Becky Francis

I watch Newsnight in bed and (no offence to Newsnight) invariably I am dozing off by the end - it's become like a trigger habit

The great joy of being a grown-up is that you can decide it's time to raid the snacks that you've theoretically put away for Christmas

Sure, but always a faff, and then you get a tiny fraction of the original ticket cost, and no acknowledgement of the opportunity cost of the delay.

Trying to travel to the West Country thos morning. First train delayed so I missed my connection, now following train 'delayed' and no announcements/time specified. This is all so regular. Honestly, we wonder why productivity is low....

The Curriculum & Assessment Review, led by @beckyfrancis.bsky.social, is out - and it has potential implications for how schools think about history in the primary curriculum.

A short thread on what it might means for local history and teacher collaboration 👇

What the curriculum review means for schools As the profession digests the curriculum and assessment review’s recommendations, thoughts turn to putting them into practice, write Tracy Goodyear and Sam Gibbs

What does the curriculum review mean for the sector? @missgoodyear.bsky.social and @samgibbs.bsky.social set out six points for schools to consider as they plan to implement the review's recommendations

School standards What to do about secondary school accountability measures

This week I have written about whether the government's proposed changes to school accountability - Progress 8 - make sense (£/free trial). timleunig.substack.com/p/school-sta... @daisychristo.bsky.social @branwenjeffreys.bsky.social @schoolsweek.bsky.social @beckyfrancis.bsky.social

"We have deliberately sought to facilitate teacher autonomy & teachers’ ability to bring the curriculum to life, to own the curriculum as their material & tool, & give them a bit more space to have the freedom to enhance & direct content, depending on their classroom." @beckyfrancis.bsky.social 1/2

Absolutely agree, @mrjlauder.bsky.social

Hi #Edusky, it's time for my #Saturday3 and the big story this week is the @beckyfrancis.bsky.social led curriculum review. Already lots of ink spilt on social media but really you should read the report itself. FWIW, I think it's a good effort.

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/690b96...

As for Sciences, DT and computing
(My wheelhouse) They are bang on even if I worry how we could get the right amount of teachers. The aims are great here. Long have Physics, DT and Computing been in a bad way. These reforms from @beckyfrancis.bsky.social are absolutely needed. 👏👏

ICYMI: Government has accepted the Francis review recommendation to introduce RE to the national curriculum - but has said the sector must 'reach consensus on whether this is achievable'

(FWIW, I think the new curriculum review does a really good job at not damaging a system that is working while making sensible recommendations for additions)

Is the Curriculum and Assessment Review “Dumbing Down” Education – or Simply Redefining Rigour? What does a mature education system set out to achieve?

Is the new Curriculum & Assessment Review from @beckyfrancis.bsky.social “dumbing down” education — or redefining what rigour means?

enserm.substack.com/p/is-the-cur...

🧵 A short thread for school leaders 👇

Reading the Curriculum Review as a Geography Teacher (Part 3) Rethinking assessment and exam volume in geography

Assessment can be a tail that wags the curriculum dog.

Here’s how @beckyfrancis.bsky.social Curriculum and Assessment Review + the Geography Subject Report suggest we rethink it.

A thread from my final post in the series
enserm.substack.com/p/reading-th...

Screenshot of the letters page of the Times, 7 November 2025, showing a letter from a range of school leaders backing the government’s Curriculum & Assessment Review.

Proud of the wide support the Curriculum and Assessment Review has attracted from across the educational spectrum.

Labour wants to set up our children for tomorrow. The work of @beckyfrancis.bsky.social and colleagues is an essential step forward in securing standards and opportunity.

I'm enjoying the genuine sense of opportunity and excitement generated. Thank you for such a thoughtful piece of work - there is so much potential for positive change.

Thank you Ross!

Gratifying to see the Leader column in @schoolsweek.bsky.social this morning. The feedback 'sensible' and 'evidence-led' are exactly where the Curriculum & Assessment Review expert panel and I would have hoped to land

Great to have Tim Oates' wisdom in the Telegraph www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/11...

RE teachers have lauded introducing the subject to the national curriculum as a 'landmark moment' after government accepted the recommendation from the Francis review

Fieldwork isn’t a trip – it’s the geography curriculum in action. 🌍

Both Ofsted’s Getting Our Bearings and the new Curriculum & Assessment Review led by @beckyfrancis.bsky.social agree.

🧵 A short thread 👇

The curriculum review is levelling up, not 'dumbing down' The national curriculum review and government’s response offer a compelling road map to elevate our education system from good to great, says Sir Hamid Patel

'Contrary to some critical commentaries, this is not ‘dumbing down’ – quite the opposite', says Sir Hamid Patel

'The review safeguards core knowledge and achieves the shifts necessary as we hurtle through the 21st century'

schoolsweek.co.uk/the-curricul...

📢 Join us on Friday for Under the CAR Bonnet - a free Schools Week webinar on the curriculum and assessment review

We'll interview review chair Professor Becky Francis to get behind the headlines of her landmark report, followed by audience Q&A

Sign up: events.zoom.us/ev/AofhjYOxI...

Curriculum review: what does it say about your subject? The newly published review of curriculum and assessment makes a series of recommendations across different subjects. Find out how your subject could change if the government takes forward its…

What is the curriculum review recommending for your subject? From art and design to science, we break down the full proposals ⬇️

Curriculum and assessment review: 14 key points The Francis review’s final recommendations include scrapping the EBacc, reducing exam time and making triple science available to all at GCSE

🧵 The curriculum and assessment review has been published – here, @cerysturner.bsky.social rounds up the main recommendations, including scrapping the EBacc and making triple science accessible to all at GCSE (1/3)

Thank you Kwok Wah

Thanks for the positive response!

Why this curriculum review is a rare thing the sector should savour After years of policy turbulence, we finally have an evidence-based blueprint for change that trusts teachers as the experts, writes MAT chief executive Dan Morrow

Such a welcome opportunity to be positive about the changes coming our way. Thank you to the #CAR Team and @beckyfrancis.bsky.social

www.tes.com/magazine/ana...

Thank you for your hard work on this. There will always be commentators from the sidelines, and you won't make everyone happy, but it's important work. I am one of many grateful educators who are pleased that the ball is rolling on necessary curriculum evolution. Thank you, again.