Schools are to be told to stop teaching the GCSE syllabus early as part of a bid to tackle persistent absence, under a major shake-up of the national curriculum announced today (November 8).
Education Secretary and Manchester Central MP Lucy Powell said pupils are too often being 'rushed towards exams'. The new national curriculum for Years 7 to 9, when pupils are aged 11 to 14, will be published in full later this year.
Curriculum changes to slim down 'overcrowded' content
The government said the curriculum will slim down 'overcrowded' content and allow space for schoolchildren to develop skills they will need for the future, such as confident speaking, reading for pleasure and numeracy.
It will also say schools should not start GCSE specifications early for large cohorts, or see children routinely required to narrow their options earlier or entered earlier for exams.
Persistent absence nearly doubles from Year 6 to Year 9
The overhaul is also meant to tackle persistent absence, which the Department for Education (DfE) said nearly doubles from Year 6 to Year 9.
Ms Powell said: "The early years of secondary school should be a time when children are excited to go to school and engage in the specialist and much broader teaching on offer, and where they find their passion and develop a love of learning."
She added: "Instead, we've seen worrying trends of disengagement and high levels of persistent absence, with the disadvantage gap stubbornly large and too many leaving school without the knowledge and skills they need to thrive. That's what our exciting and engaging new national curriculum aims to address as part of our wider education reforms."
Teachers report exams dominating early secondary years
In a survey by Public First, more than half of teachers said qualifications dominate the first three years of secondary school, with some schools starting teaching for exams most pupils take at 16 when they are in Year 7.
Teachers will still be able to stretch high-achieving pupils or groups who are ready to go further without narrowing their options, the government has said. There will also be a more engaging offer in subjects like drama, PE, music, and modern foreign languages, alongside technical and digital skills.
The government said the changes are aimed in particular at improving outcomes for white working-class pupils, for whom disengagement during the transition to secondary school is markedly worse, according to an independent inquiry. It said this affects pupils' attendance, attainment and ultimately their life chances.
Baroness Estelle Morris, who co-chaired the inquiry into white working class pupils' school outcomes, said: "Our report highlighted the problems for children at points of transition, including the move from primary to secondary school – it also demonstrated how white working class young people and their families disengage from the education system through the Key Stage 3 years. This is why I welcome the Government's commitment to begin to address these issues."
She added: "The work of the inquiry is not yet over and we will soon come forward with fresh plans to drive change for white working class you people in the education system. Together, we should be relentless in our focus on changing the opportunities available for this group of children and families."
