Last year we shared with members the Haberdashers’ submission to the DfE’s Curriculum and Assessment review – a collaborative piece of writing which reflected the views of our family of schools and members of the Company. In March an Interim Report was published on the review. We find some important pieces of alignment but limited aspiration in some areas which we highlighted as particularly important.
Both articulate a vision for education that is equitable, ambitious, and rooted in strong foundations. Both acknowledge the strengths of the current system while recognising that it does not yet work for all young people—particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds or with SEND. The Interim Report does acknowledge the need for young people to be prepared for a world shaped by automation, AI and global shifts, referencing critical thinking, media literacy, and adaptability. But our submission went further—positioning communication, teamwork, resilience, and problem-solving as essential outcomes, not optional extras. The Interim report maintains a cautious, system-protective approach, seeking to preserve structural stability and focus on what’s working. We suggested more significant reform—particularly in relation to assessment culture, the narrowing effect of accountability measures, and curriculum relevance.
The overall tone of the interim report seems government–led with a focus on system stability and gradual improvement. Whilst agreeing that evolution not revolution is the way to develop our school system, our submission called for a more sustainable, long-term approach to education policy—recommending the exploration of a national, non-political body to oversee strategy, in order to reduce the impact of frequent policy changes. We look forward to seeing if this approach is picked up in the next stages of the review’s work.
The Review is expected to publish its final recommendations in late 2025 or early 2026. The government’s appointment of Olly de Botton—former Head of School 21 and outgoing CEO of the Careers & Enterprise Company—as a special adviser on education may well be a significant influence. De Botton is closely associated with work on oracy, project-based learning, real-world readiness, and interdisciplinary education. His influence may signal increased focus on employer engagement, parity between academic and vocational pathways, and the integration of workplace-relevant skills into curriculum and assessment frameworks.
Comparison Table: Haberdashers’ submission and the Interim Report
