The future of education hinges on the voices of young people, who are not only its primary beneficiaries but also its most insightful critics. As a youth panelist for the Shadow Curriculum and Assessment Review, representing Save the Children UK, I have seen that young people do and continue to play a crucial role in shaping the future of education. This has been consistently emphasised throughout our interim report which was launched by the Youth Shadow Panel at the beginning of February. The Shadow Review represents the views of more than 10 million young people in England, and our report delves into their experiences and aspirations within the current education system; and also empowers students to speak up, advocating for changes that can make the education system better for everyone.
READ THE FULL REPORT
Our interim report illustrates that involving young people in educational discussions fosters a sense of agency. When students are given the opportunity to voice their opinions, they can influence and it helps to foster a sense of ownership, making what they learn more relevant and meaningful to their lives.
Their feedback is clear: there is a demand for practical skills like financial literacy and critical thinking, which are essential for navigating real-world situations, as both are heavily used in today’s society. Students felt that the very things that affect their future were absent in their education (things like climate change), and even for topics currently present in the curriculum, several respondents feel that classroom activities present a barrier to those subjects being engaging in their learning. There was also a desire for more political education, as several respondents from KS3-KS5 shared that they enjoy it and believe there should be greater inclusion of it in the curriculum.
Politics [is] a vital part of our society and the amount of school children who know nothing about politics is concerning. The most recent election had a 60% turnout rate... it's unlikely to change if people are not educated in the way it works - KS5 student
This quote in itself explains the urgency for young people to be receiving political learning. It underscores the consequences of this knowledge gap—specifically, that low engagement in democratic processes can persist if students are not educated about how politics functions.
Additionally, the Youth Shadow Panel emphasises the need for a more inclusive curriculum, as currently students feel as if they learn history from a one-sided perspective; History lessons are often ethnocentric to British glory and European history. Students expressed wanting the curriculum to be more diverse and representative, so that all students see themselves reflected in what they’re taught, and feel a sense of belonging while simultaneously breaking down stereotypes.
So, what does change look like?
The Youth Shadow Panel has put forward recommendations which we hope the Government Panel members will take forward.
Our recommendation on exams having a place but having fewer of them, less weighted and spread out across the year, really resonates with me due to my own experiences of education. As I am currently studying for my GCSEs, it genuinely feels so overwhelming, having these sets of exams feel like they are the be-all end-all at the end of the day. Students everywhere pulling all-nighters, cramming in information from so many different subjects, and carrying the weight of so much exam stress- all of which are leading to worse mental health in young people today. This is why I believe that more coursework should be incorporated for students from a younger age, as this will help to decrease exam stress and make students feel more control over their learning; this would also better prepare them to carry out coursework at higher levels of education, highlighting how these changes will not only benefit them now, but in the long term. However, this should be paired with adequate support from teachers so students can feel a sense of direction in the work that they produce, and so that they don’t feel overwhelmed with doing the work they are doing independently.
Furthermore, assessments should also be fostering skills that we want young people to be developing, for example critical thinking. At school level, a lot of what we learn can often feel as if it is just rote-memorisation and ‘useless’ to an extent, where students think they will never need this knowledge in the future and are just told what to believe instead of developing critical analysis for themselves. Alongside rote-learning, there should be more interactive lessons so students feel more engaged in their learning; as well as more lessons on essential life skills like financial and importantly, political literacy- so young people can critically examine sources to inform their views, and express them confidently, and stopping the increasing rise of misinformation.
Take part in our upcoming workshops
In March and April 2025, the Youth Shadow Panel will bring children and young people together online and in-person to share their experiences and views on education, and engage in discussions around this. The events will focus on the key themes which were presented in our interim report. The events will be interactive, fun and free, and we'd love you to join us, along with your friends and/or siblings.
Find out more and register on our website
