Curriculum Reform, Body Respect and the Future of Education: Our Response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review
What is the Curriculum and Assessment Review – and why it matters
Yesterday (5th November 2025), the long-awaited Curriculum and Assessment Review: Building a World-Class Curriculum for All was released - the most significant reform document since the 2014 national curriculum.
The review sets out a vision for what young people should learn and how schools should equip them for life in a fast-changing world. At its heart is a call for a broader, more inclusive, future-ready curriculum – one that reflects society, strengthens equity, and values skills for life as much as exam performance.
Recommendations will inform a new national curriculum, due to be published in 2027 and introduced in schools from September 2028.
As an organisation working across education, health and research to help children and young people celebrate, respect and accept ALL bodies – especially their own, we welcome the review’s direction of travel. It speaks directly to the work we do every day, through the Body Happy Schools Programme, our CPD and curriculum resources, and our partnerships with schools and local authorities across the UK.
“Building body respect in education isn’t a nice-to-have – it’s part of creating the inclusive, future-ready curriculum this review calls for.”
Responding to social and technological change
The review recognises that “in a world of rapid technological, environmental and social change” young people need new kinds of applied knowledge - particularly digital literacy, media literacy, oracy and critical thinking.
These are precisely the skills we develop through our programmes.
From exploring how AI and filters shape the way we see ourselves, to decoding online nutrition misinformation, Body Happy lessons help pupils think critically about the media messages influencing their wellbeing, identity and relationships.
Our peer advocacy strand in The Body Happy Schools Programme and classroom activities also create rich opportunities for oracy, teamwork and public speaking - vital soft skills that build confidence and community.
“Critical thinking, digital literacy and oracy are not extras - they are the foundations of body respect”
High standards must mean high standards for all
The review highlights that while England’s education system performs well by global standards, “it is not delivering high standards for all.”
Gaps for socio-economically disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND remain and, in some areas, are widening.
This aligns strongly with our own findings. In pilot schools with high Pupil Premium cohorts, we’ve seen that embedding body respect approaches can transform engagement, belonging and participation.
Our model includes subsidised or fully funded (where available) access for high-Pupil-Premium settings - ensuring that inclusion and equity are not optional.
“Equity is at the heart of excellence. We can’t talk about high standards without talking about inclusion.”
A curriculum that reflects society
Young people told the review team that not seeing themselves represented in the curriculum is “disempowering and demotivating.” We couldn’t agree more.
Our work is built on the belief that when children see all kinds of bodies, stories and experiences reflected in their classrooms, they learn empathy and respect for difference.
Every aspect of the Body Happy approach – from lesson design to the Body Happy Skills framework – supports teachers to challenge stereotypes, celebrate diversity and foster inclusion across the curriculum.
Preparing learners for a changing world
The review identifies five “life skills” areas most in need of critical attention: financial literacy, digital literacy, media literacy, oracy, and sustainability.
Body Happy lessons and CPD already support teachers to embed three of these - media literacy, digital literacy and oracy - connecting them to wellbeing, critical consumption and citizenship. Our food education resources also touch on sustainability, with activities that explore where food comes from, how it’s produced, and practical ways to reduce food waste. These lessons help pupils understand how cultural, social and environmental factors shape our food choices and wellbeing.
We also see opportunities ahead.
As Computing evolves to take a clearer role in digital literacy, we’ll explore additional digital-literacy resources that can slot into Computing or Citizenship lessons, giving further opportunities for deeper exploration and examination of online influence, AI-generated imagery and digital wellbeing.
Food education: a welcome shift, but more nuance needed
We’re encouraged to see the review recommend renaming Cooking and Nutrition as Food and Nutrition and broadening its aims so that young people gain practical cooking skills alongside a wider understanding of food hygiene, sustainability, and the knowledge needed to make informed choices.
However, there’s still work to do.
Evidence shows that using moralising language to describe food and teaching binary nutrition messages can unintentionally contribute to body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. We would like to see stronger guidance on the language and framing used in food education - particularly for younger pupils, who may not yet have the cognitive maturity to grasp complex nutritional theory.
We also note that these recommendations don’t address the systemic barriers that continue to limit the quality of food education in schools, including limited curriculum time, lack of resources, and too few teachers with subject-specific expertise.
Our approach to food learning centres wellbeing, cultural identity and emotional safety. We believe food education should be rooted in joy, culture and curiosity, helping children explore the many factors that shape food choices, from identity and income to marketing and media, rather than dividing foods into “good” or “bad” categories.
Read more about our body-affirming, evidence-based approach to food education in this blog post.
“Food education should nourish curiosity, not anxiety.”
PE and joyful movement
The review recommends broadening the purpose of PE to reflect its “physical, social, cognitive and emotional benefits.” We strongly support this direction.
Our approach to movement education is rooted in body respect and joyful participation, not body modification.
Whether in PE or wider wellbeing lessons, we help schools continue to re-frame physical activity as something that supports health, learning and happiness for every child - not just those who thrive in competition.
“Movement should be inclusive, playful and joyful - never punitive or appearance-driven.”
A shared vision for the next curriculum
Overall, this review marks an important moment for education in England. Its emphasis on inclusion, representation, wellbeing and skills for life creates fertile ground for systemic change. This is the kind of change The Body Happy Organisation has been pioneering through our work and developing even further with new offers such as The Body Happy Schools whole school programme.
As schools, policymakers and funders look ahead to the new national curriculum from 2028, we’ll continue working alongside partners and stakeholders to ensure body respect is recognised as a vital part of educational equity and health prevention.
We’re ready to help schools build the inclusive, future-ready curriculum this review imagines – one that truly enables every child to celebrate, respect and accept ALL bodies, especially their own.
Find out more
Learn about the Body Happy Schools Programme
Enquire about CPD and resources for your school
Partner with us on research, policy or local authority delivery - get in touch at hello@bodyhappyorg.com