Draft proposals for the national curriculum and GCSE subjects have been delayed until later this year, Vlog can reveal, in a move that a leading union has called “frustrating”.
The Department for Education had repeatedly said that it would publish the draft programmes of study and subject content for public consultation in September, with schools minister Georgia Gould publicly committing to the timeline earlier this year.
However, Vlog now understands that the proposals are planned to come “later this year”.
The move has been described as “disappointing” by unions, while one curriculum drafter who spoke to Vlog has urged the government to stop “chopping and changing”.
Curriculum proposals delayed
In response to a earlier this year, Ms Gould said the government would publish the draft proposals in September.
“The national curriculum and GCSEs are being updated for the first time in over a decade, with a public consultation on the draft programmes of study and subject content for the first group of GCSEs opening this September,” the schools minister said in June.
The DfE also email, also in June.
Technical education now a key priority
Since this announcement, however, the government has had a change of leadership in Downing Street and Sanctuary Buildings, with prime minister Andy Burnham and education secretary Lucy Powell promising a new focus on vocational and technical education.
In September the government announced plans for new vocational GCSEs with nationally set content, grading and assessment, which would replace existing technical awards.
It said that a consultation would be launched later in the year to help shape the new qualifications and to get views from local leaders.
It is unclear whether the government plans to consult on both the creation of new vocational GCSEs and the planned national curriculum reforms at once or separately.
A DfE email sent to a teacher who asked about the curriculum consultation, seen by Vlog, says: “We are unable to share precise dates publicly at this stage. However, the government will soon publish proposals building on the curriculum and assessment review and in line with its ambition to transform technical education from age 14 to 16.
“We will consult on curriculum and assessment reform arrangements by the end of the year and publish the final content as soon as possible next calendar year, giving schools time and support to prepare for first teaching in September 2028.”
‘Chopping and changing’
Tom Middlehurst, deputy director of policy at the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “The delay to the draft curriculum content is obviously frustrating, and we have urged the DfE to publish the consultation as soon as possible.
“Although schools will have until September 2028 to implement the new national curriculum, the longer curriculum leaders and teachers have to prepare, the better the implementation will be for young people.”.
His concerns were echoed by a curriculum drafter, who asked to remain anonymous.
“The sector needs certainty over the final curriculum timeline so that they can plan to implement it well and not have to worry about ongoing chopping and changing,” they told Vlog.
The government has said previously that it will implement the updated national curriculum for first teaching from September 2028.
It said that itthe final revised national curriculum by spring 2027 - giving schools four terms to prepare for the changes.
Sarah Hannafin, head of policy at the NAHT school leaders’ union, described the timeline slip as “disappointing”.
“Even under the original proposals, schools would have had only four terms to prepare for significant curriculum changes across all subjects and year groups. If that implementation period is reduced further, schools will need additional practical support to prepare effectively,” she said.
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the NEU teaching union, said he shared these concerns.
“A later consultation risks a later start date,” he warned.
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “The new education secretary took office in late July and finalising the curriculum consultation ready for publication this autumn has been a key priority. We are on track for publication this term and the sector can expect further information soon.”
