England launches an independent curriculum and assessment review led by Becky Francis (2024)
In July 2024, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson commissioned an independent review of curriculum and assessment in England, chaired by Professor Becky Francis of the Education Endowment Foundation. In the causal graph this event strengthens Teacher Quality and Supply, a driver that weakens Learning Poverty Rate (low- and middle-income countries) — an improving welfare path.
Read the full account
In July 2024, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson commissioned an independent review of curriculum and assessment in England, chaired by Professor Becky Francis of the Education Endowment Foundation. The review opened a call for evidence on how to deliver a 'rich and broad' curriculum and update assessment, gathering views from teachers, leaders, experts, parents and young people.
Who was responsible
Contribution type and responsibility level for each recorded actor — not sole-author shorthand.
Bridget Phillipson
PersonDirect responsibility
responsibility level 0.55 · verified
She initiated an expert-led review intended to improve curriculum breadth and assessment, a process step supporting teaching quality whose outcomes are not yet determined.
What changed
Fact → Driver → Indicator. Relationship strength orders the paths; it is not the observed indicator movement.
- FactEngland launches an independent curriculum and assessment review led by Becky Francis (2024)
- strengthensDriverTeacher Quality and Supply
- weakensIndicators (4)Learning Poverty Rate (low- and middle-income countries)
impact weight 0.35 · Effect from 19 July 2024 · verified
A rigorous curriculum and assessment review can clarify expectations and improve the conditions for high-quality teaching, though it is a process step rather than a delivered change.
Weakens · Relationship strength 0.24 (weight 0.35 × strength 0.7)
Observed
70% of 10-year-olds · 70 above the normal line (2022)
Worse than normalTwo readings: 57% of 10-year-olds (2019) and 70% of 10-year-olds (2022).
20192022 Above normal = worse
Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.24 (weight 0.35 × strength 0.7)
Observed
472 PISA score points · 28 below the normal line (2022)
Worse than normal7 readings, 2003–2022: fell from 499 PISA score points to 472 PISA score points.
Above normal = better
Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.14 (weight 0.35 × strength 0.4)
Observed
84% of one-year-olds · 11 below the normal line (2024)
Worse than normal7 readings, 2018–2024: fell from 86.4% of one-year-olds to 84% of one-year-olds.
Above normal = better
All indicators on this path (4)
Weakens · Relationship strength 0.1 (weight 0.35 × strength 0.3)
Observed
11% of primary-school-age children · 11 above the normal line (2023)
Worse than normalAbove normal = worse
Causal path
How this event connects to drivers and indicators in the graph.
- ActorBridget Phillipson
- contributed toFactEngland launches an independent curriculum and assessment review led by Becky Francis (2024)
- strengthensDriverTeacher Quality and Supply
- weakensIndicatorLearning Poverty Rate (low- and middle-income countries)
Cite this page
Factrail. (2026). England launches an independent curriculum and assessment review led by Becky Francis (2024). Factrail. https://factrail.ai/facts/edu-fact-phillipson-curriculum-review-2024
https://factrail.ai/facts/edu-fact-phillipson-curriculum-review-2024
Accessed 15 October 2026.
By the Factrail desk · Method: how we source and score · Last reviewed
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