Royal Society response to Curriculum and Assessment Review 2025

Commenting on the publication of the Curriculum and Assessment Review and the Government response, Professor Ulrike Tillmann, Chair of the Royal Society Education Committee, said:

“The Curriculum and Assessment Review has identified some of the failings in the education system – endless GCSE maths resits, limited access to science subjects and a lack of data and maths literacy throughout the system. The review and Government response have many of the right aspirations but, if we really want to transform the education system into something that drives skills and growth and prepares all young people for fulfilling lives and well-paid jobs, we need Government to be more ambitious.”

On proposed legislation to ensure all young people have the option of taking separate sciences at GCSE:

“It is good to see acknowledgement of the deep inequities blocking too many state-school students from taking A level science. However, the response is a ‘kick-the-can-down-the-road’ entitlement for all students to have the chance of taking GCSE triple science and more research into the barriers rather than the decisive reform urgently needed. Every year of delay means more young people denied the basis to study science at university. Even the promise of change will turn out to be empty if we do not have enough specialist teachers who are well supported.”

On a suggested post 16 qualification in AI and suggested changes to GCSE computing:

“An A level or V level in AI is too late if we have not embedded data and maths literacy in every stage of education. And given the ridiculously narrow post-16 system, squeezing an AI qualification into their three subject choices will only force students to sacrifice something else.

“Putting more focus on digital literacy in the new computing curriculum at GCSE is very welcome. It will help give a broader skill set, better suited to the needs of work and life.”

On mathematics reform and the need for greater data literacy:

“We recognise the ambition to do more to support maths across all stages of teaching, but we need a more radical approach to maths and data education that fuses maths, statistics and data science, underpinned by digital technologies. This includes extending the range of post-16 curricular offering such as core maths and should also spill beyond the traditional confines of maths and computing into other subjects from PE to history and design. It must also bring a greater sense of how maths and data are part of our everyday lives and jobs.

“There is no quick fix to this as it will require reform from primary school through to A levels and vocational qualifications. It is disappointing that the Review has not had the ambition to take on this challenge.”

On practical science:

“Science is something you do – it is about exploring things, testing ideas, problem solving and teamwork. The Review and Government response have kind words for practical science but the reality is cuts in funding. Seven in ten students want to do more practical science work but hands-on science for GCSE students has almost halved between 2016 and 2023. Something is wrong and more attention needs to be put on fixing it.”

On the need for wider reform of post-16 education:

“The Review and Government response are a welcome start but we cannot leave our narrow post-16 system as is. There is a commitment to a broad and balanced system up to the age of 16 but then we force young people into one of the narrowest post-16 systems in the world.

“We are driving a decline in arts, humanities and social sciences entries, and at the same time we still have around 150,000 A level students a year leaving school with little or no maths education after the age of 16. Core maths is a possible solution to the maths problem but does not get a mention in today’s discussion. The recoupling of AS and A levels would be the simple, practical first step towards regaining some semblance of breadth and balance and at the same time paving the way for more far-reaching changes.”

On education around climate change:

“Public understanding of climate change and its impacts is strong in the UK but there are an increasing number of voices challenging the scientific evidence that underpins that understanding. We welcome the review’s focus on the need to reemphasise the scientific principles that underpin climate change and the Government’s commitment to ensuring that the curriculum helps support the fullest possible understanding of the issues for the young people who will have to live with the impacts of a warming world.”