The launch of the Curriculum and Assessment Review (CAR) and the Enrichment Entitlement in England today together mark an important milestone in the work of the Skills Builder Partnership to ensure that one day, every learner builds the essential skills to thrive.

The recommendations build on the momentum which has seen the Partnership connected with more than 80% of English secondary schools and colleges, as well as widespread use in primary schools and specialist settings. Together, they are an important part of joining up provision across the country. 

The impact of our partners building essential skills has been heard loud and clear. We were pleased to see the positive impact of the Skills Builder Partnership recognised by the panel who picked out the use of the Universal Framework as a theme in the consultation responses. The report recommendations give us lots of new opportunities to build essential skills through the curriculum.

The Review Panel, chaired by Professor Becky Francis, was firm in its view that a whole education must also extend beyond the formal curriculum. To be prepared for life and work, learners also need full and systematic access to high-quality enrichment, careers advice and work experience. We will continue to work with the Department for Education to realise our shared ambition of ensuring that every child and young person is developing essential skills to thrive during their time in education and into the rest of their lives.

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Why the Universal Framework is key to delivering essential skills for all learners

The review identified several areas where the curriculum is not currently working for learners: 

• The lack of a clear relationship between subjects 
• The lack of specificity in Programmes of Study (the outlines of what a learner should be taught in a specific subject and at a particular time)
• Poor transitions between Key Stage 2 (7-11 year olds) and Key Stage 3 (11-14 year olds)

We welcome the call for greater specificity in the essential knowledge and skills that children and young people should be taught. Progressive steps are the building blocks of our Universal Framework and are key to ensuring rigour in the teaching of essential skills. The curriculum principles identified by the Curriculum review mirror the six principles already used by our 900 partners to drive standards and show progression in skills.

In the next stage of the process, curriculum writers will begin their work of drafting new subject expectations. As they do, the Universal Framework provides them with a roadmap for embedding essential skills with rigour and clarity.

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Essential skills in sharp focus: the Curriculum and Assessment Review’s recommendations

Some of the key recommendations championing development of skills to equip young people for the future include:

• Introduction of an Oracy Framework: We are delighted the Review explicitly recommends an Oracy Framework. A new framework should align with the 16-step progressive structure of Speaking and Listening in the Universal Framework to deliver the review’s aims of sequencing and coherence in the curriculum. 
• Inclusion of financial, digital, and media literacy into the curriculum: These additions are crucial and require careful integration. Essential skills including planning, problem solving, speaking and listening are critical to equipping learners with the ability to use AI ethically, plan finances, and to critically evaluate and discuss bias in the media.
• A focus on essential, transferable skills in 16-19 programmes: The review encourages best practice, already exemplified by schools and colleges within the Partnership, to embed essential skills across programmes and to support learners to accumulate a record of their achievements and areas for development. 

Alongside these reforms, the Enrichment Entitlement will provide further opportunities for learners to build and practice their essential skills in a different environment as part of a complete education. Setting clear outcomes from the outset and measuring these skills will be key to ensuring all learners benefit from high quality enrichment.

The Curriculum and Assessment Review panel has heard from educators, employers, parents, and students that essential skills must be integrated into the curriculum. The 900 organisations that form our partnership look forward to the next stages of this much-needed curriculum reform.

Michael Englard, UK CEO, Skills Builder UK said:

“This is a turning point for skills. A complete education must include communication, critical and creative thinking, self-management and collaborative skills. This Review sets out a roadmap to build these skills through the curriculum, enrichment, work experience and careers education for all phases. To deliver on its ambition we need a common framework. The Universal Framework is already being used by 900 education institutions, employers and impact organisations in the Skills Builder Partnership, to tackle the disadvantage gap and build these skills with rigour. With this momentum, we can ensure every child and young person can thrive in education, employment, and beyond.”