Let's Talk English: September update
As we begin the new school year, and look back on what was an extraordinary summer term, we want to share our reflections on the conversations, ideas and energy that have shaped discussions over the past few months.
What started as an invitation to come together and talk about the future of English has grown into something much bigger. This is no longer just a conversation: it’s a shared commitment to reimagine how this subject can equip every learner with the confidence, creativity and critical thinking skills to succeed in life beyond school.
We’ve brought together thousands of voices from across education — classroom teachers, curriculum leaders, students and sector experts — to explore bold questions about the future of English. From national forums to regional roadshows, a picture has begun to emerge: this is a subject that matters deeply and must adapt to meet the needs of young people in an ever-changing world.
So far this year...
Since March, the Let’s Talk English team have completed:Ìý
- Research with over 800 secondary English teachers, 1000 college students and 1000 college tutors.
- 10 in-person and virtual forums with 30 sector representatives and over 60 teachers.Ìý
- A range ofÌýinterviewsÌýwith sector and teacher representatives across key issues.
- Attendance at key industryÌýeventsÌýincluding PiXL English, NATE, the Speaking Summit and English: Shared Futures.
- TheÌýfirst of our regional toursÌýwith teachers from 11 schools in and around Crawley as well as a dedicated student panel.
What we’ve heard so far
Since March, we’ve explored big questions with contributors across education including:
- What does ‘success’ in English really mean?
- How can assessment reflect students’ knowledge, skills and potential more effectively?
- What would it take to make English feel relevant and inspiring for every learner?
In June and July, our fourth forums tackled some of the big-issues like post-16 resits head-on. Then, in July, we took the conversation out into schools in our regional roadshow session in Crawley. Here, students and teachers shared their experiences of English in the classroom and explored what meaningful reform could look like in practice.
We also chaired a lively and thought-provoking discussion at the Shared Futures event in Leeds in early July. Our panel brought together an incredible line-up of speakers: Tallyia Charalambous (Laidlaw Schools Trust), Robert Eaglestone (Royal Holloway, University of London), Ian Hague (London College of Communication), Bennie Kara (Adhara Education), and Andrew McCallum (English and Media Centre).
Together, we explored a central question: do today’s GCSE texts still meet the needs of today’s learners? Should every 16-year-old be required to study a full Shakespeare play or Dickens novel in the name of ‘cultural capital’? How important is it to include contemporary works that reflect students’ modern lives? And what might become the GCSE ‘classics’ of the future?
“It’s what you do with Shakespeare. So why not have young people produce adaptations of the play they’re studying? Why not have them studying it in production, be it film or on the stage? Why not have them look at how it’s adapted by other cultures? … It’d be what you do with Shakespeare rather than what he tells the young people.â€
- Andrew McCallum, Director of English and Media Centre
At our Post-16 roundtable, the focus shifted to those caught in the resit cycle. Whilst recognising that progress in outcomes has been made, teachers highlighted the challenges of supporting students still striving for a grade 4 and the need to recognise progress in more flexible and inclusive ways.
Across all of these conversations, the overarching theme remained true: success in English looks different for every student and our measures should reflect that. These conversations have brought fresh insights and, perhaps more importantly, a growing sense of possibility.
Parameters of progress
Since the start of this campaign, we’re heard inspiring ideas and practical solutions:
Assessment that empowers: educators want to explore ways to let students demonstrate their learning authentically through more creative and flexible assessment options.
Content that connects: Teachers and students are passionate about finding ways to bridge canonical texts with more contemporary elements, shaping an English curriculum that honours tradition while embracing new relevance for today’s classrooms.
Future skills: As forms of communication evolve, educators are highlighting the importance of equipping students with digital literacy, creative and critical thinking, confident self-expression and the ability to navigate AI and misinformation.Ìý