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Curriculum, assessment and qualifications

 
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NAHT is working to ensure that the curriculum supports the learning, progress and success of all pupils. NAHT supports the principle that a broad and balanced curriculum promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils and prepares pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.

NAHT is campaigning to: 

Support schools to provide a broad and balanced curriculum for their pupils

  • Challenge the government policy, including EBacc, which may narrow the curriculum
  • Enable and support schools to successfully deliver statutory Relationships, Sex and Health Education
  • Lobby for improvements to government policy which supports schools to deliver inclusive education and fulfil their responsibilities under the public sector equality duty
  • Support schools to deliver effective careers education for all pupils
  • Support schools to deliver high-quality Religious Education to all pupils
  • Provide guidance, materials and information to support schools in educating pupils about environmental issues.

Ensure a valid and proportionate approach to statutory assessment in primary schools

  • Lobby the government to reconsider the introduction of the multiplication tables check
  • Lobby the government to ensure changes to the Early Years Foundation Stage and Early Learning Goals are appropriate and relevant for the early years sector
  • Influence the development and implementation of the reception baseline assessment
  • Support members to implement the new statutory assessment for pupils with SEND
  • Identify and challenge the STA over any impact on members of the contract change to deliver statutory assessment in the primary phase
  • Engage with the STA to influence changes and improvements to statutory assessment including moderation and maladministration
  • Campaign for KS2 SPAG to be made non-statutory and oppose any additional statutory testing in the primary phase
 

Ensure the KS4 and KS5 qualification framework and examination system is fit for purpose

  • Press the government, Ofqual and exam boards to ensure that reformed qualifications, both academic and vocational, meet the needs of all pupils and schools
  • Explore the issue of grade reliability, identifying solutions and improvements which are supported by members and pressing the government and Ofqual for appropriate action
  • Inform members of the latest developments in secondary assessment through engagement with Ofqual, JCQ and awarding organisations. 

Curriculum and assessment review 2024

The government has launched a review of the existing national curriculum, statutory assessments and qualification system in England, to ensure they are fit for purpose and meeting the needs of children and young people. You can read the terms of reference for the review here


The review is chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE, CEO of the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), and you can read more detailed information about her and the members of the panel here.

Call for evidence

The review panel is running a call for evidence that is open until 22 November 2024

NAHT will be responding to this call for evidence on behalf of members, but it is important that the call for evidence receives as many responses as possible from school leaders across the country so please respond and encourage colleagues to do so.

The call for evidence is long and wide ranging – there are 45 questions that are organised by themes rather than phases of education.

To support members in responding to this call for evidence, we’ve created a document outlining out the questions that are relevant to each phase, with those questions that are cross phase at the end. We hope this will help members choose which questions they want to answer to express their views and share their experiences and which questions they want to skip.

See our information on the curriculum and assessment review call for evidence.

 

 

 

 

 

First published 01 October 2024
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