Better Schools Report Number six

Better Schools

Schools and Employability How can schools better prepare young people for the world of work? Tim Clark MA, PGCE, FRSA September 2026

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Foreword This latest report by Tim Clark comes at an urgent moment. We are now in the position where close to a million young people are not in education, employment or training - the so-called NEETs. At the same time, employers across major sectors say they cannot find the people they need. Skills shortages sit alongside wasted potential. It is a contradiction that should This report asks a simple question. How are schools

what happens when young people are given that

preparing young people for the world of work,

structure and expectation. They change, and quickly.

and how might they do it better? It answers that question in a way that is practical, grounded and refreshingly free of fashion. But schools cannot carry this alone. One of the more under-examined parts of this debate is the role of trade unions. They are quick to speak on jobs, pay and conditions, and often rightly so. They have also been vocal on the need for a stronger skills system. Union leaders have called for

Trade unions could play a much larger role here than they currently do. They are well placed to support high-quality apprenticeships, to encourage meaningful work experience and to push for training that reflects real economic need rather than abstract targets. They can also help shift the culture, away from a passive model where employability is someone else’s problem, towards a more active one where it is a shared responsibility.

better apprenticeships, more investment in training

Some of this is already happening. There are calls

and a clearer national strategy. All of that is welcome.

for a new skills settlement, for better coordination

Yet there is a missing piece. If we are serious about employability, then responsibility does not stop at the school gate or the employer’s door. It runs through the whole system. Trade unions are part of that system. They shape expectations in the labour market. They influence policy. They speak for millions of workers. With that influence comes a duty not just to defend existing jobs, but to help prepare the next generation to enter them.

between education and industry, for a system that works. The question is whether those calls will translate into action. Tim Clark’s report is clear about one thing. Education is not a narrow pipeline into the labour market. It is about forming people, not just preparing workers. That means knowledge, culture and character. But it also means being ready for life as it is lived, which includes work. We cannot continue with a system in which opportunity exists on paper but not in practice.

At present, too many young people leave education

Nor can we continue to treat employability as an

without the habits and attributes that make

afterthought. If nearly a million young people are on

employment possible, let alone sustainable.

the margins, then something is not working.

Employers say it consistently. It is not simply

This is a shared problem. Government, schools,

about qualifications. It is about attitude, reliability,

employers and unions all have a part to play. The

communication, resilience. These are not fashionable

question is whether each is prepared to take it

words, but they are the difference between someone

seriously enough.

getting on and someone drifting. At Finito Education, this is where we focus our

If they are, the gains will be substantial. If they are not, we already know the outcome.

efforts. Mentoring, exposure to real workplaces, and a relentless emphasis on personal responsibility.

Ronel Lehmann,

Not as a slogan, but as a practice. We have seen

Founder and Chief Executive, Finito

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Contents 06

Introduction

08 The Context 12 Careers Education 16 The Curriculum 22 Knowledge vs Skills 26 The Wider and Hidden Curriculum 28 Early Years 30 Practical Difficulties 32 Recommendations 34

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Conclusion

BETTER SCHOOLS THE FUTURE OF THE COUNTRY

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Introduction Earlier this year, I had the privilege of being invited to co-author a report on the current NEETs crisis for the charity The Jobs Foundation. That report comprised two parts: the first discussed the role that business and employers can play in supporting NEETS and the second, for which I was largely responsible, considered the role that schools can play. The purpose of this report is to simply look in more detail at how schools can better prepare young people for the world of work.

The thought-provoking research published by

Such a situation is clearly beyond the ability of

The Jobs Foundation in several recent reports has

schools to resolve (and beyond the remit of this

highlighted how current employers are actively

report). What we argue here, however, is that

discouraged from employing young people because

schools can be empowered to much better prepare

of government policy, while the general economic

young people for employment than many schools

climate has resulted in fewer jobs being available.

do at present. This is definitely not, however, a call

In December 2025, for example, ONS labour market

for some sterile, utilitarian school system which

statistics revealed that whereas in 2022 there was

is geared to the current economic needs of the

one job vacancy for every unemployed person,

country. Rather, we call for a school system that

by December 2025, there were two unemployed

produces well educated, highly motivated and hard-

people for every vacancy – the worst scenario since

working young adults who possess the knowledge,

lockdown and one which reveals a return to pre-

skills and personal attributes necessary to build a

COVID levels.

successful future, and who are also knowledgeable about the world of work and about the opportunities

The demand side of the unemployment/NEETs

available to them, whatever their ability, their

crisis was highlighted by Lord Wolfson, Chief

background and wherever they currently live.

