Curriculum and Assessment Review: Pearson calls for meaningful policy change
Pearson believes in the power of education – and the role of the education system – to prepare all young people, regardless of background, to have successful and fulfilling futures in life, work and study.
Education should ignite a passion for learning, making sure every young person leaves the system at 18 with the knowledge and skills to make positive choices for a fulfilling life – and the enthusiasm and aptitude to keep learning. The curriculum provides structure for bringing together that love of learning with fundamental knowledge and skills. And the government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review gives us and others in the sector the opportunity to set out how we believe this can be done.
Since the Review was announced, it’s been encouraging to see much consistency and agreement across these voices – highlighting where there are opportunities to effect meaningful change. As the world’s lifelong learning company and a leading UK awarding organisation, our submission and recommendations draw on our experience, research, and wide-ranging collaboration with educators, students, families, and sector experts.
We believe the following recommendations can underpin bringing about that meaningful change.
1. A reform of GCSE English
It is a critical subject yet currently neither prepares students well for future study in the English disciplines nor for the workplace. GCSE English needs a broader range of literary and non-literary text types, more diverse content, a greater focus on spoken language knowledge and skills, and more authentic opportunities for students to develop their writing skills and creativity.
2. An end to the existing resits policy
Thousands of students urgently need more flexible qualification pathways across all post-16 routes, with a GCSE post-16 that retains parity of esteem and grades but is substantially different.
3. Assessments: reducing written exams and increasing use of technology
There must be a focus on the fundamentals that students and employers need from assessment, and a shift away from the expectation that ‘anything that can be assessed by an exam should be’. Greater use of technology would open up transformative assessment models, allow for testing when students are ready for exams, and deliver a faster turnaround of results. Students would not need to be in an exam hall at the same time.
4. Stability for 16–19 level 3 qualification pathways
We need stability for 16–19 level 3 vocational and technical pathways, and to ensure that suitable diverse and progressive level 3 vocational provision continues to be available alongside T-levels and A-levels.
5. Simplification and clarity for 16–19 level 2 and below vocational pathways
The level 2 vocational landscape needs to be simplified with an offer of two pathways – enabling progression to further study at level 3, or employment or further work-based learning. The level 1 and below landscape also needs clarification and better provision to support employability and skills for independent living.
Over the coming weeks and months, we look forward to sharing more detail and continuing our work with other sector experts, partners, educators and learners to bring these to life.
You can read our full summary here.
You can stay up to date with our Curriculum and Assessment work by joining our mailing list here.
To discuss our recommendations, please click here.
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