Why I Fear the New Curriculum for Wales – A Parent’s Perspective

As a parent of two children—one aged 14 and the other 12—I find myself standing at a curious crossroads in Welsh education. My son, currently 14, will be sitting his GCSEs under the “old” system. My daughter, however, will be part of the first full wave of students learning and being assessed under the new Curriculum for Wales. And honestly? I’m worried.

To say I’m thankful that my son will complete the traditional GCSEs is an understatement. He’s a highly motivated young man with a clear goal: he wants to join the Royal Navy. He knows what he needs to do, and the road ahead is signposted with well-established milestones. His qualifications will align closely with those across the border in England. When he applies for university—or anything else, for that matter—his grades will be instantly understood and respected. There’s comfort in that clarity.

But then there’s my daughter.

She’s only just starting her journey in secondary education, and already, I’m anxious about what lies ahead. The new Curriculum for Wales sounds impressive on paper. It promises flexibility, creativity, learner-centred progress, and freedom from the pressure of “teaching to the test.” In principle, it’s exactly the kind of approach we dream of for our children. But in practice? I fear it may be a very different story.

A “freer” curriculum only works well when the assessments match the teaching. That model can flourish when individual schools set their own exams based on what they’ve actually delivered. But we’re not living in that world. We still have external qualifications. The mantra may be “don’t teach to the test,” but as soon as you introduce national assessment criteria, schools *must* align with them. And let’s be honest—if we’re assessing, there’s always a test of some kind.

My biggest concern? I don’t know what qualifications my daughter will ultimately walk away with. Will she study “Science” as a single subject instead of the traditional separate GCSEs in Biology, Chemistry and Physics? Will that limit her options when she applies for university—especially if she wants to pursue a science-based degree and finds herself competing with peers from England or Northern Ireland who’ve studied those subjects in more depth?

Are we watering things down too much? Giving too much freedom without the structure needed to ensure equity across the UK?

I don’t have the answers.

But I do have a choice. Working in the world of Home Education, I know I could step in. I could ensure she follows a more traditional pathway—structured GCSEs, clear specifications, the same qualifications as her brother. It would give her the same playing field. Is that the route I want to take?

Right now, I don’t know. But I’m watching closely.

It’s worth remembering that Scotland took a very similar approach when they launched Curriculum for Excellence. In the end, they had to row back—because it just didn’t work the way they’d hoped. That’s not to say Wales will do the same, but I can’t ignore the warning signs.

For now, I’ll keep you posted!