Executive of Next, which employs over 30,000 people:

On 28th May 2026, Alan Milburn published his Young People and Work: Interim Report [YPAW], a detailed

“Next typically received 10 applicants for every job

and valuable piece of research covering education,

in its shops, but that number has since risen to 19...

health, the benefits system, taxation and other

If you look at retail over the last 25 years, 70-80%

factors impacting on the NEETs crisis. His interim

of the names that were there then have gone…

report, however, contains no concrete remedies or

As a result of cost increases, Next [now has] fewer

plans for action: we shall have to wait for the final

staff in individual shops.”

report to see his practical recommendations.

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The context The unemployment rate of young people is now more than twice that of the overall rate of unemployment. Furthermore, the “long-term scarring impact” of being NEET for a lengthy period on young people, society, and the economy, is a growing concern. “It is of particular concern that 48% of young people in the UK are still not in education, employment or training a year after they first become NEET, equating to more than 360,000 young people,” said the Learning and Work Institute in a report in April 2025. There is also evidence to suggest that if a young person is not in employment by the age of 24, he or she will never work. The issue of regional disparity must also be considered. The Learning and Work Institute’s recently updated Youth Opportunity Index highlights that there are substantial disparities in the education and employment opportunities available to young people across England. The best-ranking local authorities are mostly in London, with Sutton coming out on top, while young people in Knowsley, Merseyside, have the worst access to opportunities in the country. “The report notes, “Poverty and worse opportunities for young people generally go hand in hand but some areas don’t follow this trend; Hackney is ranked among the most deprived places in England but ranks 17th for youth opportunity. Since the Index was first published in 2018, the employment and education opportunities available to young people in most local authorities in England have improved, and the gap between the best and worst local authorities has narrowed.…. However, there are still substantial differences in education and employment opportunities both within and between regions of England which need to be addressed.” The jobs market in general has recently become more demanding. As a result, many well qualified youngsters are being rejected after applying for numerous jobs. In particular, the number of graduate jobs advertised has slumped: reed.co.uk reported a drop from 180,000 in 2021 to just 50,000 in 2025. [Daily Mail 14 January 2026] Despite this,

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numerous important job vacancies remain unfilled: • 52% in construction • 43% in information and communications • 42% in manufacturing • 40% in health and social care [DfE, Skills England: Sector evidence on the growth and skills offer, July 2025] “Britain faces a critical workforce emergency… Critical skills shortages are leaving huge numbers of jobs unfilled across key sectors with some industries facing a complete breakdown in their ability to recruit.” [FE News, 2 June 2025] This skills gap costs the economy up to £39 billion annually in immediate economic losses, escalating to £120 billion by 2030 without intervention. [Chris Simmance, Enterprise Skills, October 2025] It is not, of course, the responsibility of schools, nor the remit of this report, to discuss job creation. Our purpose is rather to determine how schools can support the economy by better preparing young people for the jobs that are available. A school system that supports business and the economy can only benefit society and the country as a whole. I should stress, however, that this report does not see education as “utilitarian” and is far removed from the infamous argument of the nineteenth century Chancellor Robert Lowe

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that, “The lower classes ought to be educated to discharge the duties cast upon them”, Primary and Classical Education, 1867. Education is not just concerned with knowledge and skills: it is about the development of the mind, the body and of individual character. Education is about preparation for life – sport, music, drama and inquisitiveness in higher cerebral matters such as politics, philosophy, faith and religion, should all be stimulated by a great

1,012,000

education. True education should empower all, regardless of background or ability, to thrive in life, not just in employment. That said, a truly great education will, indirectly, also stimulate selfawareness, social awareness, social competence, creativity, self-discipline, motivation, resilience and independence – all crucial attributes for a thriving economy.

MALES

1,012,000 16 – 24 year olds in the UK were not in employment, education or training, 13.5% of the age range.

