VIEWS
BRITISH EDUCATIONAL SUPPLIERS ASSOCIATION (BESA)
Save the date! BESA’s Curriculum Conference to
explore potential changes Comment by PETER DOYLE, Policy Manager at BESA
Professor Becky Francis’ much anticipated national review of curriculum and assessment reported its interim findings on 24th February. In an effort to reassure the workforce that the changes won’t have a serious impact on workload, the review has been repeatedly touted by both the Secretary of State, Bridget Phillipson, and Francis as an ‘evolution not revolution’ of the existing curriculum. Even so, vocal opposition to Academy measures of the Children’s Wellbeing
and Schools Bill has created a headache for Number 10 and Phillipson. In my previous op-ed for Education Today, I spoke about the ‘changing winds of academisation’ and how the new Schools Bill challenges a number of the fundamental freedoms which differentiate Academies from their Local Authority counterparts.
One of those areas is the curriculum, where Academies enjoy the discretion on whether or not they follow the national curriculum. The issue has created some disquiet amongst the Academy sector, with the Headteacher of Micheala Academy, Katharine Birbalsingh, directly criticising the changes in an open letter to Phillipson, arguing that by restricting Academies to delivering the national curriculum, there was a risk that the proposed changes would prevent Academies from being able to “tailor the curricula to the communities they serve” Despite objections from some within the sector, a recent Schools Week survey revealed that most Trust CEOs believed the changes would not affect them – with 70% stating that alterations to Academy freedoms around the national curriculum would have no impact on their setting. It is important to note, however, that our own research shows that responsibility for curriculum decisions varies with trust size. Larger trusts tend to delegate curriculum responsibilities to individual schools, while smaller trusts maintain greater control over curriculum planning. This may suggest that Trust CEOs are interpreting the question as referring only to their own organisations, even if the changes might affect schools within their trust.
Although the bill has successfully passed its second reading and is now moving to the committee stage of Parliament, Phillipson has faced opposition from within her own party. Dame Siobhain McDonagh, MP for Mitcham and Morden, has voiced concerns that removing curriculum freedoms for academies will not lead to improved standards. While the bill is expected to become law, the level of opposition has reportedly taken Number 10 by surprise, complicating the current curriculum and Assessment review. As the changes are unlikely to require primary legislation, the Secretary of State can amend the curriculum without passing a new act of Parliament. Essentially, this means the Government can adjust the national curriculum without parliamentary approval, though this approach carries its own risks. Critics argue that their objection is not to the potential effects of the changes per se, but to the erosion of the freedoms they once enjoyed.
In light of this, it seems unlikely that the Government will pursue sweeping reforms to the national curriculum, particularly at a time when it also needs to address concerns about ensuring Academies do not fall directly under the control of the Department for Education. Here at BESA, we will be covering some of the most likely changes in our upcoming Curriculum Conference on 13th March. The conference will hear from experts in pedagogy and education policy, covering topics such as: embedding oracy in the curriculum, workplace readiness, embedding AI in curriculum development, and curriculum change in a global landscape. With speakers from Shireland Collegiate Academy Trust, the OECD, Speech and Language UK, and the University College London.
Tickets are available for all educators at
https://www.besa.org.uk/ 16
www.education-today.co.uk BBC TEACH Time to get ahead
Now that the days are getting a little longer, exam season is on the horizon, writes Oonagh Jaquest, Executive Producer of BBC Bitesize. The team has been busy developing new GCSE revision content to support students. Here she picks out a few of the resources from the BBC Bitesize collection.
Let’s get practical
It can be a challenge to remember the details of a practical experiment as exams approach. Our new series of 10 science practicals are hosted by the brilliant (and entertaining) Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock and Dr Alex Lathbridge. They cover key GCSE science areas across biology, chemistry and physics, including a look at how antiseptics affect the growth of bacteria; the effectiveness of insulating materials; and an investigation of infrared radiation.
Each short video is a step-by-step explanation of the experiment’s method and the equipment. The presenters carry out the practical in the same way that students do in class and show how to record and analyse the results. A fresh approach to maths
I feel it is important that we know how students’ approach to revision changes. We’ve launched new GCSE Maths revision resources which are visual and interactive, in keeping with how students prefer to learn. Our new guides break down topics step by step, using slideshows, quizzes and interactives that help students learn and practise key concepts. We have a new series of videos presented by mathematicians Dr Katie Steckles and Benjamin Grey which walk students through key maths concepts and problems, modelling how to tackle them.
...The new content is more granular, focusing on topics such as algebra, number and ratio and coming soon, is a GCSE level to our popular maths game Divided Islands Step back in time
Our first Bitesize podcasts, produced in partnership with BBC Sounds, launched two years ago and have been a real success. They offer students a new way to revise at home or out and about, and they complement the existing Bitesize resources. We have just launched new podcasts for GCSE history covering topics including Elizabeth I and exam skills. Our hosts include historian Alice Loxton, journalist Datshiane Navanayagam, as well as history podcasters Anouska Lewis and Katie Charlwood. At around 10 minutes long, each episode is carefully crafted with information about key events, people and concepts. They provide useful tips for tackling exam questions and quizzes so that students can test their learning. As well as history, we have a podcast series spanning GCSE science, English literature and study support. An exploration of faith
Finally, Bitesize has created new resources for Religious Studies which support thematic studies across six religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism. Our collection of videos and articles explore topics including marriage, procreation, educating children in faith, as well as war, pacifism and forgiveness. With exam season edging ever closer, it is a crucial time for your students to begin preparing for their exams. BBC Bitesize is here to support them with new content as well as a rich archive of resources covering a wide range of subjects and exam boards including AQA, Edexcel, OCR and Eduqas.
To access the BBC Bitesize collection of GCSE revision resources, visit
www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize
March 2025
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