In March 2025, the government released their initial findings on the Curriculum and Assessment Review, a link to my synthesis written in March is here: C&A interim educational landscape the current provision March 2025.pdf The UK government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review is being led by Professor Becky Francis CBE.

She is the Chief Executive of the Education Endowment Foundation and an expert in education policy, particularly regarding curriculum and social inequality. She chairs a panel of experts who are working on the review. An interim report was published in March 2025, with the final report and recommendations expected in autumn 2025.

As July gentle fades into August and the beginning of a proper shutdown for this authentic leader – this is me attempting to be more Lyme Regis, it feels like I must get a few matters out of my mind, partly to allow the Lyme Regis and partly to lay down some plans on what we must do next.

Strategic Priorities

The recent Educational Landscape Review has illuminated critical areas demanding urgent attention from education leaders. Far from being a mere critique, the review serves as a roadmap for future-proofing our educational system, ensuring it remains equitable, relevant, and effective for all learners. In the coming months, leaders must proactively address the identified disparities, curriculum imbalances, and structural weaknesses to prepare for the inevitable changes these insights will precipitate. This involves a multi-faceted approach focused on fostering equitable access, refining curriculum, enhancing future relevance, and strengthening post-16 provisions, all while cultivating a culture of adaptability and continuous improvement.

Firstly, addressing the persistent disparities in equitable access and outcomes, particularly for disadvantaged and SEND learners, must be paramount. While the knowledge-rich curriculum has yielded overall attainment improvements, its impact has not been uniformly positive. Education leaders need to move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach and embed a robust social justice lens across all educational practices. This means scrutinising existing support systems and designing targeted interventions that genuinely elevate aspirations and equip every learner with the skills and confidence for life and work. In the coming months, this will entail a thorough audit of current provisions for these groups, engaging with their families and communities to understand their unique needs, and allocating resources strategically to bridge attainment gaps. Professional development for staff on inclusive pedagogies and differentiated instruction will be crucial to ensure all teachers are equipped to support diverse learners effectively.

Secondly, the review’s findings on curriculum structure and content necessitate a bold re-evaluation of what and how we teach. The tension between breadth and depth, the primary curriculum overload, and the premature narrowing of KS3 due to early GCSE preparation are undermining foundational learning and fostering disengagement. Education leaders must initiate a comprehensive review of curriculum sequencing across all key stages, prioritising mastery of core concepts over superficial coverage. For Key Stages 1 and 2, this means advocating for a streamlined curriculum that allows for deeper exploration of foundational literacy and numeracy. At Key Stage 3, leaders must champion a curriculum that maintains its breadth, encourages intellectual curiosity, and avoids rote repetition, allowing students to genuinely engage with subjects before specialization. The ongoing review of EBacc constraints demands close attention, and leaders should be prepared to advocate for reforms that promote a child’s choice and a more balanced curriculum. I would go further and argue that the curriculum from Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 4 must evolve from broad and balanced and become ‘Developed and Divergent’.

[see https://theauthenticleader.uk/2025/07/24/crafting-excellence-a-four-movement-symphony-of-the-key-stage-4-curriculum-in-england/]

This period requires proactive collaboration with teachers to identify areas for curriculum refinement and to pilot new approaches that foster deeper learning.

Thirdly, ensuring curriculum relevance for future needs is no longer an option but a necessity. The call for modernisation to reflect digital literacy, sustainability, and global challenges, alongside addressing subject-specific imbalances and vagueness, signals a need for significant curricular evolution. Education leaders must champion the integration of 21st-century skills and global competencies across all subjects, moving beyond outdated content. This will require investing in teacher training for new pedagogical approaches and digital tools. Furthermore, the imperative to reflect diverse identities and broaden pupils’ horizons within the curriculum must be taken seriously. This is not just about representation but about fostering a more inclusive and globally aware citizenry. In the coming months, engaging with external experts, industry leaders, and community groups will be vital to inform these curricular updates and ensure their practical relevance.

Finally, the review’s insights into 16-19 provisions and qualifications highlight systemic issues that demand immediate attention. While A-levels retain their strength, the lack of clarity and instability in vocational pathways are causing poor outcomes for a significant cohort of learners. Education leaders must work collaboratively with further education colleges, employers, and policymakers to establish clearer, more valued vocational routes that genuinely prepare students for the workforce. The acknowledged failure of the GCSE re-sit policy for English and Maths underscores the need for a more nuanced approach to supporting these learners. Furthermore, while SATs have value, concerns about grammar and writing assessments impacting literacy development warrant a careful re-evaluation. The impending review of GCSE reform, particularly regarding exam stress and assessment volume, offers an opportunity for leaders to advocate for a more holistic and less high-stakes assessment system that genuinely measures learning. This period calls for strong advocacy and practical solutions to create a more diverse and effective post-16 landscape.

