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In the second episode of Unlocking Opportunities, our live show series in partnership with FE News, we continued our exploration of ways to break down barriers to opportunity in education. Last week, we focused on the theme of curriculum and assessment, diving into what a modern, inclusive curriculum could look like and examining potential reforms in assessment that better align with the skills demands of today and tomorrow. 

Our panel brought together leading voices in policy, research, and educational practice to discuss this topic, including: 

• Gavin O’Meara, CEO of FE News 
• Michael Lemin, Head of Policy at NCFE 
• Olly Newton, Executive Director of Edge Foundation 
• Dr Rebecca Conway, Director of Research and Innovation at NCFE.

Here, we recap three major takeaways from their conversation, which you can watch here. 

1. Leveraging EdTech to personalise learning for individual and industry needs 

The panel discussed the transformative potential of educational technology (EdTech) to foster personalised learning experiences. By widening the purpose of assessment beyond simply providing grades, greater use of diagnostic and formative assessment methods has the potential to better reflect individual strengths and areas for growth, moving us towards a more inclusive educational landscape will be paved. 

“We’re moving towards a really exciting new dawn with personalised learning in assessments,” outlined Dr Rebecca Conway. “We’ll be able to really identify learners’ needs along the way and create tailored learning and assessment programmes that really work for them and meet those needs. EdTech is really important as it’s what helps us to do this.”

2. Empowering teachers to deliver curriculum with flexible, diverse approaches

Empowering teachers to use diverse instructional methods was another key theme during the discussion. Providing educators with autonomy and varied assessment tools enables them to incorporate project-based learning and adapt strategies to better engage students, fostering broader skills such as teamwork and problem-solving. 

“It’s not just getting the knowledge in for a written exam – it’s project-based learning or taking young people out to employers and getting them to set a real-life challenge,” suggested Olly Newton. “This gives teachers the opportunity to teach in a variety of ways to suit the material and their class.” 

The panel also stressed the need for a strong teacher recruitment and retention plan to support these curriculum reforms. Michael Lemin noted, “Ultimately, you can put whatever you like on the curriculum – but if you don’t have the teachers there to teach it, it’s going to be very hard to deliver.” 

3. Moving toward integrated, formative, and purpose-driven assessments

Another key theme of the discussion was the need to rethink traditional high-stakes exams, which can be limiting and stressful for many learners. Suggestions included expanding formative assessments and reducing the dominance of exams by aligning assessment methods with the curriculum's purpose – whether through professional discussions, projects, or alternative formats. 

This approach could bridge the gap between assessment and learning, offering students varied ways to demonstrate their knowledge and skills. “We know that some learners really struggle with high-stakes external exams from a wellbeing perspective, or even from a neurodiversity perspective,” outlined Dr Rebecca Conway.  

“If we use assessment information in a really smart way, we can actually have a system that is fully integrated and we can use assessment to inform learning and actually take those high stakes concerns away from learners, so that they tackle every assessment and don’t feel worried by it. Instead, they’re ready to go and can show us what they know and what they can do.” 

Looking to the future of assessment 

By reimagining how we evaluate and support students, we can move closer to an education model that aligns with real-world skills and prepares every learner for success. As we continue this series, we look forward to further exploring the bold steps needed to unlock opportunities for all. 

Be sure to watch the full episode for all the expert insights and stay tuned for more as we continue to explore the opportunities and challenges ahead in the coming weeks!