Commenting on the interim report of the Curriculum and Assessment
Review, Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National
Education Union, said:
"The NEU welcomes a number of the key findings in the interim
report of the Curriculum and Assessment Review. It identifies
that the primary and secondary curriculum must be broader and
that the curriculum needs to be accessible by all. We welcome the
acknowledgement that Ebacc has created a hierarchy of subjects,
narrowed the curriculum and taken flexibility and choice away
from leaders, staff and students.
“The toxic effects of SATs have created a narrower curriculum and
an exam factory culture for far too long. SATs label 40 per cent
of children as failures before they have left primary school,
which plainly does not support a definition of ‘high standards'
that most parents would recognise.
"We welcome the recognition of the importance of teachers'
professional judgement and autonomy. To make good on that we need
the panel to work closely with the profession and subject experts
to consider how best to create greater space for skills, social
development and areas such as critical thinking. The government
should set up a process for ongoing review of the curriculum and
assessment system and end the political football.
"This is a once in a decade opportunity for the curriculum to be
thoroughly scrutinised and made fit for a changing world. We hope
that Becky Francis's team will not miss the opportunity to make
recommendations that creates genuine improvements. The panel
needs to consider how assessments are conducted and move away
from a sole reliance on written exam papers."
Commenting on the publication of the interim findings of the
Curriculum and Assessment Review, Dr Patrick Roach,
General Secretary ofNASUWT-The Teachers'
Union, said:
“The Review's interim report deserves to be considered
carefully. In moving on to the next phase of the review it will
be critical that the voices and experiences of teachers are
central to the testing of the interim conclusions and in the
Review's further work towards the development of its
recommendations.
“NASUWT members have been clear that, too often, current
arrangements for curriculum, assessment and qualifications are
not fit for purpose. They report that the curriculum is
difficult to manage and creates barriers to meeting the needs of
every pupil, including those with special and additional needs as
well as other vulnerabilities.
“For many learners, the curriculum they
experience exacerbates disaffection and disengagement
from education and can be a significant contributor to behaviour
and attendance problems. This curriculum lacks
genuine breadth and balance and pushes many subjects,
including artistic and creative areas of study, to its
margins.
“The workforce in schools is facing unprecedented pressures,
particularly in relation to workload, that make the climate
for effective and sustainable change especially challenging.
There can be no meaningful reform to the curriculum,
qualifications and assessment system without a step-change in the
working conditions of teachers and leaders and a
comprehensive package of support, including training and
professional development.
“We look forward to further engagement with the Review as its
work continues and will lend our support to any proposals
that would deliver the curriculum and assessment
framework that children, young people and their teachers
deserve.”
