Ministers have no plans to reopen the previous government’s curriculum and assessment review as part of education reforms announced by the prime minister, Schools Week understands. Keir Starmer’s administration was already planning a number of changes to the curriculum from September 2028. This includes rewriting many subjects’ programmes of study, introducing compulsory citizenship teaching at primary school, a triple science guarantee at GCSE, and scrapping the EBacc performance measure. The plans were laid out in November, in the last government’s response to a curriculum and assessment review led by Becky Francis. Andy Burnham’s announcement of plans to create new vocational pathways for pupils from age 14 has prompted questions about how the last government’s reforms would be affected. But Schools Week understands ministers do not plan to reopen the curriculum and assessment review, which already stressed the need for stronger vocational pathways. However, the DfE has not ruled out making smaller changes to what was in its November response to the review. Speaking on 5 Live last Tuesday, education secretary Lucy Powell said of the review: “We’re going to look at that and take forward some changes to the curriculum and assessment system so that it is fit for that world of work.” She added that she wants to “take the time to look at that in terms of the current GCSEs”. New curriculum still expected in 2028 The DfE has confirmed there are no plans to change its timeline for the delivery of the revised curriculum, following Burnham’s announcements. A draft curriculum is expected to be published in September, and will then be consulted on. The final new curriculum is then expected in Spring 2027, for teaching from September 2028. New vocational pathways for pupils aged 14 and above are also expected to launch in September 2028. Powell’s comments draw criticism Writing in The Times this weekend, Powell said it was time to end what she called a “one-size-fits-all approach” to education. “We can no longer ignore that too many get left behind or are turned off by an education system that’s become too single-minded,” she wrote. “Nor can we ignore the modern economy, or societal demands to take a fresh look at what we are teaching our children and whether we are equipping them for their lives ahead.” She took aim at former education secretary Michael Gove, describing the high number of NEETs – young people not in education, employment or training – as “his legacy”. She described learning in England “still dominated by pen and paper”, adding this is “leaving our young people seriously unprepared for the modern world”. “We don’t communicate or convey ideas, do business or even work with a pen and paper in most other environments … Yet only pen and paper exams prevail.” Tories defend legacy But shadow education secretary Laura Trott refuted her claims, saying the recent rise in youth unemployment was “not a problem caused by education”. Her posts were retweeted by Gove. Trott said the increase in NEETs “has coincided with massive hikes in the costs of employing young people/failure to reform incentives to go onto benefits”. She also criticised Powell’s comments on assessment, slamming Labour’s reforms as “education vandalism dressed up as progressive reform”. “Pen & paper are vital for learning,” said Trott on X. “Underestimating the importance of testing knowledge is wrongheaded. It matters.” Daisy Christodoulou, director of education at No More Marking, pointed out that Wales, where Gove’s “knowledge-rich curriculum” reforms were not rolled out, has also seen a similar rise in NEET, where levels are currently above England. Meanwhile Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at the University of Exeter, commented: “The indisputable fact is that our current education system is failing a significant proportion of young people, with too many labelled as failures by a one-size-fits-all model of success. But he added: “The challenge isn’t technical versus academic education. “It’s how we build an opportunity system in which every pathway is rigorous, respected and genuinely opens doors. The stakes couldn’t be higher. Get this right and we broaden excellence and widen opportunity. Get it wrong and we risk replacing one unequal system with another.” NEU general secretary Daniel Kebede welcomed Powell’s piece, and called for government to “match its words with…bold reforms and investment”. New proposals will be fully funded, says Powell No new funding has yet been announced, alongside Burnham’s planned reforms, which has also drawn criticism. But in a separate interview with The Guardian, Powell said she was “very conscious” headteachers were concerned about budget pressures, and how secondary schools will provide additional vocational routes. She confirmed to the newspaper that any specific new proposals would be fully funded.