On the day of the release of the Curriculum and Assessment Review Report, we presented at Evidence Week in Parliament. The curriculum review recognises that not enough young people leave education with the skills that our future economy needs. We spoke to policymakers about an innovative way of teaching STEM subjects to young people that, if part of the national curriculum, could address the workforce pipeline problem. 

Despite the Treasury’s recent announcement of £86 billion funding for STEM research and development by the end of this Parliament, there is a fundamental disconnect between this investment and the current reality of how STEM subjects are delivered in our schools. As the Chancellor Rachel Reeves herself stated, “Britain is the home of science and technology,” yet we face a significant challenge in ensuring the talent pipeline of future scientists and engineers necessary to support this vision.  

During Evidence Week, organised by Sense About Science, we presented data on how a research-driven approach to STEM education, presenting STEM as it works in the wider world, can have an impact on students’ skills, confidence and knowledge of the careers open to them. There is growing body of evidence and a proven model for engaging students through real-world research.  

Our team recently completed a year-long trial of an alternative ‘real-world’ approach to research and innovation in a group of nine schools across the UK. This showed that embedding research and innovation into education can not only transform student outcomes, but can also prevent the decline of science capital, give students confidence in doing scientific work and help them understand the range of career pathways that they could follow.

Dr Jo Foster, Director of The Institute for Research in Schools, said: “It was fantastic to talk to MPs and peers about our shared passion for improving opportunities for all young people. We talked about the need to join up what young people learn in school with what our society and economy needs, and showed how real research opportunities could bridge that gap. There’s a real appetite for change here. Policymakers we met appreciated how student-led research could help solve the STEM skills gap. The Curriculum and Assessment Review looks set to address some of that and we’ve now got to ensure these changes are met with a focus on access for all.”

We published a response statement to the Curriculum and Assessment Review on Monday 10 November, highlighting that the curriculum must equip young people with not only strong foundations in knowledge and skills, but also the confidence, creativity and curiosity to contribute meaningfully to the world around them.

“We’re glad to see a willingness to rethink the curriculum; it’s overdue,” said Dr Jo Foster, “But to make this vision real, teachers need time, support and resources. Young people deserve a curriculum that reflects the world they will inherit and the possibilities they can create within it.”