400,000 (40%) “unemployed”

(available and actively seeking work)

40%

60%

12.5%

SEPTEMBER 2026

14.4%

ONS MAY 2026:

FEMALES

613,000 (60%)

“economically inactive” (not actively seeking employment)

THE HEALTH FOUNDATION, 15TH MARCH 2026:

44%

of NEETs report a “work limiting health condition”, up from 26% in 2015 [the non-NEET figure is approximately 12%]

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A Case Study: The NHS In recent years, the NHS has relied more and more on both doctors and nurses who have trained overseas. In November 2025 the General Medical Council declared that 42% of UK doctors had qualified overseas and that, “UK health services could be left with ‘huge holes’ if a trend for internationally qualified doctors to leave the workforce gathers pace,” GMC 21 November 2025. In the same month, the OECD published research which showed that the UK employs significantly more overseas trained doctors than the OECD average, and that a smaller percentage of the UK population are medical graduates than the OECD average. Similarly with nursing, there has been an increasing reliance on internationally trained nurses. “Nearly all (93%) of the government’s target of ‘50,000 more nurses’ [has] been achieved through international recruitment. 1 in 3 nurses in the NHS in England trained abroad,” The Health Foundation, March 2024.

“Nearly all (93%) of the government’s target of ‘50,000 more nurses’ [has] been achieved through international recruitment.”

There are, of course, a variety of reasons as to why there are shortages of British-trained doctors and nurses: pay, for example – nurses in Australia, New Zealand and the USA earn substantially more than UK nurses and such countries are proving increasingly attractive for UK-trained medical practitioners. The question must be asked, however, is our school system producing what the NHS needs in terms of workforce? To produce the requisite number of doctors but not enough nurses would suggest a strong academic school system but a weaker vocational one; vice versa, a system that created enough nurses, but not enough doctors, would suggest a system that was more vocationally focused. If, however, England has neither a strong academic nor a strong vocational system, what does our school system currently produce? [NB it must be noted that education is a devolved matter; much of the data and examples used in this report will refer specifically to England.]

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Careers Education In recent years, careers education in England’s secondary schools has been given a higher and higher priority while the Careers and Enterprise Company is also currently running a pilot in primary schools, Start Small, Dream Big, to take career-related learning into primary schools in disadvantaged communities across the country. The Education Act of 2011 established a statutory

even though the number of reporting institutions

duty to ensure that all young people (under 19)

increased. Benchmark 5 [Encounters with employers

should have access to careers guidance. Although

and employees] proved to the most successful.

much of this support was already offered by schools, the 2011 Act placed a duty on secondary schools to

The latest Ofsted inspection Framework, [the

secure access to “independent careers guidance”

ninth in thirteen years] the November 2025

for their pupils, preventing the advice and guidance

Inspection Toolkit, highlights the need for, “an

being offered by either, “1. a teacher employed

appropriate careers programme that meets

or engaged at the school or 2. Any other person

the Gatsby Benchmarks and includes impartial

employed at the school.”

advice and guidance from a qualified careers adviser, opportunities for workplace experiences

Since 2015 schools have been required to follow

and engagement with employers, colleges,

statutory guidance on careers education and

training providers and universities”. Similarly, for

since 2023 the Ofsted Framework has stressed the

schools with sixth forms, inspection considers,

importance of “next steps” and Careers Information,

“how the wider curriculum enriches students’

Education, Advice and Guidance]. To support this,

education by providing careers education, work

since 2015 the DfE has funded The Careers and

experience, industry placements”. Unfortunately,

Enterprise Company (CEC), which provides digital

however, although such statements appear to

resources and Careers Hubs, bringing together

prioritise meaningful careers education, the

employers, educators and providers, to which some

whole topic is subsumed under the more general

90%+ of secondary schools currently belong. The

title of “Personal development and well-being”,

present government has announced its ambition

which includes other weighty topics such as

of establishing a new jobs and careers service in the

pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC)

future, but in the meantime, the DfE continues to

development, the understanding of fundamental

fund the National Careers Service which is intended

“British values” (democracy, the rule of law, mutual

to provide free and impartial advice, information

respect and tolerance etc), promoting equality

and guidance to anyone aged 13+. The Service

and understanding of protected characteristics as

offers web chats, webinars and individual guidance

defined in the 2010 Equality Act, mental health,

appointments online or at an appropriate venue.

recognising online and offline risks to well-being, physical health as well as relationships, sex and

Both the Statutory Guidance and Ofsted Framework

health education. Each one of these is crucial to a

have placed heavy emphasis on the eight

young person’s development and preparation for

Benchmarks devised by the Gatsby Foundation,

adulthood, but since they are all grouped together

[published in 2014, revised 2025] the charitable

under one inspection grade, the quality (or lack

foundation established by David Sainsbury (see

of it) of careers education can be easily masked

opposite page). The CEC reported in 2023/24 that

by performance in any of these other areas under

schools and colleges in England fully achieved

the same inspection heading. Likewise, careers

on average 5.8 benchmarks out of the 8, 0.3

education in the sixth form is also diluted under the

benchmarks higher than the previous year (5.5),

generic evaluation tile of “Post-16 provision”.

