AoC responds to HEPI report on the curriculum in colleges and schools

Responding to HEPI's report One Step Beyond: How the school and college curriculum in England can prepare young people for higher education, published today, Catherine Sezen, Director of Education Policy at the Association of Colleges, said: “The curriculum review is a great opportunity to think through the purpose of the curriculum at all stages, and we welcome this report as a contribution to that process. However, it is worth keeping in mind that it only considers the 50% of the cohort who study at university. Colleges offer a broad curriculum, responding to what students ask for, as well as the broader needs of their communities and the economy. That includes teaching life skills.

"However, they can only afford to run what government funds them for. Like the authors of the report, we would like to see education institutions able to offer more comprehensive careers education information and guidance and devote more time to teaching crucial skills like digital skills and financial literacy – but that requires a significant funding boost."