommendations have sought to ensure that high standards extend to all young people irrespective of background, and that barriers to opportunity are removed. My hope is that the recommendations contained in this report will take us a step closer towards ensuring that every young person has access to an excellent education by building a world-class curriculum and assessment system for all.”

Amongst the specific recommendations in the report are that the Government:

• Refreshes each national curriculum subject area, applying principles to ensure each is ambitious, up to date, well sequenced, clear and balances depth and breadth.
• Improves attention to key areas of applied knowledge and skill, including digital and financial literacy, a greater focus on media literacy skills that help young people guard against misinformation, and greater attention to climate science. The Review also recommends a stronger focus on young people’s speaking skills so that they can communicate with confidence.
• As part of this, Citizenship should be made mandatory in primary schools, to ensure important content including financial literacy, digital literacy, and tackling misinformation, is taught to every child.
• Takes steps to support children’s writing, including re-focusing the primary schooling test of grammar, punctuation and spelling on successful practical application rather than children having to memorise grammar constructs such as fronted adverbials.
• Introduces new diagnostic tests of key elements of Maths and English to be taken during Year 8 to support teachers to identify and address students’ needs well ahead of them starting GCSEs.
• Introduces an entitlement for all young people to be able to study Triple Science – currently only 13% of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds take Triple Science, compared to 28% of those not disadvantaged. Yet Triple Science is shown to be an important gateway to further study of STEM.
• Reduce the overall volume of exams that students take at 16 by at least 10%. The DfE should work with Ofqual to determine, subject by subject, where reductions in the number or length of exam papers can be introduced whilst retaining the same level of confidence in grading.
• Removes the EBacc performance measure to address constraints on pupil choice, especially the arts and vocational subjects, whilst retaining Progress 8 to ensure that all young people access a broad and balanced curriculum.
• Introduces V Levels to sit alongside A Level and T Levels. V Levels should have employer, further/higher education credibility and be designed for longevity. V Levels should be regulated by Ofqual, and content should be linked to occupational standards at a broad, sector level.
• Improves the success rates for English and Maths at post-16 for those not securing a Grade 4 or above. At present, a majority make no grade progress. The Review recommends introducing new level 1 stepped qualifications for Maths and English Language at 16-19 for the lowest attainers, so that students can make progress towards achieving level 2 in these GCSEs during 16-19 study. A one-year qualification, they should put students in a strong position to be successful in resitting the GCSE the following year.
• Builds greater accessibility into the design of qualifications, including the new V Levels. Consideration should also be given to the accessibility of the Phonics Screening Check and Multiplication Tables Check in primary school so that children with SEND are able to participate in these important check points.

Read the full report, or more about the review, on the government website.