In 2025, the government published the findings of its Curriculum and Assessment Review – the most significant examination of what children learn in English schools since the 2014 national curriculum was introduced. Led by Professor Becky Francis, the review set out to answer a fundamental question: is the current curriculum working for all children? The answer, in many areas, was no.
Why the Review Happened
The 2014 national curriculum was designed to be rigorous and knowledge-rich. In many respects it succeeded. Standards in reading and maths, as measured by international assessments, improved. But critics argued that the curriculum had become too narrow, too focused on tested subjects, and too pressurised for young children. Schools reported squeezing out art, music, drama, and PE to make more time for maths and English. Teachers felt constrained by a prescriptive curriculum that left little room for professional judgement.
The review was commissioned to address these concerns while preserving the gains in core subject standards. It received over 8,000 responses from teachers, parents, academics, and young people – making it one of the largest consultations on education in recent years.
Key Recommendations
The review made a number of significant recommendations. Here are the ones most relevant to parents:
- A broader curriculum: The review recommended that all children receive a genuinely broad education, including creative subjects, physical education, and personal development. It proposed that Ofsted inspections should more actively check whether schools are delivering a full curriculum, not just focusing on maths and English results.
- Less assessment pressure: The review suggested reducing the stakes of primary school SATs, potentially replacing them with a sample-based national assessment that would reduce pressure on individual children while still providing system-level data. It also recommended removing the Year 1 phonics screening check as a standalone accountability measure.
- More flexibility for teachers: Rather than prescribing exactly what should be taught and when, the review recommended giving teachers more professional autonomy to adapt the curriculum to their pupils' needs. It argued that the current curriculum is too detailed in some areas, leaving teachers feeling they must cover content at speed rather than in depth.
- Digital curriculum tools: The review explicitly called for better digital resources to support curriculum access and planning. It noted that the curriculum is still published in formats that are difficult for teachers and parents to navigate, and recommended investment in modern, searchable, interactive curriculum tools.
The review acknowledged what many parents and teachers already knew: that narrowing the curriculum to boost test scores comes at a real cost to children's broader development and love of learning.
What This Means for Parents
If the recommendations are implemented in full, parents can expect several changes over the coming years. Primary school SATs may look very different – potentially becoming less high-stakes for individual children. Schools may have more freedom to spend time on subjects like art, music, and design technology without worrying about their Ofsted rating. And the overall tone of primary education may shift from coverage and pressure towards depth and enjoyment.
However, it is important to be realistic about timelines. Curriculum changes take years to implement. The current curriculum will remain in place while new frameworks are developed, consulted on, and rolled out. For children currently in primary school, the existing curriculum is still what they will be taught and assessed against.
For parents, the best approach is to continue supporting your child with the current curriculum while welcoming the direction of travel. The review's emphasis on breadth, depth, and reduced pressure aligns with what most parents want for their children.
How Bell.Study Is Already Aligned
Several of the review's recommendations describe things that Bell.Study has been doing since day one. The call for digital curriculum tools? We have already digitised the entire national curriculum into a free, searchable Curriculum Browser with 1,548 objectives that any parent or teacher can explore.
The emphasis on making learning engaging rather than pressurised? Our 22 free educational games are curriculum-aligned but designed to feel like play, not like tests. Children practise times tables, spelling, grammar, and science because the games are genuinely enjoyable – not because they are being assessed.
And the recommendation for accessible, affordable education? Our live lessons cost £5 each, with no subscriptions and no minimum commitment. We believe that quality education should be available to every family, not just those who can afford £30 an hour for private tutoring.
The curriculum review validated an approach that puts children first: broad, engaging, accessible, and built on evidence rather than tradition. That is exactly what Bell.Study is designed to deliver.