BDA response to Curriculum and Assessment Review
Wednesday 12 November 2025
The Government has published the findings and recommendations of the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review led by Professor Becky Francis CBE and its initial response.
The BDA responded to the review to highlight the specific challenges faced by dyslexic learners and to call for changes to qualification and assessment pathways to enable dyslexic learners to demonstrate their true ability.
The review provided a detailed set of recommendations for changes across the curriculum and assessment, including:
- Replacing the current KS2 grammar, punctuation and spelling test (GPS)– with an amended version which focuses on pupils being able to use grammar in context rather than learning theory.
- Developing evidence led guidance for schools on how to adapt the curriculum and pedagogy for learners with SEND.
- Introducing a new diagnostic test in maths and English in Year 8 to help teachers identify gaps in pupils' knowledge to ensure more pupils successfully progress to KS4.
- Replacing mandatory GCSE resits in maths and English in post 16 education with new Level 1 qualifications for those achieving below a grade 3 in the original exams. This new qualification would be seen as a stepping stone to the Level 2 GCSE.
- Introducing V level qualifications at post 16 to sit alongside T Levels and A Levels. These would be linked to broad occupational standard and recognised and valued by further/higher education providers and employers.
Ellen Broomé, CEO of the British Dyslexia Association, said:
“We welcome the findings of Professor Francis’ review and the positive steps towards a fairer assessment system that recognises the full range of young people’s abilities, not just exam performance.
However, we remain concerned that the recommendations do not go far enough to tackle the disadvantage faced by dyslexic learners in GCSEs. The continued emphasis on spelling, punctuation and grammar in non-language subjects, and the heavy reliance on written exams, continue to penalise students whose written skills do not reflect their true ability.
We support the introduction of a diagnostic test in maths and English to help more young people achieve a Level 2 pass at 16. But this must start earlier — in primary school — so that difficulties in foundational skills can be identified and addressed as soon as possible.
And crucially, testing alone won’t raise standards. Every teacher must be equipped with the training and tools to teach dyslexic learners effectively."
In its initial response to the review, the Government has accepted many of the recommendations made by Professor Francis and the expert panel, but has stopped short of diagnostic tests in year 8 for maths and English; committing to the introduction of a statutory reading test to look at reading fluency and comprehension, and asking schools to test maths and English.
We are disappointed to see the rejection of a new test to replace the current Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation test in Key Stage 2, and hope that the amendments to the existing test by the Standards and Testing Agency will include a move away from a theoretical based test.
We are calling upon the Government to:
- Make children with dyslexia a priority
To ensure children and young people with dyslexia become a priority and are no longer overlooked, the Department for Education must develop a National Dyslexia Strategy, appoint a policy lead for dyslexia and improve annual data collection and reporting on children with dyslexia in schools. - Ensure early identification and equity in access to support
To ensure early and consistent identification of children with dyslexia and end inequalities in access to support, the Department for Education must resource and support the development of a universal pathway for assessment, develop a simple, in-classroom screening tool and review the use of the Year 1 Phonics Check to ensure it is fit-for-purpose. - Create ‘dyslexia-friendly’ classrooms
To ensure all classrooms are ‘dyslexia-friendly’ learning environments and school staff are supported and resourced to support children with dyslexia, the Department for Education must establish a national standard of SEN support on a statutory footing and set out clear expectations for initial and ongoing CPD training for teachers and school staff in relation to dyslexia. - Widen the scope of the curriculum and assessment
To ensure that the national curriculum meets the needs of all learners, the Department for Education must introduce explicit teaching of assistive technology to help reading and spelling from Key Stage 2, provide vocational and functional pathways alongside GCSEs and ensure GCSE assessment techniques better reflect the skills of all learners, including removal of SPaG marks in exams not testing English language skills, or enable learners to use assistive technology to gain these marks.