The Educational Landscape Review presents a formidable yet exciting challenge for education leaders in the coming months. The identified key points are not isolated issues but interconnected threads that weave the fabric of our educational system. By prioritising equitable access, rigorously refining curriculum, championing future relevance, and strengthening post-16 provisions, leaders can proactively shape the evolution of education. This will require courageous decision-making, collaborative spirit, and an unwavering commitment to putting the needs of all learners at the heart of every reform. The coming months are a crucial period for laying the groundwork for a more just, responsive, and effective education system for generations to come.

Leadership Reflections

Our first, and perhaps most resonant, chord must be struck in the realm of equitable access and outcomes. The knowledge-rich curriculum, while yielding overall attainment improvements, has revealed persistent disparities, casting a spotlight on our disadvantaged and SEND learners. This is a call to “truly see” beyond the metrics to the human stories. Leaders must move beyond programmatic fixes, embedding a social justice lens so deeply that it becomes an intrinsic part of our educational DNA. This means a daily recommitment, a “fall in love with you every day” philosophy, to the vital connections with every student, ensuring high aspirations are not just words but lived realities. In the coming months, this demands a self-reflective audit of current support systems, engaging in open dialogue with families and communities to understand their unique needs, and allocating resources with discerning strategic patience. Professional development must become a crucible for inclusive pedagogies, empowering every educator to navigate the intricate emotional landscapes of their classrooms.

Secondly, the very architecture of our curriculum, its structure and content, demands an intellectual alchemy. The tension between breadth and depth, the overwhelming deluge of the primary curriculum, and the premature narrowing of Key Stage 3 are not mere administrative challenges; they are impediments to genuine mastery and intellectual curiosity. Education leaders must orchestrate a dynamic interplay of intention and action. This means meticulously planning and defining a culture where foundational concepts are mastered, not merely touched upon. For Key Stages 1 and 2, the imperative is a streamlined curriculum that allows for deeper exploration, much like the thoughtful cultivation envisioned in Huxley’s “Island”. At Key Stage 3, we must champion a curriculum that resists the pull of early specialization, preserving its breadth and fostering engagement. The ongoing review of EBacc constraints offers an opportunity for leaders to advocate for reforms that prioritise children’s choice and curriculum balance, recognising that a truly rich education is a symphony, not a monotone. This period requires proactive collaboration with teachers, nurturing their potential, and empowering them as the “lifeboats” of the school.

Thirdly, the relevance of our curriculum for future needs is a profound imperative. A knowledge-rich foundation remains vital, but it must be a living, evolving entity, reflecting the digital complexities, the sustainability challenges, and the global interconnectedness of our world. Leaders must relentlessly combat complacency, challenging the status quo by integrating 21st-century skills and global competencies across all subjects. This is about enriching the soil of our educational landscape so that diverse identities can flourish and childrens’ horizons are broadened beyond measure.

In essence, the Educational Landscape Review is a perpetual overture to ongoing work, a deepening commitment to educational justice. For education leaders in the coming months, it is a call to embody authentic leadership: to elevate intentionality, combat complacency, champion growth, and inspire deeper connection. By embracing these movements, we can ensure that the “Alchemy of Belief” continues to transform lives, one intentional act at a time, building a resilient, compassionate, and truly authentic education system.

Authentic Action Pathways

• Recommit Daily to Your Purpose: Adopt the mantra, “I Fall in Love with You Every Day”. This isn’t a romantic ideal, but a conscious, deliberate choice to revitalise essential bonds with children, colleagues, families, and the fundamental mission of education itself. It’s a philosophical stance against complacency, ensuring you remain connected to the “why” behind your work.
• Cultivate Emotional Intelligence as a Survival Mechanism: Draw lessons from the “crucible” of challenging experiences. Understand that self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management are not just theories, but practical tools “forged in the fires of continuous crisis”. Embrace your “scars” as sources of profound self-awareness, enabling you to map the intricate emotional landscapes of schools.
• Transform Weaknesses into Strengths: Confront perceived weaknesses head-on, just as the author transformed impatience into strategic patience and a need for control into deep trust. This journey of strengthening oneself through challenging experiences is central to authentic leadership, embracing imperfections to deepen empathy and wisdom.
• See Beyond the Metrics – “Truly See”: As inspired by John Berger’s “Ways of Seeing,” strive to “truly see” beyond superficial data points to the human stories and individual complexities within your school. This holistic view is essential for understanding the nuances of equitable access and outcomes.
• Champion Intentionality: Meticulously plan and define the culture you wish to cultivate, much like the author’s articulation of “Belonging, Connection, and Purpose”. Intentionality elevates every action, ensuring alignment with your core values and desired outcomes.
• Combat Complacency with Healthy Disruption: Don’t shy away from challenging the status quo. Use tools like anonymized student narratives to highlight the human cost of insufficient systems, fostering a healthy disruption that leads to improvement.
• Empower Middle Leaders – Your “Lifeboats”: Actively cultivate the potential of your middle leaders, whom the blog affectionately terms the “lifeboats” of the school. This distributed leadership, informed by Alma Harris’s insights, empowers others and builds collective capacity.
• Inspire Deeper Connection and Resonant Harmony: Foster empathetic listening and consistent adult behaviour. Remember Paul Dix’s principle, “When the Adults Change, Everything Changes,” and strive to build a community where belonging is fostered through fairness and mutual respect, guided by the “unseen contract” of Tim Scanlon.
• Foster Open Dialogue and Collective Wisdom: Encourage open dialogue about both achievements and challenges. This fosters a culture where collective wisdom can flourish, leading to continuous improvement and a shared sense of ownership.

