Petition · Department for Education

Review Primary Curriculum to ensure alignment with Children’s Developmental Need

Closed 295 signatures

What the petition asks

We believe that the curriculum expects young children to master abstract maths and grammar too early, and that this could harm confidence and mental health. We think a review is needed to better align education with developmental science and help support real learning.
We believe that children’s cognitive development research shows that they need time to build concrete understanding before they can successfully manage high levels of abstraction. We think the current primary curriculum demands mastery of abstract mathematical concepts and complex grammatical terminology too early, which could lead to unnecessary stress, loss of confidence, and mental health issues. In our view, many children are being set up to fail rather than flourish.

Timeline

22 May 2025 Petition opened for signatures
22 Nov 2025 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 295
Status Closed
Department Department for Education
Opened 22 May 2025
Closed 22 Nov 2025

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 6 Aug 2026.