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The Gatsby Benchmarks Benchmark 1: A stable careers programme Careers programmes will need to be “tailored to the needs of pupils, sequenced appropriately, underpinned by learning outcomes and linked to the whole-school development plan”.

The DfE updated the statutory guidance on careers

Benchmark 2: Learning from career and labour

to take effect from September 2025. It states

market information Schools and colleges must meet their statutory requirements to provide independent careers guidance, acting impartially and not showing bias

explicitly that all institutions should adhere to the updated Gatsby Benchmarks and adds that: “We strongly recommend that all schools and

towards any route.

colleges work towards the national Quality in

Benchmark 3: Addressing the needs of each

of their careers programme. This external

young person Careers programmes should now seek to “challenge misconceptions”, and schools will be required to keep systematic records of the “participation of

Careers Standard to support the development assessment allows independent judgement of the quality of careers provision, including its impact upon learners’ career-related learning.”

pupils in all aspects of their careers programme”. term destination data as part of their evaluation process and use alumni to support their careers programme”.

Increased work Experience From September 2025, all institutions should ensure that every pupil has multiple first-hand experiences of workplaces by the age of 16 and at least one

Benchmark 4: Linking curriculum learning to

further such experience by age 18. The vision is that

careers

two weeks’ worth of work experience should be

Benchmark 5: Encounters with employers and

broken down into:

employees. Every year, from the age of 11, pupils should participate in at least one meaningful encounter with an employer. Benchmark 6: Experiences of workplaces

• one week’s worth of work experience activities in Years 7 to 9 • one week’s worth of work experience placement(s) in Years 10 to 11

All secondary pupils to be entitled to two weeks of

The activities in Years 7 to 9 should consist of

work experience

‘multiple, varied and meaningful employer-led

Benchmark 7: Encounters with further and higher education Under the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022, schools must meet their statutory duty to provide at least 6 opportunities for providers of technical education and apprenticeships to talk to all pupils, during school years 8 to 13, about their education or training offer.

activities’ – for example, visits involving employerset tasks, work-shadowing or talks in workplaces. Placements in Years 10 to 11 should allow pupils to “experience a real working environment”. Pupils will be able to take their days with more than one employer and spread their placement time across a number of days or weeks at any point in the two years.

Benchmark 8: Personal guidance Every learner should have at least one personal guidance meeting with a careers adviser by the age of 16, and a further meeting by the age of 18. BETTER SCHOOLS SCHOOLS AND EMPLOYABILITY

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SEPTEMBER 2026

Schools will also have to use “sustained and longer-

Success/Benefits of Careers Education

knowledge of technical or practical careers.

The new statutory guidance highlights that:

motivation, attendance, work ethic and success.

High-quality careers guidance helps:

“EngineeringUK has been tracking the annual

• young people make informed choices about their

demand for engineers and technicians needed

futures, so they can develop their interests and

to just keep pace with infrastructure and other

potential, and follow the path that is right for

engineering projects... Despite the prioritising

them to progress into work

of STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering and

• break down barriers to opportunity • improve skills needed for success in work • improve national productivity and grow the economy There is no doubt that effective careers education and guidance can be a great motivator as youngsters are encouraged to begin to understand the whole point of education, that it is leading somewhere and that in order to get there,

Having a goal and knowing what you need to do to get there, can only have a positive impact on

Maths] in many schools and 2018 being denoted the “Year of Engineering” in the UK, almost half of those between 11 and 19 said they “know little or nothing about what engineers do”. “Overcoming the Shortage of Engineers”, Riad Mannan, 2021, NewEngineer.

Careers education is most effective when it is embedded in the life of the school, where it is not

they have to work hard and to succeed. This was

a “bolt on” but part of the standard curriculum and

reflected in the 2015 Statutory Guidance which

of the everyday experience of the pupil: regular

stated that the aim of careers advice and guidance

subject-specific careers talks, presentations, visits,

is that pupils should be, “inspired and motivated to

podcasts, articles for discussion, wall displays

fulfil their potential”.

all help to highlight the purpose and value of

Only 47% of those aged 18 to 24, and just 36% of those who are NEET, agreed that they felt ready for work when they left education. YPAW 351 Not the least important purpose of good careers education is to simply open the eyes of youngsters to what is out there. How many teenagers know

the curriculum. Gatsby Benchmark 4, “Linking curriculum learning to careers”, may at times be seen by class teachers as yet another hurdle for them to think about and another impediment to completing the examination syllabus, but encouraging youngsters to think about the relevance and future use of a specific subject can

what a quantity surveyor, a full-stack developer or

only be of benefit, not least in terms of aspiration

an actuary does for a living?

and motivation.

