Youth organisations and thousands of young people welcome the Curriculum and Assessment Review as a “landmark day” for education
A coalition of the UK’s leading youth and education organisations today welcomed the final publication of the Curriculum and Assessment Review, praising it as a historic step towards an education system that truly listens to its students. The group, which includes the Scouts, UK Youth, the National Union of Students (NUS), SOS UK, and Save the Children UK, specifically applauded the Review for carefully listening to the findings of our youth-led Shadow Curriculum and Assessment and is delighted that the Review has reached many of the same conclusions with its recommendations.
The Review and the supporting government response, published today, directly addresses key priorities identified by young people through the Shadow Curriculum and Assessment Review, including further integrating sustainability within the curriculum, reducing excessive assessment at GCSE, and teaching students key skills for life; media and financial literacy, mandatory citizenship education for all key stages, and oracy are all particularly welcome.
“This is a landmark day for education,” said Amira Campbell, Chair of the Youth Shadow Curriculum and Assessment Review and NUS UK President. “We launched our Shadow Review because young people did not feel included in the official process. Today, that has changed. The Review panel has not only listened but has acted, proving that our voices matter and can shape our own futures. It is now key that the government and partners continue to work with young people, not just for them, in the implementation of the recommendations.”
The sentiment was echoed by students who participated in the Shadow Review’s call for evidence and events. “As a member of the Youth Shadow Panel, I’m excited to see the Review panel listening to young people,” said Hanna, a Year 12 student from Blackburn representing the education charity Young Citizens. “For years, we’ve said that the pressure of exams and the impact on mental health can’t be ignored. Seeing real change finally being taken seriously gives me hope for an education system that truly supports every young person – not just academically, but as a whole person.”
The coalition’s formal response, detailed in a joint letter to the Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, welcomes the ambition of the Review and highlights the need for Government to meet the level of ambition of students and educators to fully implement the recommendations. The group has urged the government to revisit the Shadow Review’s evidence and recommendations during the implementation phase, and has pledged continued collaboration to ensure the recommendations are successfully implemented.
Dear The Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, Secretary of State for Education,
We, the organisations making up the Shadow Curriculum and Assessment Review, welcome the publication of the Curriculum and Assessment Review’s final report and are heartened to see so many of the Youth Shadow Panel’s recommendations reflected in its findings.
Our Shadow Review represented the voices of 10.5 million young people, and we are encouraged that the final report aligns so closely with the priorities they set out. While the Review’s approach of “evolution, not revolution” may not match the full ambition of our own recommendations, its report marks a significant step towards an education system that better prepares young people for life and to thrive in the future.
We are particularly pleased to see key youth-led priorities mirrored in the recommendations. This includes the introduction of a new enrichment entitlement, ensuring all young people have equitable access to arts, life skills, the outdoors and nature, and practical learning. We are also delighted by the recommendation to make Citizenship a statutory subject across all key stages, a move that will empower young people to become active, engaged citizens. The commitment to bolstering climate change and sustainability education across subjects like Science, Geography and Citizenship is another vital win.
Furthermore, the panel’s recommendation to reduce GCSE exam time by around 10% directly responds to what we heard loud and clear from students about the severe impact of excessive exams on their mental and physical wellbeing. This, alongside the new ‘curriculum principle’ to ensure the national curriculum reflects our diverse society, shows that the Review has acted in response to youth voice.
The general alignment between the Shadow Review’s youth-led recommendations and those from the Review panel stands as a powerful testament to what can be achieved when young people are genuinely heard in education policy. The thousands of young people who contributed to the Shadow Review have now seen their voices directly shape their educational future.
This process sets a vital precedent for how education policy should be developed with students, not just for them. As the Government moves to implement these recommendations by 2027, we hope this collaborative approach will continue, and that our remaining ambitious ideas will be revisited. We are committed to continuing our work with the Department for Education to ensure youth voice remains central in the next stages of curriculum reform.
The Curriculum and Assessment Review represents a transformative moment for education in England. By embracing youth perspectives, the Government can create a roadmap for an education system that is more inclusive, relevant, and responsive to the needs of all learners.
Our organisations, and others who we have collaborated with throughout the Shadow Review, have the expert knowledge, classroom resources and guidance to support you in the implementation of these vital reforms. We stand ready to continue facilitating meaningful dialogue between policymakers, the education sector, providers and the diverse young people we represent, ensuring the vision outlined in this Review becomes a reality that benefits every student. It is crucial that as a part of this, the youth sector is also involved and youth work recognised and resourced.
This collaborative success story proves that when we give young people a genuine say in their education, we all benefit from their wisdom, experience, and insight.
Yours sincerely,
I Have A Voice, National Neurodiversity Youth Council, National Union of Students, National Youth Agency, Save the Children UK, Students Organising for Sustainability UK, Scouts, UK Youth, Young Citizens
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