Teaching GCSE topics younger risks turning schools into ‘early exam factories’, Powell warns

Lucy Powell says proposals to end widespread practice will be included in overhaul of England’s national curriculum

Pushing GCSE subjects on younger pupils risks turning England’s secondary schools into “early exam factories”, the education secretary has said, warning that it is increasing disengagement from education.

Lucy Powell wants schools to end the widespread practice of teaching GCSE topics to pupils in year 9 or earlier, before they officially start in year 10, and says she plans to reduce the amount of GCSE content to make it easier to fit into the official timetable.

The Department for Education (DfE) said the proposals would be included in the government’s overhaul of the national curriculum to be published in early 2027, as part of its plans to tackle school disengagement as well as…