Authentic Pathways

Pathway 1: Be Clear About What We’re Doing – Our School’s Heartbeat

• This is about making sure everyone knows why we’re teaching what we’re teaching, and how it connects to our school’s values and goals.
• Define Our School’s Culture: Let’s work together (teachers, leaders, maybe even students and parents) to decide what makes our school special – like feeling like you belong, having good connections, and understanding our purpose. This will guide everything we do.
• Check Our Lesson Plans: Look at our subject plans. Do they show how we help students feel like they belong, connect with others, and find their purpose? Do they push students to aim high?
• Understand Why We Test: For every test or assessment, let’s be clear about its reason. Is it to help students learn, to see what they know, or to find out where they need help? How does each test help students feel connected to their learning journey?
• Listen to Everyone: Make sure we have ways to hear from everyone involved – teachers, students, parents, and school leaders – as we go through this review.

Pathway 2: Don’t Just Stick to the Old Ways – Look for What’s Missing

• This pathway is about honestly looking at what we’re doing now and finding ways to make it better, even if it means trying new things.
• Hear From Students: Let’s find ways to collect honest, anonymous feedback from students about what they like (or don’t like) in their lessons and tests. This helps us see the real impact of our system.
• Map Our Lessons: Let’s look at all our lesson plans across different years. Are we repeating too much? Are there big gaps? Are we forcing younger students to focus too early on exam subjects, making them bored later?
• Check How Many Tests We Do: Let’s count all the tests and assignments students have, especially older ones. Ask students and teachers if they feel too much stress from tests, and if every test is truly useful.
• Talk About Why Students Zone Out: Get teachers together to talk openly about why students might lose interest in lessons or tests. Let’s not be afraid to shake things up a bit if needed.

Pathway 3: Help Everyone Grow – Empowering Our Key People

• This pathway is about helping our colleagues, especially our subject leaders, get better at what they do and lead improvements.
• Train Our Subject Leaders: Give special training and support to our subject leaders. Teach them how to develop lessons and design tests, and how to lead their teams effectively. They are like the “lifeboats” of our school, guiding us.
• Update Our Lessons: Ask our subject leaders and teachers to brainstorm ideas for making our lessons more modern. How can we include topics like digital skills, caring for the planet, world issues, and show different cultures and viewpoints?
• Invent Better Tests: Encourage our subject leaders and teachers to come up with new, creative ways to test students. The aim is to make tests less stressful but still show what students have learned and really help with reading and writing skills.
• Learn Together: Start or restart groups where teachers can learn from each other about the best ways to teach. Focus on helping all students learn deeply and get the support they need, especially those who find learning harder.

Pathway 4: Build Stronger Connections – Creating a Supportive Community

• This pathway is about making our school a place where everyone feels connected and respected, and where decisions are made together.
• Listen and Get Feedback: Set up ways for teachers and students to regularly give feedback on new lesson ideas or test changes. Listen carefully and openly to everyone, remembering that “When the Adults Change, Everything Changes.”
• Agree on Fair Testing: Have discussions to make sure everyone agrees on what fair and respectful testing looks like. This is about building trust and making sure everyone feels like they belong, based on an “unseen agreement” of fairness.
• Try Out New Ideas: Pick a few key areas or subjects to try out new lesson plans or test methods first. See how they work, get feedback, and make changes as needed. We don’t have to get it perfect right away.
• Share Our Progress: Clearly tell everyone – students, parents, staff, and school leaders – about the changes we’re making and why they’re good. Celebrate our successes and show that we’re all working together to make our school better and fairer for everyone. This is a continuous journey towards fairness in education.

Finally, embrace the “Perpetual Overture”: Recognise that leadership is not about a final destination, but a “perpetual overture” to ongoing work. This mindset encourages continuous improvement and a deepening commitment, allowing for adaptability in the face of evolving challenges.

And with that, there will be a round up for subscribers in the next couple of days and I will be back around results week. In many respects I hope you are re-visiting this after a good, restful and well-earned break. For me, the rest comes when I have cleared and sorted my mind into the right boxes, ready for moving onto the next academic year.

Requiesce et otium sume.