Are GCSEs outdated? How Labour could overhaul curriculum and assessments in new review

• Labour has announced it plans to review and breathe new life into England’s school curriculum and exams.
• It believes the current curriculum is no longer fit for purpose, and more needs to be done to make sure all children can succeed.
• While English and maths will still be important, the government wants a more balanced curriculum, with sports, the arts, and vocational skills having a bigger place.
• GCSEs and SATS could potentially be in for some big changes.

The new government wants to shake up what English children are learning at school, as well as how their knowledge is being tested.

Last month, the newly-appointed Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson announced the Labour party would be holding a full review of the national curriculum - which maps out what schools should be teaching children, as well as what standards children should be achieving at - as well as the school assessment system.

The review will be led by Professor Becky Francis, an expert in education policy, curriculum and social inequality. It will begin taking submissions in September, and there will be a national roadshow - so that government experts can meet and hear from teaching staff on the frontline, across the country. Their findings and recommended changes will eventually be published in 2025.

But what exactly will the government be reviewing, and what could actually change in British schools? Much of this is yet to be confirmed, but here’s what we know so far:

Why is the government reviewing what is taught at school?

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said that the review was part of the new government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity within the education system. She added that the current curriculum and assessment system were “outdated”, and no longer fit for purpose.

“Our dedicated school and college staff deliver better life chances for countless children but for too long they have been held back by a curriculum and assessment system that fails to prepare enough of our children for work and for life,” she said. But the government planned to breathe new life into them.

“Our renewed curriculum, built on a foundation of high and rising standards, greater access to cultural learning and crucial work and life skills, will set up all our children to achieve and thrive in the workplaces of the future, and throughout their lives.”

The Department has shared what it would like a refreshed national curriculum to be delivering to pupils, which hints and what experts will be looking into throughout the course of the review. They include an “excellent foundation in the core subjects of reading, writing and maths”, as well as building a broader curriculum to make sure children don’t miss out on subjects like music, art, sport and drama - which will help them build the “creative, digital, and speaking and listening skills particularly prized by employers”.

The curriculum will need to ensure young people are leaving school with the skills they need for both life in a changing world, and employment in a changing workplace. It should also reflect “the issues and diversities of our society, ensuring all children and young people are represented”. The school assessment system will also be looked at, and should capture “the full strengths of every child and young person and the breadth of curriculum”.

The review will begin with the very last years of schooling and work backwards, and will start by looking at which barriers are holding children back from “the opportunities and life chances they deserve” - especially those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged, or who have special educational needs or disabilities.

What could change in the classroom?

A lot of this remains to be seen, with the review panel’s official recommendations to government not set to be released until next year, after months of consultations with parents, educators, and experts. This means what does eventually change will be partially up to you - and others - having their say.

The Department for Education has confirmed the review will span all of the primary and secondary school years, from Key Stage 1 (which covers children from ages 5 to 7) through to Key Stage 5 (more commonly called college or sixth form).

Probably the biggest change we know about so far is that all state schools, including academies - which previously, like independent schools, were able to teach their own curriculum - will now have to follow the government-set one.

We also know changes will likely be implemented in a way so as not to cause undue stress or extra work for teachers. Professor Becky Francis, who is chairing the review, has said: “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.”

You can find out more about the review’s aims and terms of reference in the official government guidance online here. Besides that, much of what could change remains either speculation or wishing at this stage.

Will this spell the end for GCSEs and other school exams?

While it is far too early to say for sure, and really anything could happen as a result of the review and consultation period, it’s unlikely the exam system as we know it will change completely.

Instead, the current assessments will more likely be overhauled. The government has said that the new curriculum will need to strike “the right balance of assessment methods”, while also maintaining the “important role of examinations”.

Teaching unions have been pushing for Year 6 SAT exams to be scrapped. These tests cover English grammar, pronunciation and spelling, reading, and maths, and are compulsory. The aim is to identify children in need of help before they start secondary school, but educators say the tests don’t paint an accurate picture of what children can really do, and instead put a lot of pressure on schools to make sure children perform well in a few subjects to the detriment of others.

There is a possibility that if teaching unions share these views in the review, the government might consider remover or altering these tests going forward. This could make more room for subjects like sport and the arts, which it has committed to promoting in the new curriculum.

GCSEs and potentially even A Levels might also change. Education experts have told the Guardian that secondary school pupils currently sit about 30 hours of GCSE exams, and these swollen course loads should probably be slimmed down - or perhaps even split between a modular assessment and the final exam, to take some of the pressure off young people.

What do you think needs to change about the current school curriculum and assessment process? Have your say and make your voice heard by leaving a comment below.