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CURRICULUM & ASSESSMENT IN ENGLAND REVIEW: Final report includes the PSA’s recommendation for more political, data and media literacy education

Michelle Doyle Wildman, PSA Chief Executive
7 November 2025

We thank the Academy of Social Science’s Head of Policy and Public Affairs Ed Bridges for heroically reading through the 197 page tome and providing a rapid and comprehensive briefing which was very helpful in pulling this blog together. 

 

The Government published the final report from its Curriculum and Assessment review for England Curriculum and Assessment Review Final Report - GOV.UK as expected on 5 November. It didn’t, however, create too many fireworks in terms of reaction (well certainly not yet) with many within education circles broadly agreeing with its evolutionary rather than revolutionary approach.  

We were pleased to see that our call for more politics, data and media literacy education in the curriculum was picked up by the review – a big thank you to all our members who took the opportunity to help us advocate for this proposal alongside a number of like-minded organisations (and indeed Politics academics!). 

 

What were the review’s recommendations?  

The review doesn’t recommend any specific changes to A level Government and Politics. 

There is a seam of acknowledgement throughout the document of a need for pupils to learn a balanced set of skills and subjects which will have resonance with our discipline: 

“Subject-specific knowledge remains the best investment in preparing young people for these challenges and opportunities: Science and Maths will remain crucial, as will an understanding of communication and culture, through the humanities, languages, and the arts. But the curriculum also needs to adapt to ensure that young people have the requisite knowledge and skills to shape our changing social and physical environment.”  

“In a world of rapid technological, environmental and social change, subject-specific knowledge remains the best investment…. However, additional knowledge and skills will be needed if we are to maximise young people’s opportunities and equip them to meet challenges presented by our fast-changing world. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and trends in digital information demand heightened media literacy and critical thinking, as well as digital skills. Likewise, global challenges, both social and environmental, require attention to scientific and cultural knowledge and skills.” 

Arguably one of the most interesting recommendations is that surrounding citizenship education including statutory citizenship classes for all children at primary school. It is recommended these include elements of financial and media literacy, democracy and government, laws and rights and climate change and sustainability. This seems in part to be an appreciation of the need to better equip young people as Votes at 16 becomes a reality. There is also a recommendation to tighten this in the secondary curriculum too: “the curriculum should support democratic understanding and engagement, and develop awareness of and readiness for the planned lowering of the voting age to 16 [for Westminster elections]. Content should align with the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance for those of different faiths and beliefs, all of which schools are already required to promote actively”.  This doesn’t appear however to go as far as the curriculum in Wales and does beg a question as to the capacity of teachers and schools to cover the breadth of topics. 

 

The other key recommendations were:  

  • Shorten GCSEs exams by 10% (three hours less per pupil). 

  • Slim down GCSE content particularly in history and sciences, to give pupils more time for non-assessed but mandatory subjects such as PE, citizenship and relationships, sex and health education.  

  • Scrap the English baccalaureate suite of GCSE subjects to encourage the uptake of a broader set of subjects. However, those advocating for modern languages education are concerned this marks a further threat to their subject.  

  • More focus on social diversity: Stronger representation should be made of “the diversity that makes up our modern society, allowing more children to see themselves in the curriculum”.  

  • Religious education should be made part of the national curriculum at all stages. 

  • Greater role of oracy skills alongside reading and writing. 

  • Replace computing science GCSE with a broader GCSE in computing that prepares young people “for applying digital technology and data across a wide range of fields”, including the use of artificial intelligence.  

  • Expectation that education on climate change is enhanced in the Geography curriculum. 

 

How have education stakeholders reacted? 

BBC News led with the fact that children in England will now be taught how to budget and how mortgages work, as well as how to spot fake news and disinformation, including AI-generated content. Elsewhere, the Guardian focussed on recommendations centred around reducing the exam burden and instead adding life skills and ‘enrichment’ to the curriculum. Teaching unions focused on the need to support teacher training and ensure sufficient investment in our schools to make the curriculum a reality. And also a certain amount grumbling around scrapping rather than enhancing the EBacc. 

 

What happens next? 

The UK Government has accepted the majority (but not all) of the review’s recommendations and will now aim to publish final revised proposals by spring 2027, with the new curriculum implemented, in full, from September 2028. Interestingly, the report also pledged that there should not be another review of its type for a decade. 

 

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