Response from Professor Becky Francis CBE, Chair of the Independent Curriculum and Assessment Review

Dear Beverley and Yvonne

Thank you very much for your correspondence on behalf of the National Association of Language Advisers. We are grateful for your feedback and this has been shared with the Review team.

As you say, we set out in the interim report that we have been considering the impact of current performance measures, including EBacc, on young people’s choices and outcomes, and their impact on institutional behaviours. We are currently developing our conclusions and recommendations and will be publishing our final report in the Autumn. Therefore, at this stage I am not able to share information with you about our recommendations as they are still being finalised.

The terms of reference of the Review are clear that the Review will be evidence driven and it will be conducted in consultation with the sector. On EBacc and more specially on languages, the Curriculum & Assessment Review has assessed a wide range of evidence, including the subject’s place in the national curriculum, characteristics of pupils taking language GCSEs and their performance in these subjects. The Curriculum & Assessment Review have and will continue to take a balanced view of the risks and benefits of any recommendations it makes in the Final Report to the Department for Education. The department, as with all major policy changes, will carry out a full impact assessment of the Review’s recommendations should and when they become Government policy.

Kind regards,

Becky

Professor Becky Francis CBE, Chair of the Independent Curriculum and Assessment Review