The education secretary has been urged to look again at the membership of the government’s curriculum and assessment review panel owing to some members having links to the Oak National Academy.
The Publishers Association, the leading member organisation for the UK publishing industry, has written to the education secretary Bridget Phillipson asking her to review the appointment of members who have been affiliated with Oak.
Dan Conway, chief executive of the Publishers Association, said in his letter that these appointments would prevent the review from being “fully independent”.
The letter says that three members of the panel have connections to Oak. Cassie Buchanan is a member of Oak’s board, Jon Hutchinson is a former Oak primary humanities lead and Sir Ian Bauckham is the chair of Oak.
Mr Hutchinson, who is director for curriculum and professional development for the Reach Foundation, told Tes that although he previously worked with Oak, he has not been involved with the quango for several years.
When the panel was announced, it was said that Sir Ian would be an observer of the review and invited to contribute to discussions, but would not have a decision-making role.
The government launched its curriculum and assessment review in July, with Professor Becky Francis, chief executive of the Education Endowment Foundation, leading the panel.
Labour had pledged to launch an “expert-led review” of the curriculum as part of its general election manifesto to ensure a “rich and broad, inclusive and innovative” approach, adding that it would consider the “balance of assessment methods”.
The Publishers Association, along with the British Educational Suppliers Association and the Society of Authors, is currently pursuing legal action against the previous government’s decision to establish Oak as an arm’s-length body (ALB).
The Conservative government launched Oak as an ALB alongside £43 million in funding over three years in September 2022, and the quango has since faced criticism from the sector over its use of public funding and the extent of its usefulness.
The date for the judicial review hearing is set for November, the Publishers Association confirmed in its letter.
Proceedings for the judicial review are going ahead despite ministers being invited to “crunch talks” over the summer, Tes revealed last month.
In response to the letter, a Department for Education spokesperson said that all members of the panel were appointed on the basis of their “personal expertise and experience”.
“We have robust arrangements in place for managing any potential conflicts of interest,” the government spokesperson added.
Mr Hutchinson said: “Along with many other teachers, I was proud to help provide many primary school lessons for children during the lockdowns of 2020. However, I haven’t been involved with Oak National Academy now for several years.”
Oak National Academy, Professor Francis, Ms Buchanan and Sir Ian have been approached for comment.
