How to make sense of the changes coming your way
Are the governments planning to change school curriculums and assessments?
It looks like it. At present, governments are reviewing school curriculums across the UK and Ireland and changes are afoot.
What will changes look like in England?
In England, the government has said it wants to deliver a new national curriculum which is ‘broad, inclusive and innovative’ that all state schools will have to teach by law up to age 16. The Department for Education (DfE) intends to refresh current taught content to ensure it is cutting edge, fit for purpose and meeting the needs of children and young people to support their future life and work.
In England, the government has said it wants to deliver a new national curriculum which is ‘broad, inclusive and innovative’ that all state schools will have to teach by law up to age 16 (bit.ly/3Qt3wK7). The Department for Education (DfE) intends to refresh current taught content to ensure it is cutting edge, fit for purpose and meeting the needs of children and young people to support their future life and work.
However, the government has specified the review will seek ‘evolution not revolution’. It acknowledged the pressure schools and colleges are already under, and the further strain ‘wholesale reform’ can bring. It has said that the review will not replace GCSEs and A-levels.
‘The world is changing and with it the knowledge pupils need now. This is a real opportunity for change’
A panel of experts, led by Becky Francis CBE, will consider what’s working well and what isn’t. It will look at whether the curriculum balances ‘ambition, relevance, flexibility and inclusivity’, and will assess key problems and barriers to achievement, particularly at key stages 4 and 5. It will gather views from experts, teachers and stakeholders, as well as parents and young people, on how to improve the curriculum and assessment.
An interim report is due in the spring and a full report in the autumn. The interim report will outline key themes and initial recommendations. In practice, this is likely to mean the panel will earmark some subjects for more detailed investigations while proposing only minor tweaks to other subjects. The DfE has not said when they will implement changes.
What about the devolved nations and Ireland?
It’s complicated. As education is managed by the devolved governments, each is handling their reviews differently.
In Scotland, reviews are in the early stages. Education Scotland started work on reviewing the curriculum in April 2024. It set up separate panels to consult on individual subjects. It has said that it will share a ‘timetable for change’ in summer 2025.
In Wales, the process is much further along. The Welsh government rolled out a new curriculum – seen as the biggest change in Welsh education in decades – in September 2022 in most schools for pupils up to age 12–13. They will introduce updated GCSEs, including new subjects such as engineering, in September 2025. Schools will not offer individual sciences as separate GCSEs. Overall, there will be less emphasis on exams and more assessments throughout the year.
In Northern Ireland, the government announced a curriculum-only review led by Lucy Crehan, an educational consultant and former teacher, in the autumn and will conclude in April 2025. She asked for written submissions by the end of January based on five questions including ones relating to the strengths and weaknesses of current content.
Meanwhile, reviews are well underway in Ireland. For example, schools will implement revised specifications for biology, chemistry and physics nationwide for fifth year students (Leaving certificate) from August/September 2025. Assessment will include exams and a project involving planning and writing up an experiment which will account for 40% of the final mark.
In Scotland, reviews are in the early stages (bit.ly/4hGnNQT). Education Scotland started work on reviewing the curriculum in April 2024. It set up separate panels to consult on individual subjects. It has said that it will share a ‘timetable for change’ in summer 2025.
In Wales, the process is much further along (bit.ly/3Ey0f28). The Welsh government rolled out a new curriculum – seen as the biggest change in Welsh education in decades – in September 2022 in most schools for pupils up to age 12–13 (bit.ly/4jXRUp6). They will introduce updated GCSEs, including new subjects such as engineering, in September 2025. Schools will not offer individual sciences as separate GCSEs. Overall, there will be less emphasis on exams and more assessments throughout the year.
In Northern Ireland, the government announced a curriculum-only review led by Lucy Crehan – an educational consultant and former teacher – in the autumn and will conclude in April 2025 (bit.ly/4jFkmvr). She asked for written submissions by the end of January based on five questions including ones relating to strengths and weaknesses of current content.
Meanwhile, reviews are well underway in Ireland (bit.ly/4hFULk9). For example, schools will implement revised specifications for biology, chemistry and physics nationwide for fifth year students (Leaving certificates) from August/September 2025. Assessment will include exams and a project involving planning and writing up an experiment which will account for 40% of the final mark.
What changes does the science community want?
Athene Donald, chair of The Science Education Policy Alliance (SEPA) which represents the leading professional bodies in the sciences, would like to see changes to science GCSEs. ‘Our concern is that some schools and pupils take single subject GCSEs and others take the double qualification which leads to inequity of access to educational pathways.’
Athene Donald, chair of The Science Education Policy Alliance (SEPA) which represents the leading professional bodies in the sciences, would like to see changes to science GCSEs. ‘Our concern is that some schools and pupils take single subject GCSEs and others take the double qualification which leads to inequity of access to educational pathways.’
SEPA would like to see pupils assessed and graded separately for each of the sciences, favouring depth over breadth. ‘If you’re going to teach three subjects in the time allocated for double science, then we want to maintain rigour by teaching fewer topics to the same depth,’ says Athene.
Another priority for SEPA is that specialist teachers deliver each subject. ‘We know that the most effective teachers have strong subject knowledge’, says Athene.
‘The current situation is not satisfactory,’ she adds. ‘The world is changing and with it the knowledge pupils need now. This is a real opportunity for change. However, ‘evolution not revolution’ may indicate that any changes to come will not transform the landscape.’
As a starting point for chemistry, the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) has developed a curriculum framework that lays out key ideas and concepts.
As a starting point for chemistry, the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) has developed a curriculum framework that lays out key ideas and concepts (rsc.li/4grpDnH).
How likely is change for science?
In England there is concern that the review has not mentioned science – even though it is a core subject – in its terms of reference or highlighted the subject so far. The interim report will tell us more when it comes out in the spring. SEPA and the RSC are hoping science gets earmarked for further attention and a more detailed investigation: a major overhaul rather than minor tweaks.
How might the changes affect you and your learners?
The RSC is calling for a sensible, gradual timescale to introduce any changes. ‘It can be overwhelming for teachers already struggling with a heavy teaching load so we would want to see reforms brought in over several years,’ says Laura Daly, policy manager at the RSC.
An RSC survey of teachers has shown that the majority believe the curriculum is overloaded. For some teachers, the review is a chance to modernise, but others can’t face the thought of more reforms, Laura says. Around 80% of teachers in the survey felt that an overloaded curriculum was having a detrimental effect on student outcomes. A streamlined curriculum could help pupils perform better and inspire them to choose science for further study.
Where to go next
- Read more on the RSC’s work to change education policy, from qualification routes and practical work to the recruitment and retention of expert teachers.
- Hear why one teacher loves the Curriculum for Wales and from Dayna Mason, education programme manager at the RSC, who thinks all Welsh learners should get a single route to science success.
- Discover tips to handle the reintroduction of assignments to National 5, Higher and Advanced higher chemistry in Scotland.
An RSC survey of teachers has shown that the majority believe the curriculum is overloaded (rsc.li/40MQhkW). For some teachers, the review is a chance to modernise, but others can’t face the thought of more reforms, Laura says. Around 80% of teachers in the survey felt that an overloaded curriculum was having a detrimental effect on student outcomes. A streamlined curriculum could help pupils perform better and inspire them to choose science for further study.
Maria Burke is a freelance science journalist
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