Education reforms must turn ambition into opportunity for North East young people
Education Secretary Lucy Powell has set out the Government’s priorities for the next phase of education reform, with plans spanning the curriculum, GCSE resits, technical education and SEND.
The proposals signal an ambition to broaden opportunities for children and young people, with a greater focus on practical and applied skills alongside knowledge, stronger technical pathways and changes to the way schools are measured.
There is much here that we welcome. But for the North East, the detail will matter.
As we have consistently highlighted through our work on the ‘structural divide’, children and young people do not all have access to the same opportunities. For these reforms to deliver on their ambition, they must recognise the different challenges and circumstances facing young people in regions like ours.
A broader approach to knowledge and skills
A significant theme of Powell’s speech was the balance between knowledge and the skills young people need for life and work. She said education should be rebalanced towards the “applied skills of the modern world”, with practical learning in subjects including computing, drama and physical education alongside the development of skills such as speaking and presenting.
“We need both knowledge and skills,” she said.
The Government is also preparing to publish proposals building on Professor Becky Francis’s Curriculum and Assessment Review.
Powell said the aim was not to create “a system of separation”, but one of “choices, options, chances”, with a curriculum kept broad enough for long enough to engage every child.
That will include looking at the way schools are measured, with Powell saying the system should incentivise a broader offer and “reward inclusion”. Further proposals are expected in due course.
There is much here that reflects what we called for in our submission to the Curriculum and Assessment Review. We argued for a curriculum which recognises regional context, gives young people access to a broader definition of success and addresses the barriers created by disadvantage and SEND.
We also called for assessment reform which reduces unnecessary pressure and embraces a wider range of ways for young people to demonstrate what they know and can do.
You can read more about our response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review here.
Changes to GCSE resits and technical education
Powell also confirmed changes to GCSE resits in maths and English, alongside a major focus on technical education.
Building on plans announced over the summer to transform technical education from the age of 14, the Government wants to make the country a “technical education superpower”, working with mayors and local leaders to create clearer pathways into employment.
For the North East, there is a clear opportunity here.
Our region has significant ambitions for economic growth, and creating strong routes between education, technical learning and employment will be essential if young people are to benefit from the opportunities that growth creates.
But those pathways need to work for young people wherever they live. Access to courses, transport, employers and wider opportunities cannot be assumed, particularly in communities where those choices are already more limited.
The question is not simply whether new routes exist, but whether every young person can realistically access them.
SEND reform must deliver for schools and families
The Education Secretary also reiterated the Government’s commitment to SEND reform, confirming that legislation will be introduced and that a response to the consultation will follow.
Schools across the North East will be watching closely.
In our response to the Government’s SEND reforms, we welcomed the ambition for a more inclusive system, but highlighted some significant practical challenges that will need to be addressed if it is to work.
Workforce is one of the biggest. Our analysis found that delivering the proposed level of educational psychology support in the North East could require more than 100 additional educational psychologists by 2028-29, in a region where 107 full-time equivalent educational psychologists are currently recorded across 12 local authorities.
Our members also raised serious concerns about the sustainability of the SENCO role and called for dedicated release time, appropriate pay, team-based models and a reduction in administrative burden.
There is also a clear link with Powell’s comments on accountability. In our SEND response, we argued that existing performance measures can disincentivise inclusion, and called for a system which better recognises meaningful progress, life skills and longer-term destinations.
The ambition for reform is welcome. But it must be matched by the workforce, funding and capacity needed to deliver it – and enough flexibility to respond to the particular challenges facing different regions.
You can read more about our response to the Government’s SEND reforms here.
Reform cannot ignore the ‘structural divide’
There is much in the direction set out by the Education Secretary that could benefit children and young people in the North East.
More choice, stronger technical routes, a broader understanding of skills and a system which rewards inclusion are all welcome ambitions.
But education policy does not operate in a vacuum.
We have consistently highlighted the ‘structural divide’ – the long-standing inequalities which mean children and young people in our region do not always have access to the same opportunities as their peers elsewhere.
Poverty, health, transport, local employment opportunities and access to services all shape a young person’s experience of education. Curriculum and assessment reform alone cannot remove those barriers.
If the Government wants these reforms to deliver greater opportunity, the North East must be part of their design. That means listening to our schools and trusts, understanding the communities they serve and recognising that equal provision does not always result in equal opportunity.
Schools North East Partner Schools and Trusts can explore the ‘structural divide’ in more detail, and what it means for education policy in our region, at our Policy Briefing Event on 17 September. Please note both venues are almost at full capacity.
Learning from England and around the world
The Government’s plans come as the latest PISA results underline the strength of England’s schools on the international stage. Read our take on the latest PISA results and what they tell us about the strength of England’s schools here.
That international perspective will continue at this year’s Schools North East Summit, where Hannah Kitchen from the OECD will explore how 14-18 education in England compares with other OECD countries, including approaches to student choice, skills and preparation for future careers.
As the Government moves into the next phase of education reform, the challenge will be turning its ambition for greater choice into meaningful opportunities for young people in every part of the country – especially the North East.