Young people “can’t dream of a future they

CEC’s research has suggested that young people

have never been shown”

in schools and colleges with the highest quality

Sir Martin Oliver, HMCI, 14th January 2026, Livery Schools

careers provision are 8% less likely to become

Conference

NEET, and that this reduction in NEET rates can

“You can’t be what you can’t see”. Thinking Differently Report, Construction Youth Trust, March 2025

reach 20% for the most disadvantaged schools, resulting in a saving to the Treasury of £150 million each year.

Typical teenagers will be limited in their experience of career options – perhaps just to teacher, doctor, nurse, police officer, the armed forces and to whatever their parents/carers may do for a living – and have even less first-hand 14

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SEPTEMBER 2025

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The Curriculum The school curriculum has been, and continues to be, a topic of deep contention. Should school be about academic subjects? Should everyone study the same (as originally intended by the National Curriculum) or should individual schools/ academies be free to devise their own curriculum? Should each pupil be free to choose options according to personal taste, interest and aptitude? It is essential, in the interests of social cohesion and equality, that all youngsters, regardless of background or ability, are exposed at school to the highest levels of learning and culture – where else will everyone have the same opportunity to experience the arts, humanities, sciences, performing arts and other “cultural capital”? But it is also essential that the school curriculum enables young people to develop their own talents, interests and aptitudes. We must strike the right balance between compulsion and freedom; between not pigeonholing people too early while also allowing youngsters to develop their various abilities and talents. There is no doubt that the existing National Curriculum has had a traditional academic bent and the two main measures by which secondary schools are judged, Progress 8 and Attainment 8, are both at least partly weighted towards academic subjects. The previous government ambition that 90% of pupils should be studying the EBacc [English language and literature, maths, at least two GCSEs in science, a humanity and a foreign language] by 2025 only reinforces this educational philosophy. In reality, only about 40% of pupils currently study the EBacc and fewer than 15% of state-funded schools even meet the earlier ambition of 75% of each school’s pupils studying the EBacc. Surely, this proves that a “one size fits all” is simply not appropriate for many pupils and that a broader curriculum from the age of 14, rather than 16, can only be advantageous for all – pupils, teachers, employers and society as a whole? 16

One stated aim of the Becky Francis curriculum Review was to “develop strong occupational pathways at Level 2” [GCSE level] and to prepare youngsters “for future life and work”. Regrettably, the final report has called for a moratorium on technical awards at Key Stage 4 (14-16): a major missed opportunity. Starting such courses at 16, very often when traditional GCSEs have been “failed”, does nothing for the status or popularity of vocational courses – they are often perceived as second best, and there is certainly no “parity of esteem” with traditional academic courses. Many youngsters are bound to ask, what is the point of eleven years of compulsory schooling, of working hard or of even attending, if they leave with nothing or, worse still, realise that they will probably leave with nothing from about Year 9 onwards. This is certainly not an argument for “prizes for all” - we must insist on the highest standards in all subjects, not solely in traditional academic subjects. As well as successful academics, our schools should also be producing high performing electricians, engineers, car mechanics and others, ready for further education, apprenticeships or employment, rather than churning out “failures” who lack the knowledge, skills or motivation to positively contribute to the economy. Sir Anthony Seldon: we should be considering not, “how intelligent are you…. But how are you intelligent?”

Original cartoon, in German, Hans Traxler, 1976

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Since most youngsters take nine subjects at GCSE, there should be a wide offer of English, maths, the sciences, languages, humanities and performing arts as well as of high-quality practical, technical and vocational options. GCSE outcomes across all subjects at grade 4/low C have remained fairly constant [the spike in 2020 and 2021 was a consequence of COVID and school closures – teacher assessments were used in place of the annual summer examinations] with roughly a third of pupils failing in each GCSE subject. What have those third of pupils usefully gained? How are they prepared for their next steps? % of GCSE “passes”, ie grades 4 and above

the more vocational baccalauréat professionnel, offering more than a hundred specialities for those wanting to become cooks, butchers, plumbers etc. Each baccalauréat has its own dedicated lycée which pupils attend for three years between the ages of 15 and 18 [the equivalent in England of starting sixth form studies a year early, ie in Year 11 rather than in Year 12]. Yet in England, even where academic selection still exists, non-grammar schools are still required to follow the academic National Curriculum [unless, if academies, they choose their own curriculum] and to be measured against largely academic standards in the public examination performance tables.

