It has been over 14 months since Becky Francis took on the role of chair for the government’s curriculum review.
As we prepare for a profile interview in a frosted-paneled meeting room at the Department for Education, it remains uncertain precisely when the final report will be released (early November is the current best estimate, though much is beyond Francis’s control).
This review is intertwined with the government’s autumn-term policy initiatives, including a white paper, SEND reforms, and new Ofsted inspections.
Even in quieter periods, government policymaking can seem chaotic—so what is it like to observe it unfold in the current climate?
‘I like to take charge’
“I enjoy leadership, not just because it is creative but also because, like many leaders, I tend to be a bit of a control enthusiast,” Francis shares.
“Being embedded in the department while juggling the myriad of other ongoing initiatives has proven to be quite challenging.
“The way in which various events and ideas intersect, or fluctuating capacities within the department, along with competing agendas, has been particularly revealing.
“We are, of course, independent, and protecting that independence is vital. However, we need to collaborate with the government to ensure that our findings are impactful.
Francis is unable to disclose the contents of the final report yet. But when asked about what she has gained from undertaking such a significant role, I inquire about her initial motivations.
“It feels like a privilege to have been asked to take on this responsibility. It’s a substantial opportunity for the sector to foster positive change and improvements,” she explains.
This desire to effect positive change stems from her upbringing by Quaker parents. “You are not merely existing in the world but also contributing to it,” she expresses, highlighting the influence of her parents’ values. “No matter how naive it might sound, I fundamentally believe we should strive to serve and facilitate meaningful change.”
Moreover, she was driven by the potential for “significant harm that could arise” should the “wrong individual be appointed”.
“The education system has gradually improved over time. It’s crucial to build on that progress and, given the existing capacity issues, resist the urge to fix what isn’t broken. Instead, we should intensify our focus on addressing real challenges.”
This perspective ties back to her own educational experiences. Francis recalls her time at Ralph Allen School, located near Bath, describing it as “not a safe environment. There was severe bullying, and I witnessed it happen to people I cared about. The school faced declining enrollment and a sense of crisis.”
She remarks that the overall “inconsistency of educational quality” has characterized the English education system for most of her career.
However, she also notes, “We are seeing improvement in that inconsistency.”
‘It is unlikely you’ll please everyone’
Francis is convinced that a cornerstone of this improvement is the national curriculum, which was established the year after she completed her O-levels.
“It has been transformative. It set the foundational standards for all students. Prior to its introduction, there were significant disparities based on gender, with girls frequently steering clear of subjects like maths or science.”
Addressing educational inequality has been a motivating factor for Francis ever since. “A key takeaway from my schooling experience was that although I was fortunate enough to attend a technical college and then university, many of my peers didn’t have that opportunity.”
“In my perspective, this disparity was rooted in cultural capital and family background rather than intelligence or capability.”
Curriculum aspirations
Her mission aligns with the Labour party’s goal of dismantling barriers to education.
Yet, addressing the curriculum is a complex challenge—one of the most disputed topics in education.
The curriculum review alone garnered over 7,000 responses to its request for evidence, surpassing the response to Ofsted’s consultation on report cards.
Francis emphasizes the review’s specific terms of reference, which highlight that any changes will be “evolutionary rather than revolutionary.”
“These parameters have proven to be essential guidelines for our work. We have effectively set expectations about potential trade-offs and are acutely aware of the need to avoid unintended consequences.”
“Our commitment to evidence-based practices is paramount; we are committed to being guided by data, especially in a landscape rife with myths, assumptions, and historical campaign positions. I genuinely believe expectations are for incremental improvements, rather than a complete overhaul.”
How does she manage expectations from those hoping for more sweeping changes?
“I bear a substantial sense of responsibility to deliver results,” Francis notes. “However, I am also aware that you can never satisfy everyone—not now or in the future—and on a broad spectrum there will likely be many voices that remain dissatisfied on either end.”
