Ministers may have been tempted to deliver dramatic curriculum changes that grab attention, but lasting progress is more likely to come from steady, incremental adjustments.
Therefore, it is good news that the curriculum and assessment review is framed precisely as such: steady change rather than a radical reset. The process will rightly consider issues in the necessary depth needed for long-term improvements.
However, immediate steps can be taken – without compromising the overall goals of the review – to ensure that more young people can benefit from a broader, more creative curriculum sooner rather than later.
This will help to bridge the gap between the review process and the implementation of its findings, negating the risk that pupils may have to wait several years to see the benefits of a broader curriculum.
A loudly articulated statement of intent from education secretary Bridget Phillipson highlighting the importance of creativity in her plans could have a powerful impact. Soft power in the DfE is often under-estimated: schools typically respond to signals around government priorities, well in advance of any rule changes.
Ofsted also has a role to play. Updating the inspection framework to reward schools for offering a well-rounded curriculum with creative and well-taught vocational subjects could drive rapid change.
Schools are all too aware of what the inspectorate values. If creativity were given more weight in inspections, they would be incentivised to prioritise it in their planning and teaching. The promise of the proposed ‘report card’ will drive change too.
But there’s something else as well. Tweaks to curricula made in the interim while we wait for the full curriculum review to be fully rolled out have the potential to embed creativity more quickly.
One option is to rapidly review the content and structure of the creative subjects themselves – a process that would take awarding organisations months, not years.
The process would take awarding organisations months, not years
Adjusting qualification requirements by reducing the emphasis on written exams and focusing more on practical, hands-on assessments could make subjects like music, drama and design and technology more accessible and appealing.
For example, in music, this could mean placing more weight on performance and composition rather than theoretical exams. Similarly, design and technology could rebalance from some written elements towards more practical assessments, where students design and prototype real-world solutions, making the subject more relevant and engaging.
This would bring other creative subjects more in line with the assessment model for art and design, which is the only creative subject to have maintained its entry levels across the past two decades.
At the same time, small adjustments to core subjects could introduce more creative learning opportunities without requiring a systemic overhaul.
In English, for instance, teachers could incorporate more creative writing and oracy tasks into lessons, encouraging students to apply their knowledge in new, imaginative ways. These changes would allow students to engage more deeply with the content, while also building the creative skills needed for the future.
An important precursor for such shifts would be streamlining the curriculum. Teachers tell us the current GCSE curriculum is overloaded with content, leaving little room for developing creative skills and knowledge.
By reducing the content load in some subjects (such as cutting down the number of prescribed texts in English Literature or streamlining specific scientific topics) schools could free up time for more diverse and engaging learning experiences.
Recent Teacher Tapp polling for Pearson showed strong support for this among teachers, especially in subjects like science, where the volume of content is often seen as excessive.
A streamlined curriculum would not only allow for deeper engagement with core knowledge but also create space for creative exploration within the classroom.
These steps, including strong government signals, Ofsted updates and focused curriculum adjustments, could fast-track the benefits of a more balanced education.
While such steps will not solve everything, they will ensure that more students in schools start seeing the advantages of a broader curriculum today, not years from now.
Evolution does not have to be slow. By taking swift action, we can provide more young people with the creativity, adaptability, and critical thinking skills they need for the future without delay.
