House of Lords Consultation: Education for 11 to 16 Year Olds

31/03/23

The House of Lords has commissioned an enquiry which will look critically at the effectiveness of the current curriculum and assessment model; this will explore whether this is preparing young people for the job opportunities they will encounter in a future digital and green economy. On completion of  the enquiry they will consider proposals for significant reform.

This is a public call for written evidence to be submitted to the Committee. The deadline is 6pm on 30th April 2023 and Andy Frapwell will lead on the response for afPE.

Aim of the Inquiry

The Committee on Education for 11 to 16 Year Olds was appointed in January 2023. It is chaired by Lord Johnson of Marylebone and will report by 30th November 2023.

The Committee has been asked to focus on an important stage in a young person’s education, from year 7, when they start secondary school, to year 11. During this period, most young people will work towards national qualifications, usually GCSEs, as well as making important decisions about their future education and training. Educational provision for this age range has seen significant reforms in recent years, particularly changes to GCSE subject content and assessment.

This inquiry will consider the challenges and opportunities faced by the secondary education system in England, building on the findings of several recent reports, including:

• HMC, The state of education: time to talk
• Institute for Fiscal Studies, Education inequalities
• Institute for Fiscal Studies, School spending and costs: the coming crunch
• Institute for Government, The exam question: changing the model of assessment reform
• Times Education Commission, Bringing out the best
• Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, Ending the big squeeze on skills: how to futureproof education in England
• The inquiry will look critically at the effectiveness of the current curriculum and assessment model, exploring whether these are preparing young people for the job opportunities they will encounter in a future digital and green economy, and will consider proposals for significant reform.

This is a public call for written evidence to be submitted to the Committee.

The Committee encourages people from all backgrounds to contribute. The Committee’s work is most effective when it is informed by as diverse a range of perspectives and experiences as possible. Please pass this on to others who may be interested in contributing.

Instructions on how to submit evidence are set out below. If you have any queries please email the staff of the Committee at hleducation11to16@parliament.uk. When preparing your response, please keep in mind that short, concise submissions are preferred, and that you do not need to address every topic.

Topics

The Committee is seeking written submissions addressing any or all of the following topics:

• The range and breadth of subjects covered in the 11-16 curriculum
• The effectiveness of the 11-16 curriculum in equipping young people with the skills they need to progress into post-16 education and employment in a future digital and green economy
• The availability and attractiveness of technical and vocational options in the 11-16 phase
• The impact of the 11-16 system on the motivation and confidence of pupils of all abilities
• The effectiveness of GCSEs as a means of assessing the achievements of all pupils at the end of the 11-16 phase
• Alternative methods of assessment for measuring progress that could be considered either alongside or instead of GCSEs
• How the school accountability system affects the 11-16 curriculum
• The role technology can play in education in this phase, including in assessment, the personalisation of learning and reducing teachers’ workload
• How the 11-16 system could be adapted to improve the attractiveness of the teaching profession, and the recruitment, training and retention of teachers
• How spending for this phase of education should be prioritised, in the context of the current fiscal climate
• Lessons for improving education for the 11-16 phase from educational policy and practice from overseas, or from the devolved administrations