What's changing in England's curriculum?
England's Curriculum and Assessment Review (the "Francis Review") reported on 5 November 2025, and the government responded the same day. Here's what it actually changes — with each item labelled by how firm it is, because a lot of coverage confuses what the Review recommended with what the government has decided.
The timeline
- March 2025 — interim report published.
- 5 November 2025 — final report + government response published (GOV.UK).
- 2027 — revised national curriculum published.
- September 2028 — first teaching of the revised national curriculum (a single nationwide launch — the government chose not to phase it).
- Updated GCSEs first taught from 2029 — reformed subject content and the shorter exams land here, not before.
What's changing
Each change is tagged by status. "Government decision" means it's been accepted; "accepted aim" means agreed in principle but not yet in effect.
The EBacc performance measure is being scrapped
Government decisionThe government will abolish the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) accountability measure, which it said had 'unnecessarily constrained students' choices'. The EBacc was never a qualification, so this changes school accountability, not any GCSE or its grades.
When it takes effect: As the accountability system is redesigned (details still to be published). Source
GCSE exam time cut by at least 10%
Accepted aim — not yet in effectThe government backed reducing total GCSE (Key Stage 4) exam time by at least 10% — roughly 2.5 to 3 hours less for the average student — done subject-by-subject while keeping assessment reliable.
When it takes effect: With the reformed GCSE specs (first teaching from 2028/2029) — NOT the 2026 or 2027 exams. Source
Computer Science GCSE to become a broader 'Computing' GCSE
Government decisionThe government accepted replacing the 'narrowly focused' computer science GCSE with a broader, future-facing computing GCSE, and will explore new data science and AI qualifications for ages 16–18.
When it takes effect: With the reformed GCSE specs (first teaching from 2029). The current computer science GCSE still runs. Source
A triple-science entitlement at GCSE
Government decisionThe government backed an entitlement to triple science — any student who wants to take biology, chemistry and physics as three separate GCSEs will be able to. This is an entitlement, not a requirement to take triple science.
When it takes effect: As the reforms roll out from 2028 onwards. Source
New Year 8 diagnostic assessments + an oracy framework
Government decisionNew light-touch Year 8 diagnostic checks in English reading and maths, and a new oracy (spoken language) framework across the curriculum.
When it takes effect: With the revised national curriculum (first teaching September 2028). Source
The school accountability system will be redesigned
Government decisionThe government committed to redesigning the accountability system — this is a place where it went further than the Review, which had advised keeping Progress 8 and Attainment 8 largely as they are. The detail has not yet been published, so no specific replacement measure is confirmed.
When it takes effect: Detail to be published; not yet defined. Source
What's staying the same
The reform keeps the parts of the system students ask about most:
- GCSE 9–1 and A-level A*–E grading are kept. The Review keeps the 9–1 GCSE grade scale and the A*–E A-level scale. Everything on our 'how grades work' pages still applies.
- The four key stages stay, and A-levels are retained. The four-key-stage structure remains, and A-levels continue as the main academic route. (The separate 'Advanced British Standard' proposal to replace A-levels was scrapped back in July 2024.)
- The number of GCSE subjects isn't fundamentally changing. The Review states it will not fundamentally change how many subjects students study or are assessed in at GCSE. Its main assessment concern was the volume of exam time, not the grading system.
Two things people still get wrong
Frequently asked questions
Related: how GCSE grades work · how A-level grades work · GCSE hub · A-level hub