In December, the House of Lords called for an urgent overhaul of education, particularly at secondary level, arguing that the focus is now almost entirely on academics, at the expense of wider knowledge, skills and behavior. did.
Probably everyone has thought about it at least once during their education. “But how does this help in the real world?” The usual response to that was almost always, “Well, that'll be on the exam.” This may sound familiar, but it turns out that the House of Lords thinks the same way.
It also became clear that it was not just the content that was being taught that mattered. Our charity, Young Enterprise, was founded by Sir Walter Salomon in 1962 and is originally based on his successful Junior Achievement program in America (now Junior Achievement Worldwide). He praised the ability of U.S. philanthropic organizations to foster skills in work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy. Above all, he was particularly impressed by its “learning by doing” philosophy.
What is clear from the House of Lords report is that this type of learning has been replaced by rote learning in the secondary education system. Schools are encouraged to focus on a limited number of core subjects, giving students the opportunity to experience more practical and applied learning and to study creative, technical and vocational subjects. It is decreasing. Not only is this the type of learning that students prefer, it is also often the type of learning that they are good at.
Does education need to be reconsidered?
With nearly every part of the curriculum being assessed by increasingly high-level exams, there is intense pressure on students, and many students are under-achieving with the literacy, numeracy and digital skills they need to succeed in the real world. not.
Without a focus on applying these skills in real-world situations, our education system becomes uninspiring for many, and there is a disconnect between the skills students have and the skills employers want. It is clear that the gap is widening.
Today's students are less prepared for the world of work
A recent Teach First survey found that an astonishing 79% of teachers believe that today's students are less prepared for the world of work than in the past.
For young people, it is not always clear how learning how to solve quadratic equations or analyze English texts will be useful or relevant to their careers, much less their lives in general. The good news is that we can do this effectively in a way that aligns with the UK academic curriculum by embedding an ethos of applied learning throughout the curriculum. Last year, an important report published by The Entrepreneurs Network (TEN) in collaboration with Young Enterprise showed that delivering applied learning increases young people's confidence and engagement levels, leading to improved academic performance. .
Another important finding in this report is the impact of applied learning on school attendance. The UK is currently facing an urgent national crisis with the number of children missing school soaring since the pandemic, with ministers discussing the need to rebuild the social contract between parents and schools. . What about the kids? A report released by CSJ Thinkthank in January found that promoting sports and extracurricular activities is a far more effective way to get students back to school, while the existing approach of simply fining parents Questioning the effectiveness of the strategy.
The world of work is changing and so are the skills employers are looking for.
According to statistics released by the European Union, demand for digital skills is expected to be higher than any other skill set by 2030. The House of Lords is advocating for the creation of additional pathways to support the development of students' digital skills. This could be facilitated by the creation of new qualifications.
But as we've seen in financial education, just participating in the curriculum doesn't change the dial. While increasing support for teachers to use digital tools is paramount, so is providing support for students to build and apply those skills in real-world settings. This principle is very important. It is not enough for students to use technology in the classroom. They need to translate this experience through applied learning into practical digital skills that are useful outside the school gates.
Meanwhile, new research from the Educational Policy Research Institute shows that the achievement gap between disadvantaged students and their peers has widened since 2019, with the gap widening particularly among consistently disadvantaged students. It is shown. This widening achievement gap points to a strong need to rethink how education is delivered to reach and engage all young people.
We know that applied learning is proven to improve student engagement, achievement, and job readiness. If students can connect what they learn to their future, they will be more engaged. It becomes more involved in their lives. By supporting teachers to provide this, we can help young people use their learning to prepare for more confident and productive futures.
This article was written and brought to you by Sharon Davies, CEO of Young Enterprise.
