The publication of Building a World-Class Curriculum for All, the final report of the Independent Curriculum and Assessment Review (2025), signals a major moment for the education sector. The Review’s central message that England’s curriculum must prepare young people for “life and the workplace of the future” has been widely welcomed across schools, employers, and educational charities.
For years, educators and sector partners have called for a more balanced approach: one that upholds academic rigour while also developing the broader skills needed for success in work and life. The Review reflects this consensus, recommending a curriculum that includes greater focus on life skills, financial literacy, digital competence, and oracy, alongside core academic knowledge.
There is also a clear recognition that education must serve every learner. The Review highlights the ongoing challenge of closing attainment gaps and ensuring that pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and those from disadvantaged backgrounds are fully supported to achieve their potential.
While these developments are encouraging, many in the sector note that the practical implementation of these ambitions will be critical. Questions remain around how to embed real-world and employability skills within existing subjects, how to ensure genuine employer engagement in technical pathways, and how assessment systems can evolve to recognise project-based or continuous learning as well as examinations.
The Commercial Education Trust (CET) welcomes the Review’s direction and the growing recognition that education reform must connect more closely with the realities of modern work and society. Through our partnerships and grant-funded initiatives, CET continues to support approaches that integrate academic learning with essential life and employability skills; from problem-solving and teamwork to financial capability and resilience.
As policy now moves from review to implementation, collaboration across government, schools, employers, and the wider education community will be essential. Together, the sector has an opportunity to shape a curriculum that not only raises standards but truly prepares every young person to thrive in a dynamic and interconnected world.
