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Question
While welcoming some measures, Laura Trott criticises the Government's response to Professor Becky Francis' review and questions whether the changes will undermine subjects such as arts and drama by altering assessment structures. She highlights the success of phonics reforms in improving reading standards.
Minister reply
The Secretary of State acknowledges the criticism but emphasises that the new curriculum aims to balance breadth with strong academic core, promoting mastery of fundamentals combined with student choice. The focus is on revitalising arts education and ensuring a broad and rich curriculum.
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Question
Welcoming a curriculum review that breaks down barriers, the MP asks how the Secretary of State sees the introduction of an additional Year 8 diagnostic planning out and seeks clarification on the feasibility review for the new qualification based on languages ladder expertise.
Minister reply
The Secretary of State responded by acknowledging the challenge around transition from primary to secondary in modern languages and stated that a stepped qualification will provide a useful route for more young people to move on to study languages at GCSE. On exams, Ofqual has been clear that a 10% reduction is achievable without compromising standards.
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Question
Welcoming the changes but asking about funding and specialist recruitment, the MP inquires how schools will find the subject specialists to deliver the new curriculum and protect time for other subjects.
Minister reply
The Secretary of State did not provide specific details on funding or recruitment targets but emphasised that the changes aim to raise standards across the curriculum while ensuring children have opportunities beyond core academic subjects.
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Question
Financial and media literacy are core skills to develop young people. How will the Secretary of State ensure that schools have the funding, resources and preparation time necessary to implement the reforms?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend has a real passion for this area and brings her expertise to this House. We will refresh programmes of study and publish them in 2027, allowing consultation and contribution towards these changes. I was at Ashmole primary school in Lambeth where year 6 students were doing precisely that.
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Question
Why did the Secretary of State ignore Professor Francis’s recommendation to retain the structure of the current Progress 8? Is she giving up totally on modern foreign languages?
Minister reply
The review found that the EBacc measure did not translate into increased study of those subjects at 16-19 and unnecessarily constrained student choice. Our revised Progress 8 will balance a strong academic core with breadth and student choice. We are committed to ensuring opportunities for students in triple science and computing.
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Question
Will my right hon. Friend look at introducing a skills passport, so that young people can have the skills they are learning in school properly recognised for both themselves and employers?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend always champions children and young people in his constituency. I would be happy to discuss his ideas further with him.
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Question
The review made reference to many examples of best practice around the country, but it stopped short of offering ideas on how we can continue to progress financial education at a time when young people are beginning to take financial decisions themselves. Will the Secretary of State work with the APPG to develop this area further?
Minister reply
I would be keen to hear his ideas and those of the all-party parliamentary group, and I thank him for the work he is doing in this important area.
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Question
What interventions will be brought in to provide support and help for students with special educational needs and disabilities so that they are not left behind during the transition from the current curriculum to the new one?
Minister reply
Through our schools White Paper and wider work around SEND reform, we will ensure that voices of children with SEND are heard through a co-creation process as we move to a better system of support where every child in our country can achieve and thrive.
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Question
What steps will the Secretary of State take to ensure that students who are unlikely to achieve grade 4 in GCSE maths and English are offered practical alternative pathways so that they can succeed in these important subjects?
Minister reply
The hon. Lady is right to raise this point. We will develop a new stepping-stone qualification for lower attainers as preparation for GCSE, ensuring more young people, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, secure a strong pass.
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Question
This is education in the clouds when contrasted with the reality of a war against elitism, which is so often actually a war against excel-ism on the ground, is it not?
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Question
With improved medical care, earlier diagnosis and greater awareness, more children with special educational needs are being identified. How will my right hon. Friend ensure that schools have the right environment, staff, funding and resources for SEND children to get the most of the positive changes in the curriculum?
Minister reply
We are investing more in our SEND system and in teacher training and development, including new SEND content for those entering the profession.
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Question
Without clear incentives to encourage or require their inclusion, why will schools prioritise these experiences for pupils when they are under already severe budgetary pressure from the Government’s many unfunded commitments?
Minister reply
We are investing more in our schools and providing more support to teachers. Enrichment is important.
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Question
Can my right hon. Friend confirm that the Government will continue to turn up the volume, bang the drum, create a symphony and maybe even reach the tempo of “presto” on this issue, so that we can finally achieve creative arts for all?
Minister reply
Absolutely.
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Question
Will the Secretary of State collaborate with the Economic Secretary and use the wealth of expertise and enthusiasm that exists among the banks and financial services industry to ensure that maximum strides forward can be made in financial literacy across the whole age range?
Minister reply
The right hon. Gentleman has done a lot of work in this area.
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Question
Can the Secretary of State reassure me that young people’s wellbeing will be a material consideration for her Department in implementing the review’s recommendations, particularly on assessment reform?
Minister reply
I agree with my hon. Friend.
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Question
However, I have grave concerns about the state of the schools in my constituency, particularly Tiverton high school, and the paucity of teachers, particularly in the arts subjects that the Secretary of State has quite commendably supported.
Minister reply
I am grateful to the hon. Lady for raising this issue.
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Question
Will the Secretary of State please assure me that she will learn from the best schools in the country and local authorities like my own, which have continued to invest in the “10 by 10” initiative, so that that can be cascaded across the country?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend has done amazing work in this area.
