The Government recognises that to be able to use AI effectively, including the ability to ascertain the accuracy and quality of outputs from generative AI models, children need to have a significant amount of background knowledge stored in their long-term memory. That is why all schools should teach an ambitious, knowledge-rich curriculum, using pedagogical approaches that support long-term knowledge retention. Emerging technologies, including AI, have the potential to support this goal. The Government is committed to evidence-based policymaking and will ensure that a proven positive impact on pupil outcomes is the central criteria when considering guidance to schools on the use of AI. We are working with key partners and stakeholders to understand better the impact and opportunity of AI on education delivery and pupil outcomes. We put out a call for evidence on this which closed on 23 August, and we will publish the response later this autumn. Evidence from cognitive science is clear that skills exist within subject disciplines, rather than being generic, and Government policy will therefore continue to promote the importance of knowledge-based curricula over skills- or competency-based curricula. The Government believes the best way to prepare young people for an uncertain future is to ensure they are taught a broad curriculum that gives them the knowledge and skills needed to understand the world and to progress to the next stage of education and work. This includes high standards of literacy and numeracy, which are the gateway to accessing the curriculum and fundamental to a child’s success at school. Literacy and numeracy skills are critical to young people being able to use AI and to being able to navigate a world in which AI has an increasing impact. Since 2010, we have reformed the National Curriculum, GCSEs and A levels to promote the teaching of rich subject knowledge and to set world-class standards across all subjects. This includes the teaching of computing and digital literacy, which are both part of the National Curriculum. In the Schools White Paper, published last year, we committed to not make any changes to the National Curriculum for the remainder of this Parliament so we can further embed the 2014 curriculum reforms and to provide stability for schools following the pandemic. To meet future challenges, we want to build on the success of our reforms and use the principles that drove them to change 16–19 education. On 4th October, the Prime Minister announced the plans to introduce the Advanced British Standard (ABS)2 for 16–18- year-olds over the next decade. This is a new baccalaureate- style qualification that takes the best of A levels and T levels and brings them together into a single qualification and unified structure. The ABS will ensure students continue to study maths (and English) to age 18, raising the floor of attainment in these subjects, and offer greater breadth. Computing was introduced as a statutory National Curriculum subject in 2014. The computing curriculum, taught from Key Stages 1 to 4, provides young people with the essential knowledge and skills to succeed as active participants in a digital world, This foundational knowledge will enable them to build more specialist expertise in the future and which will help to meet the needs of the future digital economy in shortage areas such as programming. This replaced the previous ICT curriculum, which was widely regarded as outdated and as failing to prepare pupils for further study, employment or life in a world increasingly dependent upon technology. For the UK to retain its position as a world-leading economy, we need to ensure people of all ages can develop skills that they, the country, and business need. Adult retraining and upskilling are an essential part of our plans to cement the UK’s status as a science and technology superpower by 2030. We are investing in adult education and skills so adults, at any age, can retrain or upskill to meet their potential. We are continuing to expand Skills Bootcamps which offer free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks to support upskilling or reskilling. Skills Bootcamps give people the opportunity to build sector-specific skills, with the offer of a job interview with an employer on completion. Over 1,000 Skills Bootcamps are available across the country, offering training in STEM subjects such as AI, software development, cyber security, cloud engineering, data analytics, mechanical engineering, and engineering diagnostics. Skills Bootcamps are also delivering flexible training for new skills which support the green economy and can offer a pathway to an accelerated apprenticeship. To further support the demand for AI skills, we recently introduced the first AI Data Specialist Apprenticeship Standard at Level 7, a highly skilled role that champions AI and its applications, which promotes the adoption of novel tools and technologies. Additionally, since 2020 the Department for