Responding to a HEPI (Higher Education Policy Institute) report looking at whether the school and college curriculum prepares students for university, Sarah Hannafin, head of policy at school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“Schools want to offer a varied, balanced curriculum but are constrained by tight budgets, lack of specialist facilities and limited curriculum time. The curriculum and qualification offer have been warped by government policies including the publication of narrow, high-stakes performance measures.

“The exclusion of creative and cultural subjects from the EBacc has led to a reduction in pupils taking these subjects. Not only does the EBacc have the effect of narrowing the curriculum in Years 10 and 11, but the effects can be seen in sixth form and college choices too.

“The current assessments which rely on end-of-course exams do not prepare young people for further study or the world of work either. Most university courses are assessed through a combination of essay-based coursework and modular exams. Similarly, work-based training tends to use modular assessment focused explicitly on content recently learnt.

“The curriculum review is a chance to reform the system and deliver learning that is relevant, reflects society’s diversity and gives all students access to meaningful qualifications across a broader range of academic, arts and vocational subjects, using a variety of assessment methods.”