Explained: Concerns over make-up of curriculum drafters group
Concerns over make-up of curriculum drafters group is examined in this 2026 education briefing, which sets out the central development, the practical context for schools and the questions leaders may need to consider.
What happened?
Sector leaders have criticised the “limited breadth and diversity” of experts recruited to help write the new national curriculum. The Department for Education has chosen 46 “curriculum drafters” following a public tender.
Key details from the report
- The government said they were chosen “based on the best fit for the role, taking into account expertise in subject knowledge and in school leadership”.
- But the list ’s release has prompted questions about diversity and the way the experts are unevenly split across 13 subject areas.
- For example, there are 10 experts helping to draft the PE curriculum, compared with just one for languages and two for English.
- The two experts chosen to help with English are Matt Carnaby, the director of curriculum and assessment at Astrea Academy Trust, and Dr Timothy Mills, a RISE adviser and former executive director of primary education at the STEP Academy Trust.
Why this matters for schools
The issue is relevant to school leaders because policy announcements, funding decisions and regulatory changes rarely operate in isolation. Their effects can reach staffing, budgets, curriculum planning, pupil support and communication with families. Leaders should distinguish confirmed requirements from proposals, check the implementation timetable and identify which decisions need action now.
For classroom and SEND teams, the practical question is how the development affects access, inclusion and day-to-day provision. Schools may wish to review existing plans, clarify responsibilities and make sure staff receive information in a form they can use. Where national details remain incomplete, recording assumptions and revisiting them as guidance changes can reduce avoidable confusion.
Questions for leaders and governing boards
- What has been formally confirmed, and what remains under consultation or development?
- Which pupils, staff or services are most likely to be affected?
- Are there financial, workforce, safeguarding or SEND implications that require early planning?
- What evidence or updated guidance should be monitored next?
- How will the school communicate any resulting change clearly to staff and families?
