Curriculum and Assessment Review: the evolution of media and information literacy?

The news that Professor Becky Francis’ team is not going to be recommending a fundamental reshaping of the system will be largely welcomed by educators – many of whom are still busy laminating their redesigned curriculum journeys in response to the last Ofsted inspection framework update – many aspects are, it says, “working well”, and it is good to see the hard work of everyone in schools recognised as such.

At the same time, though, everyone is in agreement that change is needed. It’s a question of “evolution, not revolution”; with the next stage of the review process focusing on four, key areas: inequality of outcomes; challenges with specific subjects; 16-18 technical/vocational qualifications; and “addressing global and social change”.

This last area is the one that’s of particular interest to us here at First News – in explaining how the curriculum “needs to respond to social and technological change”, the report states that “the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and trends in digital information demand heightened media literacy and critical thinking, as well as digital skills.”

This aligns perfectly with our mission at First News – empowering young people with the skills required to understand, navigate and influence the increasingly fast-changing world around them.

“Rapid social, environmental and technological change necessitates that the curriculum keep pace; including a renewed focus on digital and media literacy, and a greater focus on sustainability and climate science.”

– The Curriculum and Assessment Review Panel, 2025

For over 18 years, we’ve been providing age-appropriate journalism and teaching resources that develop key skills, including media literacy; evolving our offer for schools to reflect and respond to social and technological developments as they happen. We are delighted to see the Review Panel recognise the importance of this for the curriculum, too; over the next six months, it will be considering where media and information literacy can and should be further embedded across all subject areas, before setting out its final recommendations in the autumn.

First News is determined to be part of this critical conversation; we are, and have always been, fierce advocates for children’s right to be fully and impartially informed about the world they are inheriting from the generations before them, and it seems that Becky Francis and her team agree with us.

If you do, too, why not drop us a line ([email protected]) and let us know your thoughts?

Helen Mulley, Education Lead at First News