The Government announces a major update to the national curriculum aimed at preparing young people with essential life and work skills, including AI literacy and media awareness.
As part of the ‘Plan for Change’, the revitalised curriculum will deliver the Prime Minister’s target of two-thirds of young people participating in higher-level learning by age 25, giving them tools to succeed in both education and employment.
The new curriculum will be implemented in full from September 2028 and will introduce a new statutory reading test for year 8 students, designed to identify literacy gaps and provide targeted support.
Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said: “It has been over a decade since the national curriculum was updated, and it’s more crucial than ever that young people are equipped to face the challenges of today, so they can seize the exciting opportunities that life has to offer.
“The path to our country’s renewal runs through our schools: they must be an epicentre of the strongest possible foundations of knowledge, and the skills to excel in the modern world.
“From the fundamentals of reading to the present danger of spotting fake news, as part of our Plan for Change, these landmark reforms will 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.”
The government aims to publish the final revised national curriculum by spring 2027, giving schools four terms to prepare for the changes.
Sheila Flavell, COO, CBE, FDM Group, said: “As AI adoption accelerates across industries, organisations must ensure their workforce has the skills to work effectively alongside these technologies. A significant barrier to successful AI adoption is the shortage of specialist skills, with our research showing that over 32% of organisations cite this as a key challenge. Without the right expertise, AI initiatives risk underdelivering or failing to achieve measurable value.
This gap reinforces the importance of continuous upskilling across all levels of the workforce, ensuring employees can effectively collaborate with AI tools, make informed decisions, and maintain oversight. By prioritising AI training and embedding practical, hands-on experience, organisations can bridge this skills deficit, creating teams that are capable, confident, and ready to realise the full potential of AI technology.”