analytics.ofqual.gov.uk

66.6%

2019

67%

2020

75.9%

2021

76.9%

2022

73%

2023

67.8%

2024

67.4%

2025

67.1%

Significantly, the determination to persevere with a one size fits all approach is not replicated in all similar OECD countries.

Qualifications are one of the most powerful protective factors against the risk of becoming NEET. Where the system fails to provide them, it leaves young people exposed.

SEPTEMBER 2026

2019

Technical Awards at Key stage 4 [14-16] make up only around 6% of grades awarded. The school system [up to 16] is built on young people gaining qualifications which is not the same as ensuring they are ready for work YPAW 341, 347, 368

In Singapore, often held to possess a world-leading education system, at 12, pupils take a Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) which leads to one of three secondary routes, one of which is “technical”. Similarly in Germany, after completing primary school, only a minority of pupils attend the academic gymnasium (aiming primarily at university preparation) while the majority of others attend a range of non-academic schools, including Realschule or Hauptschule, which offer more vocational courses. In France, home of the internationally respected baccalauréat, only some students pursue the highly academic baccalauréat general, while others undertake the baccalauréat technologique [offering, amongst other topics, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electronics, applied arts, business administration, marketing and hospitality] or

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City and Guilds – a short case study

When GCSEs were introduced in the late 1980s, the

Despite the lack of practical, technical and

for all pupils, replacing both GCE O’ Level (for the

vocational options in mainstream schools, many highly successful and respected courses already exist, for example, those offered by City and Guilds at Level 1 [entry level], Level 2 [GCSE level] and Level 3 [A Level]. There is no legal reason why mainstream schools should not offer such courses but there are very real practical reasons why very few schools choose to offer them, ie a lack of suitable staff and of appropriate facilities. Both of these barriers are surmountable in the long run but in the short term, schools could (as some already do) share staff and facilities with a local college. Yet again, however, in rural areas, where there may not be a suitable provider on the doorstep, any off-site arrangements become less feasible. The City and Guilds Institute is a registered charity founded in 1878 by the City of London and a group of City livery companies. “City and Guilds has over 130 years of experience in vocational education, having been created in response to the needs of business to develop a pipeline

rationale was to provide one examination system more academically bright and a preparation for GCE A’ Level) and CSE, for the less academically able. The obvious drawback, however, is that it is that one examination clearly cannot suit all – while one third of 16-year-olds still fail each GCSE, at the top end of the ability range, there is no comparison in the academic demands of GCSE with those of the former O’ Level. Continual grade inflation has also contributed to hiding the fact that the most academically able are not stretched as they could or should be. For all the recent talk of raising academic standards such as with the introduction of the EBacc and Attainment 8, academic standards were higher forty years ago. Surely, where employers require certain knowledge or aptitude – in maths, science or languages, for example – they need youngsters to be as proficient as possible in the required subject areas? By broadening the curriculum at 13/14+, it will enable pupils of all abilities, aptitudes and interests academic, technical, vocational and practical - to be encouraged and pushed into achieving the highest possible standards in their respective fields.

on that heritage to create vocational services

A simple example: comparing CSE and GCSE French

that continue to meet the changing needs of

FRENCH for the CSE, English Universities Press

of well-trained talent. We’ve continually built

businesses in the UK and around the world…For almost 150 years, we have been developing the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to help business thrive, we offer a broad and imaginative range of products and services that help people achieve their potential through work based learning. We believe in a world where people and organisations have the confidence and capabilities to prosper and in the future. So we work with like-minded partners to develop the skills that industries demand across the

Limited, 1968 The first chapter is a passage for translation written in the past historic (the French literary tense) and includes the word la convoitise [greed, covertness] and the phrase, “lui dit-il avec plus the mépris que de colére” [he said to him more in contempt than in anger]. Questions for research: 1. Discuss the great variety of agricultural activity in France referring to some of the main regions and their products. 2. Describe the

world.” [cityandguilds.com]

present system of government in France. 3. Choose

Its Level 2 technical qualifications for 14-19

of the composer.

year olds currently include, business support, professional cookery, healthcare, care and childcare, agriculture, electrical installation, pluming, engineering and automotive. These

any French opera, tell its story and what you know

GCSE AQA French, Grades 9 -1, CGP, 2016 The first chapter is headed, “General Stuff” (in English)

courses are designed so they can be combined

There is no mention of the past historic – it is not

with maths, English and other traditional GCSEs.

currently required even for A Level.

