ASCL comment on HEPI report on school and college curriculum

Responding to a report from the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) examining how well the school and college curriculum prepares young people for higher education, Tom Middlehurst, Deputy Director of Policy at the Association of School and College Leaders, said:

“It's great to see that most students feel the curriculum prepares them well – but it's also apparent that there are problems that need to be fixed. Much of this is to do with the previous government's emphasis on a highly academic diet of subjects and lots of examinations. We need to do more to prize creative and vocational subjects, rethink our approach to maths and English so that the vast majority of young people achieve well in these subjects, put a stop to the bonfire of the BTECs, and broaden the post-16 curriculum – for example by reversing reforms which undermined AS-levels. We look forward to the outcome of the curriculum and assessment review led by Professor Becky Francis. It is a great opportunity to address these issues.”