Responding to a HEPI (Higher Education Policy Institute) report
looking at whether the school and college curriculum prepares
students for university, Sarah Hannafin, head of policy at school
leaders' union NAHT, said:
“Schools want to offer a varied, balanced curriculum but are
constrained by tight budgets, lack of specialist facilities and
limited curriculum time. The curriculum and qualification offer
have been warped by government policies including the publication
of narrow, high-stakes performance measures.
“The exclusion of creative and cultural subjects from the EBacc
has led to a reduction in pupils taking these subjects. Not only
does the EBacc have the effect of narrowing the curriculum in
Years 10 and 11, but the effects can be seen in sixth form and
college choices too.
“The current assessments which rely on end-of-course exams do not
prepare young people for further study or the world of work
either. Most university courses are assessed through a
combination of essay-based coursework and modular exams.
Similarly, work-based training tends to use modular assessment
focused explicitly on content recently learnt.
“The curriculum review is a chance to reform the system and
deliver learning that is relevant, reflects society's diversity
and gives all students access to meaningful qualifications across
a broader range of academic, arts and vocational subjects, using
a variety of assessment methods.”