“I tend to be quite resilient and do not typically bring work-related problems home with me. But if you asked me whether I dream about curriculum issues every night, the answer would be yes.”
‘The downside of the media’
While her appointment was generally well-received in educational circles, it faced criticism in certain quarters.
A right-leaning newspaper labeled Francis a “feminist ex-punk,” while another Conservative party source remarked that she “seems more invested in gender equality than academic outcomes.”
Francis authored a book on gender dynamics in education during her early career at the University of Greenwich where she studied nurse education. She affirms that social justice and research are her primary passions, a commitment she has upheld throughout her career.
In 2016, she made history as the first female director of University College London’s esteemed Institute for Education, describing it as a “privilege” to be part of such an influential institution.
In 2020, just before the onset of Covid, she was recruited as the chief executive of the Education Endowment Foundation, an organization established with government funding to serve as a trusted source of evidence regarding effective educational strategies.
Her directive was to “emphasize impactful support for the system”—ensuring the foundation didn’t merely engage in research but also supported schools in applying the insights gained.
During her tenure (currently, she’s on secondment to the DfE for her curriculum role), the organization has experienced significant growth.
Francis references her accomplishments at the EEF while discussing some of the “frustrating” media portrayals.
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“Some articles seemed to be a targeted effort to misrepresent my role for political motivations rather than accurately reflect my record—leading a government-funded evidence resource initiated by Michael Gove, no less.”
During her time at the EEF, they also piloted the inaugural year of the government’s flagship National Tutoring Programme (NTP). This initiative faced considerable criticism amid the tumultuous Covid period but succeeded in delivering over six million tutoring sessions.
Does she have any regrets regarding the EEF’s shift from mere oversight of interventions to active implementation?
“It was a politically charged and highly volatile environment, with tensions among educators, their representatives, and governmental actors, all in crisis mode.
“I feel like the National Tutoring Programme became entangled in that chaos, yet it may be one of the swiftest program implementations in history. I harbor no regrets about it.”
She also believes it demonstrated the government’s potential to execute large-scale interventions effectively, resulting in tangible impacts.
Francis points to the more recent Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) scheme, a government-backed initiative designed to assist primary schools in supporting reception-age pupils with speech and language development. She describes NELI as the closest any intervention has come to being an ‘educational silver bullet.’
The criticism faced during the tutoring program also might have contributed to the heightened attention on her current role.
Francis humorously references a recent commentary from The Observer that branded her a “timid technocrat.”
“It’s never pleasant to have labels assigned to you, but they tend to balance out. One moment I’m seen as a left-wing radical, and the next as a reserved bureaucrat. Perhaps I’ll find a middle ground between the two.”
Financial education revelation
Her interim review hinted at significant potential changes, including a reassessment of the EBacc accountability framework, a possible reduction in the number of GCSE subjects, and efforts to ease the burden of the primary curriculum.
Schools Week recently reported that the government might introduce a reading assessment for Year 8 students.
Another likely change might enhance financial education. Francis states, “In every focus group or stakeholder meeting I’ve attended with young people, they have expressed a desire for increased financial education without prompting.”
She describes this as one of the most unexpected insights from her work. “I never anticipated that would emerge as a primary concern. Initially, I might have been skeptical about its significance.”
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“Yet, the demand for comprehensive financial literacy and education from both young people and their parents, as well as various stakeholder advocates, has been a remarkable finding.”
Her cross-country curriculum roadshow, where she has engaged with thousands of school staff and students, is the aspect of her role she has enjoyed the most.
“I genuinely relish discussing education; the subject is absolutely captivating. A defining characteristic of this review—and the nature of this work—is the constant dilemmas and trade-offs we face.
“There’s an incredible potential for inspiring initiatives and avenues for improvement alongside the frustrating reality that there is rarely a one-size-fits-all solution.
Francis recognizes she cannot satisfy everyone’s expectations. However, if her review can instill a greater degree of coherence—and reduce the systemic inconsistencies—she might reclaim some of her initial aspirations too.
