Schools are used to the unintended consequences of government policy decisions. With both Ofsted and curriculum reform on the horizon, Pete Taylor says that headteachers are once again holding their breath...
The EBacc question: Only 15% of schools have met the government’s ambition of 90% EBacc coverage – is it time for this accountability measure to be scrapped? - Adobe Stock

Coverage of the national curriculum is rightly an expectation for schools and educators – it is a system-wide model that should ensure consistency nationally and guarantee a broad and balanced education for all young people.

The interim report of the government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review (DfE, 2025) recognises that many schools hold high ambitions for their young people and not only deliver the national curriculum but go way beyond it.

However, the review also recognises that the EBacc accountability measure may “unnecessarily constrain the choice of students” when it comes to the subjects they take.

It is a fundamental truth that headteachers are often torn between what the accountability system demands and what is in the best interests of our students.

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