The most recent reforms to the curriculum in 2014 resulted in an English GCSE that focused solely on British literature. With Shakespeare and a 19th-century text made mandatory, the reforms reduced teachers’ choices to an overwhelmingly white and male selection.
Unsurprisingly, we at were, therefore, hopeful that the recommendations from last year’s would include substantial changes, enabling our students to access a broader range of literature that is more representative of the diversity of today’s Britain.
But by recommending that Shakespeare and a 19th-century text remain mandatory, the review has left very little room to address the diversity that it acknowledges is missing.
As such, we welcome Professor Robert Eaglestone’s recent 91 article about the lack of diversity in the English curriculum. Where he has missed the mark, however, is in believing that broadening the choice of texts from the 19th century to encompass literature up to the 1960s is going to make a difference to what’s taught in our classrooms.
End Sexism in Schools’ research shows that teachers consistently make the same choices from the set text lists, year after year, no matter what new choices are added.
That’s why the majority of GCSE English students in 2024 studied either A Christmas Carol (64 per cent) or Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (29 per cent) for their 19th-century literature paper, and An Inspector Calls (76 per cent) for the modern prose and drama paper.
While these old faithfuls remain on the set text lists, it makes no difference what other texts are added because teachers simply won’t choose to teach them.
A non-representative curriculum
In 2024 only 5 per cent of students across England and Wales studied a whole text by a female author at GCSE, while even fewer studied one by an author of colour. Meanwhile, 50 per cent of students are female, and almost 40 per cent are from non-white backgrounds.
Because the current diet of literature is not in any way reflective of the world in which our students live, nor of their personal identities, many are unable to connect with what they are reading or feel any enthusiasm for it.
It can be no coincidence that the narrowing of the curriculum over the past decade has led to English literature becoming one of the most rapidly declining subjects at A level and university.
To bring about real change, the Department for Education must go further and remove the most popular texts - which are all authored by white men - from the set text lists. It must provide a wholly refreshed set text list for each paper, with a 50-50 gender split and a proportional representation of authors of colour. It must also ensure that set text lists are changed every five years to prevent stagnation.
Changing resources
Our research has taught us that teachers aren’t necessarily against this type of change, but they are hampered by numerous barriers to enacting it within their classrooms. Understandably, familiar texts mean they can use existing resources and have confidence in exam outcomes without needing to spend additional money.
However, our work has shown that when teachers are supported with resources and have access to networks of colleagues also teaching the same text, they can find it an enjoyable experience that extends their own subject knowledge and enriches their classroom experience.
While we wait to see what concrete changes to the curriculum the review will bring about, English teachers can already start this process in their classrooms. In the past three years, numerous new texts authored by women and people of colour have been added to the modern prose and drama text lists across all four exam boards.
The opportunities are there, but we must be willing to take them. Here are four ways to help make the change.
1. Plan in advance
Use gained time from exam classes in the summer term to allocate a team of teachers to your chosen new text, spreading the workload. Plan collaboratively, producing a scheme of work that’s ready to go for the new school year.
2. Author events
Take advantage of living authors - many are willing to come to speak in person or online, and booking these visits guarantees an exciting opportunity for your students to look forward to.
3. Transition in stages
Depending on the size of your cohort and teaching team, choose a proportion of classes that will be initially taught the new text.
This staggers the cost of new texts and enables selected teachers to become the vanguard, building expertise that they can pass on to colleagues. Transitioning fully to everyone being taught the same text can then take place over two to three school years.
4. Network to develop expertise
Use social media or networks facilitated by subject associations to get in touch with colleagues teaching these new texts and share tips and resources.
You could also participate in exam board CPD on the new texts, or even become an examiner to help build confidence in teaching exam technique with a new text.
Change the narrative
Through literature, we learn to better understand ourselves and others.
By excluding women and minority groups, we send the message that these students already see in the world around them - that they are less important than the white, male “norm” that is presented to them in their classrooms, and that their achievements, perspectives and experiences are not worthy of discussion or study.
What we teach children has the power to change these exclusionary and damaging narratives - but only if we choose the right texts.
Rachel Fenn is a secondary English teacher and the English lead for End Sexism in Schools
