Some welcome steps forward, but a missed opportunity to address regional inequality
On 5th November, the Department for Education published the final report of the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, alongside the government’s official response.
Major changes include core enrichment entitlement, boosting science provision, and the scrapping of the English Baccalaureate. There will also be a stronger emphasis on oracy, with new frameworks for speaking, reading, and writing across primary and secondary, and fresh Year 8 diagnostic assessments.
While there are certainly reasons to be optimistic about some of the recommendations, it’s clear that the report represents a missed opportunity to properly tackle the deep-rooted inequalities that shape education in the North East.
Positive signs around KS3 and assessment
We were, however, pleased to see the DfE acknowledge the “lost years” at KS3. Not only is this a significant and positive step on the whole, but it’s also one that directly aligns with our calls to strengthen the transition from primary to secondary education.
Similarly, the government’s plan to reduce the overall exam burden by at least 10 percent, while ensuring the curriculum remains “ambitious but deliverable,” echoes the evidence we submitted to the review. Our region’s schools have been clear about the growing tension between breadth and manageability, so these changes are welcome.
Reforms to assessment in creative and practical subjects, and proposals to make checks fairer for pupils with SEND, also show that some of the long-standing concerns raised by North East school leaders are finally being heard.
The bigger picture: What’s still missing
Despite these positives, the report falls short in addressing the bigger structural challenges that shape education in regions like ours. For example, there is still little recognition of how long-term deprivation affects schools’ ability to deliver a truly broad and balanced curriculum.
By maintaining an exam-centred accountability system, without moving towards a broader dashboard of pupil outcomes, the reforms risk reinforcing existing inequalities rather than reducing them. And while there’s an acknowledgment of the pressures in early-years assessment, there’s no clear plan to reduce these burdens — pressures that we know are closely tied to staff recruitment and retention challenges.
Workload and capacity concerns
One of the key messages we hear from North East school leaders is that staff workload is already at unsustainable levels. Yet, the government’s response doesn’t offer enough reassurance that the implications of these reforms have been fully thought through. Without firm commitments to reduce administrative and planning pressures, the rollout of a new national curriculum could make things worse, not better.
The challenge of delivering reform in a region under pressure
Our region continues to face some of the highest rates of long-term disadvantage in England, and many schools are already operating on extremely tight budgets. Implementing new curriculum reforms will require digital tools, training, and investment that many North East schools simply don’t have access to.
The “digital divide” between our region and others is already well recognised. Without targeted funding and national support, there’s a real risk that new digital approaches could widen that gap further.
Accessibility and funding gaps
While it’s encouraging that the government’s response highlights the importance of accessibility, it stops short of adopting the Review’s call for national, evidence-led approaches and dedicated funding. This could leave schools absorbing yet more costs at a time when financial and SEND pressures are already critical.
Chris Zarraga, Director of Schools North East, said: “The DfE’s review contains welcome recognition of teacher workload, SEND barriers, and the need to rethink Key Stage 3, all of which reflect what North East schools have been saying for years.
“But without addressing the underlying funding and contextual challenges our schools face, these reforms risk not delivering the world-class, broad and balanced curriculum our pupils deserve.”
Looking ahead
There’s much to welcome in this latest step toward curriculum and assessment reform, but the work doesn’t stop here. Schools North East will continue to champion the voices of North East educators, ensuring that future policy decisions reflect the realities faced by schools in regions with the greatest need.
Schools North East is currently gathering views from our region’s schools to inform our ongoing policy and lobbying work as these reforms are developed. Fill in this short survey to ensure your voice is heard.
Further insights into this and other major reforms which will affect the education sector will be discussed and explored at our Academies Conference 2026 (29 January 2026) and Curriculum Conference 2026 (10 February 2026.) Make sure you book your place to hear all of the update news and views on the subjects.
Joining us at our Academies Conference is Dr Vanessa Ogden CBE. A panel member for the National Curriculum and Assessment Review and CEO of Mulberry Schools Trust Vanessa will join us as a keynote speaker, sharing direct insight into the thinking behind the review and its implications for trusts and academies leadership.
Our Curriculum Conference offers an invaluable opportunity for school leaders, educators, and curriculum specialists to collaborate, exchange ideas, and explore strategies for creating a broad and enriching curriculum. Attendees will benefit from insights shared by leading practitioners, academic experts, and fellow educators from North East schools, discussing practical ideas as to how the findings from the Curriculum Assessment and review can be implemented.
Join North East schools leading the way on curriculum reform… for every child, for every school, for the future of our region.