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Topics: My family and friends; free-time activities; technology and social media; customs and festivals; lifestyle; social and global issues; travel and tourism; future study and employment. Of course, many will argue that GCSE is different from its predecessors - eg there is now a far greater emphasis on speaking and listening and on topics such as lifestyle and hobbies rather than on formal grammar as there was in the past – which is certainly true, but it is equally true that the academic demands of GCSE are lower than of its

truly serving the needs of individuals nor of the economy as a whole. When discussing the curriculum, mention must be made of AI which challenges not only what is taught but how it is taught and, indeed, the whole concept of schools. AI can certainly bring benefits to both teachers and pupils: it can remove some tiresome bureaucratic jobs, it can help to create dynamic and engaging lessons, it can support individualised learning and feedback. That said, there are also dangers: AI can perhaps make pupils

predecessors.

less mentally rigorous by appearing to always

Much has been written about the link between

one) at the press of a button; it might discourage

low educational attainment and criminality.

provide an answer (not necessarily the correct individual thought, inquisitiveness and cognitive risk taking. It is quite possible that in the not-too-

read below Level 1 standard (GCSE entry level)

distant future some will claim that schools will

and 62% score below this threshold in maths.

become an anachronism and that all teaching and

(hmprisonservice.co.uk) On the positive side, of

learning can be personalised, AI generated and

those adult offenders released in 2024 after serving

remote. Such an argument completely misses the

sentences of at least three months, 65% had

point that schools are not just about knowledge

voluntarily participated in at least one accredited

and academic learning, they are also about the

education course while in prison; 56% successfully

development of personal skills, character and

achieved at least one qualification. Roughly a

relationships, whereas AI is of course, by definition,

quarter of those participating undertook courses

“artificial”. As argued below, playing in a team,

in English and maths but the majority of courses

singing in a choir and participating in other non-

(52%) were in vocational subjects. (www.gov.uk)

qualification activities, not to mention working

Whilst there is not enough evidence here to prove

together in groups in lessons, teach relationship

a direct correlation between levels of educational

and social skills which simply cannot be gleaned

achievement and prison, there is certainly enough

from sitting at home alone looking at a computer

evidence to at least suggest that a broader,

screen. (Interestingly, during lockdown, the two

more inclusive school curriculum could help

things that children reported to miss most about

far more young people to leave school with the

school were playing football and spending time

qualifications, knowledge, skills, experience and,

with friends – not their lessons!) As long as human

most importantly, the motivation to help them

beings continue to interact, such socialisation

to find meaningful employment and to positively

remains essential. It is also imperative, however,

contribute to the economy. This is not about “prizes

that young people are kept up to date with AI

for all”, but about “opportunity for all”.

and technology in general – the curriculum must

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According to HM Prison Service, 47% of prisoners

evolve. This is certainly not to argue that traditional We must also be wary of creating a curriculum

subjects should be replaced, but the way those

that is limited to the needs of the local economy.

subjects are taught and studied will naturally

Research in 2017 found that although almost a

change over time; curriculum time must also be

half of Britons live in or near their childhood home,

found to enable all young people to keep abreast of

the majority now live on average 100 miles from

advances in AI, IT and technology; these must form

where they were born, compared to just 5 miles

a compulsory part of the curriculum, at least until

a generation ago, with 21% moving specifically

the age of 14. The young adult who is not adept at

for employment. [Daily Mail, 7 April, 2017] Courses

using the latest IT will not only be of limited use to

which tie young people to the specific demands of

most employers but will simply not be equipped to

local employers and businesses are not, therefore,

successfully function in contemporary society.

