The Curriculum and Assessment Review: the timeline schools are planning against
Edroom · Explainer · Evidence unless marked "Our take"
The government's response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review sets the dates for a new national curriculum, new GCSEs and changes to KS4 accountability. Here's what's confirmed and what's still only a proposal.
The headline dates
The response commits to "publish a revised national curriculum in 2027 for first teaching in 2028. We will also update GCSEs, for first teaching from 2029 onwards." Government response
| Year | What happens | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn 2026 | KS4 tables published without EBacc measures | Confirmed |
| 2027 | Revised national curriculum published | Committed |
| 2028 | First teaching of the revised curriculum | Committed |
| 2029 onwards | First teaching of updated GCSEs | Committed |
| Not yet set | A new Progress 8 and Attainment 8 model | Proposed |
Sources: Government response; DfE secondary accountability guide
EBacc is gone from the tables now
The response says: "In advance, we will remove EBacc headline and additional measures at key stage 4. This will take effect for the key stage 4 performance measures for the 2025 to 2026 academic year to be published in autumn 2026." Government response
DfE's 2026 accountability guide confirms "EBacc performance measures will be removed with effect from the 2025 to 2026 academic year." DfE secondary guide
So the 2025/26 KS4 tables carry no EBacc entry or EBacc average point score measures.
Progress 8: a proposal, not a decision
The response says: "Improvements to Progress 8 and Attainment 8 will take effect after consultation." Government response
DfE published an explainer of the proposed improved model. It promised a timetable for a decision: "We will publish our response in the summer term 2026 so that schools can take the revised measure into account when determining subject choices for pupils who will start their GCSEs in September 2027." DfE P8 explainer
We can't find that response. DfE's October 2026 secondary guide still says: "We will confirm the policy position in due course." DfE secondary guide Until DfE publishes a decision, treat the new model as proposed.
Progress 8 this year
There is no new Progress 8 score for 2025/26. DfE will "continue to show the most recent available Progress 8 scores (2023 to 2024 and 2022 to 2023) alongside the remaining headline measures". It adds: "It will be possible to produce Progress 8 in 2026 to 2027, as KS2 prior attainment will be available for this cohort." DfE secondary guide
Don't read those two years as a trend: "Progress 8 is a relative, in-year measure and cannot be compared directly year on year." DfE secondary guide
What to do now
- Curriculum leads: plan around a 2027 publication and first teaching in 2028. Government response
- KS4 options: the proposed P8 change was meant to shape choices for pupils starting GCSEs in September 2027, but it hasn't been confirmed. Don't redesign options around it yet. DfE P8 explainer; DfE secondary guide
- Governors: EBacc measures won't appear in this autumn's tables, so take them out of your reporting. DfE secondary guide
Opinion
Our take: The curriculum dates are firm enough to plan around. The accountability change isn't. A decision promised for summer 2026 still hasn't appeared, and the cohort it was meant to inform is choosing options now. Leaders should base this year's options advice on the current rules and on what's right for each pupil.