Curriculum and Assessment Review - Building a world-class curriculum for all - Final Report

Sep 5, 2026

Final Report delivers a comprehensive, evidence-led review of England’s national curriculum, 16–19 pathways, and assessment arrangements, focusing on building a world-leading curriculum for all learners. It highlights strengths to maintain, identifies what must change to raise “high standards” for every child, and sets curriculum and assessment recommendations by subject and key stage. The report also addresses accountability, performance measures, primary and secondary assessment, and implications for 16–19 education, including technical awards and future review needs.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages197

Reading Time8 h 16 min

AccessFree to download

Foreword

Executive summary

Introduction

Background

Methodology

Context: curriculum and assessment in England

Towards a world-leading curriculum

What is going well and should be maintained

“High standards” must mean high standards for all

Preparing learners for a changing world

Curriculum shape and content

Our view of the key stages

Accountability, performance measures and assessment

Primary assessment

Secondary assessment

16-19 education

Level 3

Level 2

Future curriculum reviews

Conclusion

Annex 1: Accountability measures in England’s primary, secondary and 16-18 education system, 2024/25

Annex 2: Stakeholder engagement

Annex 3: List of all recommendations

Curriculum and Assessment Review Building a world-class curriculum for all Final Report November 2025 Table of contents Foreword 5 Executive summary 7 Introduction 14 Background 14 Methodology 15 Context: curriculum and assessment in England 17 Towards a world-leading curriculum 23 What is going well and should be maintained 23 ‘High standards’ must mean high standards for all 25 Preparing learners for a changing world 34 Curriculum shape and content 44 Our view of the key stages 44 Curriculum principles 46 The national curriculum as a tool for teachers 52 Curriculum recommendations by subject 55 Art and Design 55 Citizenship, RHE/RSHE and PSHE 57 Computing 62 Design and Technology, including Cooking and Nutrition 66 English, including Drama 73 Geography 81 History 84 Languages 87 Maths 92 Music 96 Physical Education (PE), including Dance 100 Religious Education (RE) 107 Science 111 Key Stage 4 Technical Awards 118 Accountability, performance measures and assessment 121 Accountability and performance measures 121 Primary assessment 127 Secondary assessment 131 16-19 education 141 Level 3 141 Level 2 153 Level 1 and entry level 157 16-19 Maths and English 158 Non-qualification activity within 16-19 study programmes 164 Future curriculum reviews 167 Conclusion 171 Annex 1: Accountability measures in England’s primary, secondary and 16-18 education system, 2024/25 172 Annex 2: Stakeholder engagement 175 Annex 3: List of all recommendations 180 Table of figures Figure 1. Curriculum subjects by key stage 18 Figure 2. Participation in education, training and employment aged 16 and 17 in England, 2024 20 Figure 3. National assessments and exams in England’s education system 21 Figure 4. Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 4 disadvantage gap index 26 Figure 5. Percentage of state-funded mainstream schools with no entries into GCSE D&Tin 2024/25 68 Figure 6. Modern Foreign Language GCSE uptake as a proportion of all pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 by year 88 Figure 7. Proportion of Key Stage 4 students taking GCSE History, GCSE Geography, and GCSEs in at least one Modern Foreign Language 122 Figure 8. Additional employment in priority occupations between 2025 and 2030 by expected education level 147 Figure 9. Attainment of level 2 Maths and English by age 16 for the 2018/19 cohort 159 Figure 10. Percentage of 16-19 learners who did not achieve level 2 in Maths and English by age 16 who achieved it by age 19, by free school meal status 160 Figure 11. List of headline accountability measures in primary, secondary and 16-18 education in England, academic year 2024/25 172 Figure 12. Structure of the EBacc 174 Foreword The importance of our national curriculum cannot be overstated. It is an entitlement to the most important knowledge that we expect children and young people to learn, both for their benefit and for the benefit of the nation. The Review Panel and I have approached the task of reviewing the national curriculum, 16-19 pathways, and their assessment mindful of this responsibility. We have sought to ensure the curriculum is fit for the future, addresses the rich knowledge and skills young people need to thrive in our fast-changing world, and encourages a love of learning. There are many strengths in our existing curriculum and assessment arrangements. We have sought to build on these strengths, in addition to identifying numerous opportunities for improvement; and we have taken an evidence-led approach in diagnosing problems and their solutions. We have also been mindful of the importance of the school curriculum beyond the national curriculum, and the important things that schools and colleges provide for their students every day: the enrichment activities, sports, performances, work experience and careers advice (to name a few) that provide young people with transferable skills, develop confidence, and br

FAQs

What is the main purpose of the Curriculum and Assessment Review final report?

It reviews England’s national curriculum, 16–19 pathways, and assessment arrangements, aiming to build a world-class curriculum and assessment system for all learners.

What topics does the report cover beyond curriculum content?

It includes curriculum principles, subject-by-subject recommendations, and assessment and accountability measures across primary, secondary, and 16–19 education.

How does the report approach improving standards for all learners?

It identifies strengths to maintain and uses an evidence-led approach to diagnose problems and propose solutions, ensuring that “high standards” apply to everyone.

Sep 5, 2026

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