Broken education system is holding back the young, top scientists warn PM

Britain’s top scientists have written to the prime minister expressing their concern at the lack of ambition in the government’s curriculum and assessment review, warning that the “broken education system” is holding back young people and the country.

The 10 fellows of the Royal Society, the UK’s academy of science, are urging Keir Starmer to have the “bravery” to think again and drive through “lasting meaningful change” to what children learn in school and how they are examined.

The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has “rightly hailed the role of the UK’s world-leading scientific prowess as a cornerstone of our economic strength”, they write in their letter, which has been seen by The Observer. “Yet that strength relies on the next generation of skilled young people to power a modern, data-driven economy. Without bold reform, our broken education system will continue to hold them and the UK back.”

The curriculum and assessment review by the academic Prof Becky Francis, which was published last week, proposed more financial education, media literacy classes, arts and oracy, but there was no fundamental shake-up of A-levels, T-levels or GCSEs.

Adrian Smith, president of the Royal Society, described the report as “well meaning but pathetic” and “a profoundly disappointing missed opportunity” to reimagine education for the digital age. “It’s all about tweaks, when what we need is a revolutionary, ambitious, totally transformative thing,” he said.

“When Becky Francis took this up, she said it’s important we do no harm, but that assumes we’re not doing unbelievable harm already.”

In their letter to the prime minister, the scientists caution that Britain’s future prosperity is being put at risk and children’s prospects undermined by the failure to reinvent learning.

“We share the government’s objective to break down barriers to opportunity but fear this review risks missing a rare chance to transform life chances, boost productivity and secure our economic future,” they write.

The signatories include Paul Nurse, the Nobel prizewinning geneticist, who is the next president of the Royal Society; Athene Donald, professor emerita of experimental physics at Cambridge and chair of the Department for Education’s Science Advisory Council; Kate Bingham, inaugural chair of the UK vaccine taskforce during the pandemic; and Andy Haldane, the former chief economist of the Bank of England.

Urging the prime minister to “revisit” the proposed reforms to the curriculum and assessment system, they call for “far-reaching” changes to post-16 education.

Pupils currently take three A-levels or one T-level and typically have to choose between humanities and sciences. The Royal Society fellows say this makes the English education system one of the “narrowest” in the world. “There is clear evidence that a broad curriculum leads to better employment outcomes with links to earning potential,” they write. The scientists also urge the prime minister to take a much more “radical” approach to maths and data literacy across all age groups. Almost half of working-age adults in the UK have numeracy skills no higher than those expected of children when they leave primary school. “Maths and data science must be taught and understood as vital tools for modern life and work – not abstract academic exercises,” they write. Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, professor of psychology and cognitive neuroscience at Cambridge and a signatory to the letter, said the Francis review had failed to take account of the latest research on the teenage brain and mind. “Our post-16 system is far too narrow, and the review misses an opportunity to reform GCSEs and A-levels to offer broader choices after age 16,” she said. “GCSEs focus too much on memorisation of large amounts of content, leaving little room for critical thinking or creativity. Poor outcomes for many students who have to resit certain GCSEs reinforce a sense of failure at a time when youth mental health problems and subsequent unemployment are at record highs.” Haldane, who was recently elected president of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “The biggest barrier to growth and productivity in the UK is, for many millions of people, our broken system of education and skills.

“The recent government white paper and review on these topics, while well intentioned, come nowhere near meeting the future needs of individuals, businesses and wider society in the 21st century. Once again, the government has badly fluffed its lines on opportunity and growth.”

The unusual intervention by the top scientific institution reflects wider concern among business leaders and scientists about the timidity of the government’s plans for education. Paul Drechsler, the former president of the Confederation of British Industry and the lead non-executive board member at the Department for Business and Trade, said a baccalaureate-style qualification, allowing children to study five or six subjects and combine humanities and sciences, or vocational and academic work, would better prepare children for employment. “There’s an urgency about this,” he said. “The world has changed and is changing very fast; it’s time for big, bold and ambitious thinking… The broader the education base the better.”

Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, said government’s reforms would “help young people step boldly into the future, with the knowledge to achieve and the skills to thrive as the world around us continues to rapidly evolve”.

Photograph by MBI / Alamy