The UK government’s new curriculum, announced in November 2025, promises to “give young people the skills for life and work.” For the first-time ever, media literacy will be compulsory, with changes on the way for oracy and citizenship education. At the heart of the update is a focus on preparing pupils to think critically, communicate effectively, and engage with the world around them. According to the Department for Education, the new framework aims to ensure every young person can “step boldly into the future, with the knowledge to achieve and the skills to thrive as the world around us continues to rapidly evolve.” In today’s digital world which young people are regularly exposed to, the curriculum emphasises helping children “spot fake news, understand online harms and critically evaluate evidence and sources”. The plan to introduce a national oracy framework ultimately looks to support children in becoming confident communicators. At Picture News, we’ve worked to facilitate meaningful, real-world learning with news learning resources for the last decade. Now, we’re ready to help schools to meet these new curriculum expectations! Let’s find out how Picture News resources can turn curriculum priorities into enjoyable learning experiences that connect pupils with the real world. //b667e803ea5399501dccf24f2b415eee.cdn.bubble.io/f1762531498853x572968341885840000/richtext_content.png Weekly news exploration: Making learning meaningful and current Every week, Picture News sends an engaging, age-appropriate news pack straight to schools. Each pack includes vibrant images and videos of the news story in action, thought-provoking discussion questions, and differentiated activities to spark real-world curiosity and conversations. As the resources are talk-based and take a philosophical approach by asking big questions, children are supported to develop curiosity, reasoning, and empathy – all essential skills for life and learning. Sustained news exploration helps schools naturally embed the new curriculum’s focuses, connecting classroom learning with real-world events. Whether used in assemblies, classrooms, during PSHE or citizenship lessons, Picture News resources give teachers a pre-prepared solution to meet these expectations. Media Literacy: Helping pupils think critically about the news With media literacy now central to the curriculum update plans, teachers will need to help pupils analyse, question, and understand the media they consume. Picture News weekly packs include a ready-made, purpose-built Media Literacy resource, developing 4 key skills needed for productive media exploration: Analyse, Evaluate, Research, Act. The Media Literacy resource encourages pupils to reflect on media through discussion, considering questions such as: How might different news outlets report this event?What language or imagery shapes our opinions?What’s missing from this version of the story? By exploring these questions regularly, children learn how to evaluate sources, recognise bias, and navigate information. This supports schools to enable children to “critically engage with the messages they encounter through different media channels”, as instructed by the government. Oracy: Building confident voices through open discussion The new curriculum also introduces a national oracy framework, highlighting the importance of spoken language across subjects. It will aim to help pupils find their voice: expressing opinions clearly, actively listening, and engaging in respectful dialogue. Open discussion is at the centre of Picture News resources. Each week, we pose a big, thought-provoking question linked to a current story, such as: What can we learn from people who prove others wrong? Linking to Ellie Goldstein becoming the first contestant with Down’s syndrome to participate in a full series Strictly Come Dancing. What makes a good peacekeeper? Linking to María Corina Machado winning the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. The open questions within Picture News resources create safe spaces for discussion, reflection and debate, as children learn to explore multiple perspectives and build empathy. Teachers can use Picture News to practice reasoning, listening, and sharing of opinions in school, therefore supporting the oracy framework’s goal to help young people “become confident and effective speakers.” Citizenship and British values: Connecting to the real world Through citizenship education reforms, pupils will be expected to learn about democracy, the rule of law, human rights, and how they can play an active role in their communities. At Picture News, each resource looks to show pupils how they can use their voice to make a difference by learning from the world around them. Every story connects to British values and themes of citizenship. For example: A story about elections links to democracy and having a voice.A story on someone making choices connects to individual liberty and responsibility.A story on acts of kindness or inclusion supports mutual respect and tolerance. By exploring these links each week, pupils can see British values in action and understand how they apply to everyday life. Teacher Support Webinar Covering Media Literacy, Oracy and Citizenship Monday 17th November, 4:00pm – 4:30pm Register here In response to the curriculum announcement, we’re hosting a free 30-minute support session online. We’ll show how our weekly news resources build speaking and listening skills, develop critical thinking about the media, and support children in understanding the world they live in. Suitable for: Headteachers, SLT, Curriculum Leads, PSHE/Oracy Leads, Class Teachers. We'll send the webinar recording to everyone who registers. Using Picture News to support the new curriculum changes Ready-made Picture News resources can help fill the gaps and support teachers to confidently address current affairs in school, whilst supporting pupils to engage with the world around them. Each weekly pack includes: A fresh, relevant news story with a high-quality image of the story unfolding.Discussion questions promoting speaking and listening skills.Flexible assembly and classroom resources.Follow-up activities and reflections to deepen understanding.Links to British values, PSHE, SMSC, Citizenship, Media Literacy.We also offer teacher training and CPD support for our schools – from embedding media literacy and oracy, to developing understanding of British values. Next steps The curriculum changes create an exciting opportunity to shape a generation of thoughtful and informed young people. At Picture News, we’re excited to help schools adapt to the changing learning focus! Discover more about Picture News by trying a free resource here. For more support, come along to our free Curriculum Changes Support Webinar. Register here!
