Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Smith of Malvern on 10 November (HL Deb col 36), what evidence the decision not to follow the Curriculum and Assessment Review's recommendation that the structure of Progress 8 remains unchanged was based on.

A July 2025 Skills England report noted that "the creative industries are experiencing significant skills shortages", with 33% of all vacancies attributed to this, and the Curriculum and Assessment Review found declines in entries into some key stage 4 arts qualifications, including music and drama. The department believes that the proposed ‘Progress 8’ structure will support development of these key skills and help deliver the government’s commitment to support young people with the opportunity to study a creative or vocational subject through to the end of key stage 4.

The department will therefore consult on an improved Progress 8 and Attainment 8 that recognises the value of these subjects and balances a strong academic core with breadth and student choice.