Proposed National Curriculum Changes
News
BSU is ahead of the curve as new national curriculum plans are unveiled
Wednesday, 12 November, 2025Last week the Government proposed “landmark reforms” to the schools’ curriculum and a redesign of qualifications in England - the first major change in over a decade. Bath Spa University, as one of the leading institutions in the UK providing teacher education, is at the forefront of educational developments and has a history of teacher training which goes back over 80 years.
If these proposals become law, currently planned for 2028, the teachers of tomorrow will be teaching pupils across the UK to interrogate sources, critically assess AI, understand practical applications of mathematics and articulate opinions and arguments.
Preparing the teachers of tomorrow
BSU is already ahead of the curve, equipping students in its School of Education with the skills and knowledge required to thrive in teaching the newly unveiled curriculum.
At the forefront of these areas of teacher training for many years, BSU embeds digital literacy and critical thinking at the core of its teacher education programmes already.
The practical application of mathematics has been a part of BSU’s teacher training for many years. Considering the proposed curriculum changes in his area of expertise, Dr Nicholas Peatfield, Senior Lecturer in Mathematics Education at BSU commented:
"Here at BSU we have always put application, reasoning and problem solving at the heart of our Initial Teacher Education for Mathematics Teachers, so we welcome the direction of these changes.”
Nicholas continued:
“The review quite rightly highlights the [...] statistics on young people retaking their mathematics GCSE, Post-16, and suggests, correctly in our opinion, that the solution lies further down the Key Stages. [...] We might, however, question the benefits of the suggested further national testing [...]. This is especially pertinent when considering the issue of widespread mathematics anxiety in the population, largely fostered by such high stakes national testing and the style of teaching it encourages."
BSU is ahead of the curve with integration on digital literacy training for future teachers. Explaining what BSU has already been doing to equip future teachers in digital literacy, Ashley Ogborn, Senior Lecturer in Computer Science and Business Studies at BSU said:
“The University recently collaborated with a leading AI EdTech company to undertake pioneering research into the role of generative AI in Initial Teacher Education. This work explored how trainee teachers are enabled to engage with generative AI tools in ways that enhance planning, deepen subject knowledge, and reduce workload.”
Critical thinking is embedded at the core of BSU’s teacher education programmes. This research now informs the Core Curriculum across BSU’s Early Years, Primary, and Secondary Initial Teacher Training pathways.
Ashley added:
”The University’s trainee teachers are equipped to use AI to support lesson planning, adapt teaching, and meet diverse learner needs. They graduate with skills in prompt engineering and a clear understanding of how to use AI safely, sustainably, and effectively to enhance their teaching and manage workload.”
For a more in-depth exploration, BSU’s PGCE Secondary Computing programme prepares specialist teachers to lead the way in digital literacy and AI education.
Deputy Vice Chancellor of BSU, Kyriaki Anagnostopoulou added:
"BSU is proud to be ahead of the curve in preparing future teachers for this potential refresh of the national curriculum.
“The changes proposed by the Government will ensure that digital literacy is taken seriously and embedded in a way that enables and supports children to use emerging technology safely and effectively, understand AI well enough to question and critically assess it, and transition into higher education and beyond with the skills and understanding required to embrace, challenge and develop the ever-evolving resources available to them.”
What changes have been proposed?
Amongst a broad range of changes afoot, primary schools in England are set to have lessons on how to spot fake news, AI, misinformation and disinformation, and develop critical thinking skills to help protect themselves online. Pupils will also learn how to save money and budget in Mathematics, as well as how interest and mortgages work, with additional national testing as it progresses into secondary.
The tech focus continues into later Key Stages. Alongside Computing focusing in on digital literacy and AI, subjects across the curriculum will reference digital application too. Online safety and the social-emotional ethics of tech use will be addressed in RSHE, as well as the critical discussion around “is this real?” in Citizenship.
English will see students studying “the nature and expression of language”, identifying persuasion, evaluating sources, and switching register across platforms.
Drama will emphasise performance, confidence and talk. Alongside this an “oracy framework” is proposed to make speaking and listening progression more prominent across primary and secondary.
Citizenship will be made statutory at primary, and progressed throughout secondary, focussing on financial literacy, democracy and government, law and rights, media literacy, climate and sustainability. Climate education is also brought to the forefront of relevant subjects such as Geography, Science and Design and Technology, making it visible, current and assessed.
Are you interested in taking the next step towards becoming a teacher? Find out more about studying Education at BSU on our website.