Curriculum and Assessment Review’s Interim Report : the the current system is 'not delivering for every child

The curriculum and assessment review interim report was published on Tuesday 18 March. Its findings revealed the the current system is 'not delivering for every child' as it sets out its next phase of work. The interim report identifies four key areas needing improvement:

• Ensuring high standards for all
• Addressing subject-specific challenges, and ensuring curriculum is consistently achieving depth and breadth
• Responding to social and technological change
• Ensuring pathways beyond GCSE work for all 

Commenting on the interim report, David Collingwood, President of the Association of Educational Psychologists (AEP), said: “The Association of Educational Psychologists (AEP) has welcomed the publication of the Curriculum and Assessment Review’s Interim Report as an important first step toward developing a national curriculum that promotes educational attainment for all – but is calling for the government to go much further to make sure there is meaningful change for learners in all classrooms.

“Encouragingly, the report acknowledges the need for greater support for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). However, we are concerned that the report lacks sufficient detail on how this support will be delivered. Too many SEND students continue to face significant barriers in education. The government must go further in its final report, setting out clear recommendations and steps to ensure meaningful change in classrooms. SEND must be embedded at the heart of curriculum and assessment reform, not treated as an afterthought.

“We are encouraged that the interim report reflects some of the key points raised by the AEP during the consultation process. In particular, the AEP has consistently advocated for more flexible assessment methods - such as coursework, portfolio-based qualifications, and oral exams - to better support SEND learners and enable them to demonstrate their abilities in ways that suit their strengths. While we welcome the report’s recognition that flexible assessment methods should be explored further, we want to see this given far greater prominence in the final report’s recommendations. 

“Without decisive action, too many SEND students will remain disadvantaged by an exam system that fails to reflect their true potential. The AEP urges the government to use the final report to deliver bold recommendations that put SEND support at the heart of curriculum and assessment reform in the UK to ensure every student receives the support they need to thrive.”