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Question
Does the Secretary of State agree that we must make sure that a range of subjects are available to young people, including languages, and that young people should have a good range of options, including the chance to go on and study at university?
Minister reply
I think it is important alongside that.
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Question
Does the Secretary of State agree that there must be strong support from school leaderships and local authorities for individual teachers as they, rightly, teach social media literacy?
Minister reply
My right hon. Friend is right to highlight that.
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Question
Will she commit to doing that and to meeting the all-party parliamentary group for outdoor learning so that we can talk about how this should be at the centre of the curriculum?
Minister reply
Either I or the Minister for School Standards will be happy to meet the all-party group.
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Question
Does the Secretary of State think that projects such as the Addison project, which looks at a category D village in my constituency, help children to develop digital skills, learning and thinking skills and practical skills?
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Question
Will she ensure that teachers who teach critical thinking and how to guard against fake news are schooled in the knowledge of political impartiality in schools introduced in 1986?
Minister reply
The right hon. Member is right to draw attention to the importance of political impartiality, which is essential for teaching these subjects.
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Question
What can I tell the heads of my schools about how the new curriculum will improve the lives of the children they teach?
Minister reply
The new national curriculum aims to ensure that young people are better prepared for a changing world, with a focus on financial education and critical thinking. We will provide ample notice and support for teachers to adjust their teaching before implementation in 2028.
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Question
What will she do to speed up the implementation of climate literacy and other critical parts of the curriculum?
Minister reply
While there is a need for urgency, we must balance this with ensuring proper implementation. Schools can teach the new national curriculum sooner if they choose.
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Luke Myer
Lab
Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
Question
What steps will my right hon. Friend take to ensure that the implementation of the curriculum review focuses resources on areas that need them most?
Minister reply
The Government are committed to ensuring a person’s background does not determine their future achievements, including through targeted support for reading and writing skills in primary schools.
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Question
Will the Secretary of State confirm that teacher training bursaries in creative arts will be reversed?
Minister reply
We aim to target our financial support where it is most needed, but I welcome the hon. Member’s support for arts education.
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Question
Will she say more about the importance of triple science and how it will benefit social mobility?
Minister reply
Triple science should be available to all children, with the aim of improving access for disadvantaged students and closing geographic inequalities.
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Question
Will there be enough brilliant teachers properly resourced to deliver what has been announced?
Minister reply
We are investing more in our schools this year, delivering pay awards for teachers and retaining more staff across the board.
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Question
What support will be given to teachers so that they can deliver financial education effectively?
Minister reply
We aim to provide better grounding in key concepts of financial education, including mortgages, savings, and understanding debit and credit cards.
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Question
Which changes will ensure that those voting in future general elections are better prepared?
Minister reply
As we move towards votes at 16, statutory teaching of citizenship in primary schools and improvements at secondary level will be crucial.
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Question
Will there be more certainty provided in the schools White Paper regarding proposals to help all pupils?
Minister reply
The White Paper will set out our vision for supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities, focusing on better outcomes and life chances.
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Question
Will the Secretary of State look carefully at including global history in primary school curricula to improve community cohesion?
Minister reply
We aim to ensure that young people have a broader understanding of global history and its impact, as well as local history.
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Question
Does the Secretary of State agree that improving access to sport for all pupils is vital for building resilience in young people, especially as we know there are children who do not have enough access to sport?
Minister reply
I agree that PE and sport are vital elements of a rounded education. That is why we have committed to strengthening the national curriculum for PE and will work with sporting bodies to deliver enrichment activities.
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Question
Will the Secretary of State commit to universal screening for neurodivergence and more teacher training on the subject?
Minister reply
We are expanding content on SEND in initial teacher training, but more needs to be done for the existing workforce. We will consider these issues through our schools White Paper.
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Question
May I urge the Secretary of State to implement a national centre for arts and music education, and go beyond the review’s recommendations on learning about local history?
Minister reply
Our new national centre will provide support for schools and teachers in delivering the reformed curriculum. We are committed to helping children learn about their locality.
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Question
How will the Government support flexibility in the delivery of the curriculum, including for those who cannot access a traditional school setting?
Minister reply
The review looked closely at this area. We need to continue to have high expectations of what children with SEND can achieve with the right level of support, which we aim to address through our schools White Paper.
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Question
Does my right hon. Friend agree that the review’s findings on flexibility and early identification of need could ensure a positive school experience for all pupils?
Minister reply
We want to build on the review's work in this area, setting out more detail next year through our schools White Paper.
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Question
What plans does the Secretary of State have to embed agriculture, environment and food studies into the national curriculum?
Minister reply
The review recommends changes in related areas. We will look carefully at how we deliver these through revised programmes of study before a full national roll-out.
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Question
Will the Secretary of State outline any other steps to reduce exam time volume following the report about managing the sheer volume of exams?
Minister reply
We will work closely with Ofqual and exam boards to reduce GCSE exam time by two and a half to three hours, maintaining the integrity and validity of qualifications.
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Question
What consideration has the Secretary of State given to the importance of online reading?
Minister reply
In 2026, it will be the National Year of Reading. We are thinking about not just physical books but what a strong digital offer could look like.
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Question
What opportunities does the Secretary of State see for introducing more modern approaches to teaching that would provide wider access to education?
Minister reply
We want to ensure that as we reduce GCSE content, we maintain the validity and integrity of qualifications. We will consider a range of different approaches that teachers can benefit from.