The balance of content in some subjects is “hindering progress and undermining standards”, Professor Becky Francis has told heads at the Association of School and College Leaders conference in Liverpool today.
The leader of the curriculum and assessment review also highlighted areas that are “broadly working well”, including the multiplication tables check, phonics screening check, GCSEs, A levels and national tests at the end of key stage 2.
The review received more than 7,000 responses to its call for evidence, she said, and met with more than 1,200 people in the sector.
The review panel’s interim report will be out “exceedingly soon”, analysing strengths and challenges in the system and providing an overview of plans for the second phase of the review.
Impact of knowledge-rich approach
“The evidence shows that many aspects of the current system are working well,” Professor Francis said.
She highlighted a “reasonably broad and balanced curriculum to age 16” compared with other countries, and that England’s knowledge-rich approach had had a positive impact on attainment.
However, there are “issues with the shape and content of the curriculum”. The evidence to the panel suggested “trade-offs” between breadth and depth, “which can make it harder for pupils to master a subject fully”.
Responses also suggested that the English Baccalaureate “may constrain choices”, have an impact on engagement and achievement and limit time available for vocational and arts subjects.
The attention to core subject areas at KS4 has seen “significant reductions” for some arts subjects and for ICT, Professor Francis said, with more work needed to look at trends in these subjects.
She said: “We have also heard consistently that in some subjects the current construction and balance of content appears to be inhibiting mastery, hindering progress and undermining standards”.
The reasons for this were not always clear, she said. There were concerns about “over-prescription in some areas” but also, “challenges with under-prescription in subjects”, with some programmes of study lacking specificity, leading to “greater volume and repetition”.
Both ASCL and the NAHT school leaders’ union have called for major changes to the accountability and assessment systems in their submissions to the review.
The NAHT said the multiplication tables check, phonics screening check and KS2 grammar, punctuation and spelling tests should all be “scrapped”. ASCL called for the removal of the EBacc and the inclusion of creative subjects in Attainment 8 and Progress 8.
‘Best investment’ amid rapid change
“Subject-specific knowledge remains the best investment we have to secure the education young people need in a world of rapid technological and social change,” Professor Francis said.
The curriculum must keep pace with this, including with a “renewed focus” on digital and media literacy, and on climate science and sustainability. The review panel will map existing coverage of this in the curriculum and ensure that gaps are addressed, she added.
The final report of the review will be published in the autumn. The panel’s work until then will include closer analysis of subject-specific issues and solutions.
“Some subject reviews will be lighter touch than others,” Professor Francis said.
The panel will also continue to look at the impact of performance measures and consider necessary improvements to assessment.
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