Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the findings of the House of Lords Education for 11–16 Year Olds Committee report, published in January 2024.

Many of the issues raised by the Committee were considered by the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, and we are taking forward work to reform the national curriculum and GCSEs in light of this Review.

For example, the Review recommended strengthening curriculum content on the core concepts pupils need to progress, strengthening digital literacy and computing, including introducing a new computing GCSE, supporting the development of skills and applied knowledge areas needed for future study and work, including digital literacy, oracy, media literacy, financial literacy, and climate change and sustainability, and ensuring that the curriculum better reflects the breadth of knowledge and opportunities young people need. The new curriculum will be subject to consultation.

A particular issue identified by the Committee was that there is a gap when it comes to clear and coherent routes from key stage 4 into post-16 technical education.

On 28 July, the department announced reforms to technical education pathways, building on the introduction of new V Levels alongside A Levels and T Levels. These reforms are intended to provide clearer routes for young people from pre-16 education into post-16 study, training and employment.