Pupils are set to learn more about climate change and AI but an emphasis on 'tough' subjects may be dropped, in Labour plans to 'dumb down' the curriculum.

Professor Becky Francis, who is chairing the Government's curriculum review panel, said children need to be better equipped for the 'challenges of the future'.

Addressing the ASCL union conference yesterday, she said the 'rise of artificial intelligence' (AI) means pupils need 'heightened media literacy and critical thinking'.

In addition, 'social, environmental and technical change' means the curriculum should have a 'renewed focus' on 'sustainability and climate science', she said.

She added: 'We will map existing coverage and ensure that gaps are addressed and content brought up to date.'

Professor Francis addressed headteachers in Liverpool to 'give a flavour' of the 'issues we are considering' and the 'direction of the review'.

She also suggested the review may take aim at the EBacc, a flagship Tory performance measure to encourage pupils to take five 'tough' GCSE subjects.

The EBacc consists of English, maths, science, a humanity and a language.

Poster Comment:

I used to work in a non-technical capacity at a Harvard Medical School research lab. I used to joke with European and English doctors that I was going to become a spy sent by Governor Schwarzenegger to go to Europe and England to convince the educators to disregard their present educational system and to copy the ideas of California. That was joke in the 20th century. It has become reality today.