“We test too much, teach too little, and forget what matters.”
That’s the message ringing out from this week’s session of the Commons Education Select Committee following the publication earlier this year of the interim findings of the Curriculum and Assessment Review.
After more than a decade without change, England’s curriculum is finally under the microscope. Those giving evidence to the Committee (including representatives from exam boards, curriculum experts and industry) outlined what many educators have been saying for years:
🔸 Too much content, not enough depth
🔸 An assessment system dominated by exams—16-year-olds face 30 hours of testing
🔸 A “forgotten third” left behind by an overemphasis on English and maths
🔸 A narrow curriculum that sidelines vocational and creative subjects
🔸 Poor preparation for life beyond school: critical thinking, collaboration, communication—and media literacy—are all missing in action
In an era of AI and fake news, we cannot afford to leave young people unequipped.
They need critical analysis skills to navigate a world of algorithms and misinformation.
They need to know how to challenge, verify, and think independently.
That’s why I believe law should be taught in schools—not just as content, but as a method.
Legal education builds:
✔ Critical thinking
✔ Analytical reasoning
✔ Public speaking and debate
✔ Real-world understanding of justice, rights—and the difference between a claim and a fact
Through case studies and current events, law naturally teaches students how to question evidence, weigh arguments, and spot bias. These are the exact tools they need to challenge disinformation, defend democracy, and become informed citizens.
James will be speaking more about this next month at the The Wellbeing Hub annual in-person staff training and networking event, where he will share practical ideas on how law can be meaningfully embedded into the curriculum—not to add pressure, but to enrich learning and equip students with lifelong skills.
If we want a future-ready curriculum, we must embed the skills that underpin not just employability—but democracy, truth, and resilience.
