The government has announced major reforms to the national curriculum, promising that children will leave school “fully equipped to thrive in the modern world of work.”
Published today, the changes respond to recommendations from Professor Becky Francis’s Curriculum and Assessment Review.
Officials said the reforms are intended to ensure every young person has “a cast-iron grip on the basics of reading, science and maths,” while also developing broader knowledge and skills needed over the next decade. The curriculum overhaul forms part of the government’s Plan for Change and is linked to the Prime Minister’s target for two-thirds of young people to be participating in higher-level learning by age 25.
For the first time, primary school pupils will be taught how to identify fake news, misinformation, and disinformation. Lessons on money and consumer skills will also be strengthened, alongside changes designed to improve children’s reading.
A new statutory reading test in Year 8 and strengthened writing assessment in Year 6 will be introduced to identify pupils needing additional support. According to the government, around one in four children currently leave primary school unable to read properly, and many pupils leave secondary school without passing GCSE English. Ministers said the Year 8 test would help identify pupils needing intervention or extra challenge, addressing what they describe as declining standards in the early years of secondary school.
Arts GCSEs will be given equal status to humanities and languages, and all pupils will be entitled to a new programme of enrichment covering civic engagement, arts and culture, nature and adventure, sport, and life skills. Schools will also be expected to move toward offering triple science GCSE as standard. The government is exploring the creation of a new data science and AI qualification for 16–18-year-olds.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:
“It has been over a decade since the national curriculum was updated, and it’s more crucial than ever that young people are equipped to face the challenges of today, so they can seize the exciting opportunities that life has to offer.
The path to our country’s renewal runs through our schools: they must be an epicentre of the strongest possible foundations of knowledge, and the skills to excel in the modern world.
From the fundamentals of reading to the present danger of spotting fake news, as part of our Plan for Change, these landmark reforms will help young people step boldly into the future, with the knowledge to achieve and the skills to thrive as the world around us continues to rapidly evolve.”
The government say it will publish a new oracy framework to support teaching of speaking skills in primary and secondary schools. A combined framework for oracy, reading, and writing will be introduced at secondary level. New enrichment benchmarks will also be published, with Ofsted assessing schools’ provision as part of routine inspections. Information will be made available to parents through a new “school profiles” service.
Among the key reforms are compulsory citizenship education in primary school; a replacement of the current computer science GCSE with a broader computing GCSE; and the removal of the EBacc measure, along with reforms to Progress 8, to encourage a wider range of subject choices. The government will also explore a new language qualification that records pupil progress across stages of study.
The revised national curriculum will be published in spring 2027 and fully implemented from September 2028. For the first time, the curriculum will be digital and machine-readable to help teachers plan lessons and sequence content.
Sector figures offered support for the reforms.
Ruth Marvel OBE, Chief Executive of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, said:
“We are delighted that the Government has pledged to create a new enrichment entitlement. This is a watershed moment that will ensure every pupil, no matter their background, can experience an enriched education and have equitable access to the activities and experiences that engage, inspire and develop, as a complement to the academic curriculum.”
Jane Gratton, Deputy Director of Public Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, said:
“It is essential that every young person finishes their education with the knowledge and skills to move successfully into working life.”
Kate Varah, Co-CEO and Executive Director of the National Theatre, said:
“The National Theatre welcomes the government’s commitment to put the arts and creativity back at the heart of school life and ensure that every child has access to high-quality education, wherever they grow up.”
Sir Hamid Patel CBE, Chief Executive of Star Academies, said:
“The Government’s response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review shows principled determination to build on the very best practice that has been developed by schools.”
Prof Andrew Charlton-Perez OBE, University of Reading, said:
“It’s brilliant that all children will now learn about climate and nature at school. This will help the next generation to be better informed and choose their own future path.”
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