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Artificial advantage? AI in the classroom and the inequality gap. The Sutton Trust, Research Brief, July 2025

The evidence is that most teachers are now using AI... only 16% said they had never used AI (down from 41% in April 2024). But only 8% of private school teachers do not use AI, compared to 17% in state schools. Private school teachers (45%) are more than twice as likely to have had formal AI training than state school (21%); private schools are three times more likely than state schools to have a clear school-wide staff strategy on using AI (27% vs 9%).

with a salary attached. But, as always in education, decisions must not be made for financial reasons but in the interests of the individual and of the national interest. For many, three years at university is not necessary or relevant, but for others, especially those who have the ability to study an academic subject at the highest level, then university must always remain a manageable and realistic option. At all levels - Key Stage 4 (GCSE), Key Stage 5 (A/T Levels) and post-18 - a range of suitable pathways must be open to all. If this is not the case, the wide variety of talent, expertise and experience necessary for future economic growth, will simply be lost or wasted.

There are also gaps within the state sector. Teachers with the most affluent intakes were more likely to report having had formal training than the least affluent (26% vs 18%). Although the inexorable march of AI will continue to revolutionise the world of both work and leisure, for the time being at least, many client facing jobs will be safe. Reed.co.uk identifies nine roles that stand out as particularly AI-proof and which are likely to remain in high demand for decades to come: health and social care worker; cyber security specialist; teacher; paramedic; recruitment consultant; residential surveyor; tradesperson; hospitality assistant; estate agent. “Human intuition, emotional intelligence, physical dexterity and unpredictable real-world judgement remain beyond the reach of today’s AI and probably tomorrow’s.” [James Reed, Daily Mail 14 January 2026] If schools are to adequately prepare young people for their next steps, it is essential that a requisite number of appropriate curriculum options be available at all levels. In recent years, there has been a definite move away from the Blairite policy of sending 50% of the population to university [for which there seemed to be no economic demand or explanation, neither at the time, nor since] not least because most graduates now leave university with debts of over £60,000, in addition to the fact that it is graduate job opportunities that seem to be declining, partly because of the AI revolution. This drop in university applications coincides with the growing appeal of employer-led pathways, often 20

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Knowledge vs Skills Recent research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development has revealed that what most entry level recruits suffer from is not a poor education or a lack of numeracy or literacy, but a lack of maturity, a poor attitude or personality, a lack of motivation and a lack of soft/ personal skills. New recruits are held back by poor social skills and by not knowing how to behave in the workplace. Yet the findings are certainly not all negative: employers readily accept that young people bring new ideas to the workplace, possess skills that older workers do not possess and are particularly competent with technology.

useful and “powerful”. There must be an end to the nonsensical knowledge versus skills debate – which is partly fired by those who see “skills” only in terms of practical, hands-on skills, rather than cognitive skills such as evaluating, reasoning, analysing or debating, which are central to all subject areas; a joint emphasis must be placed on both in-depth subject knowledge and on the skills required to use that knowledge. We must also not forget the softer skills such as being able to undertake independent research, to work in groups, to present findings and to understand the views of others.

CIPD Changing Face of the Youth Labour Market Report, Dec 2024. Lizzie Crowley, Senior Policy Adviser, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Although I do not believe that it is always necessary for youngsters to understand the relevance of every point of grammar, mathematical equation or geographical fact, what is important is that they are required to use and apply the knowledge that they learn in school. The application of knowledge and skills aids and deepens understanding but also helps to prepare youngsters for real-life situations.

F i g u re 1 9 : E m p l o y e r s ’ p e rc e p t i o n s o f y o u n g w o rk e r s ’ ( 1 6- t o - 2 4 - y e a r - o l d s ) e x p e c t a t i o n o f w o rk a n d t h e w o rk p la c e ( % )

F i g u re 2 2 : S k i l l s l a c k i n g a m o n g e d u c a t i o n - l e a v e r s re c r u i t e d t o t h e i r fi r s t j o b , 2 0 2 2 ( % )

Employers who did recruit young people aged 16 to 24 were also asked a number of

questions related to their views of young workers: their characteristics, experience and skills, In recent years there has been a government and expectations of work. Figure 19 shows employers’ perceptions of young workers’ expectations of work and the workplace: emphasis on a “rigorous and knowledge-rich • There is a strong degree of consensus that employers feel that young workers value education”. knowledge, we are dealing flexible workingWithout more than previous generations (78% agree) and that a work–life balance is more important to them compared with previous generations (82%). with makealso believe, fantasy and fiction. Although • Employers think that young workers expect to make a quick and positive impact on the workplace (64%) and that they expect faster career progression than previous generations (74%). knowledge is clearly an essential part of education • The majority of employers also agree that younger workers are more likely to be frustrated by rules and bureaucracy and expect a relaxedthe working environment [“to be culturally literate(69%) is to possess basic (80%). • Yet, over half (53%) think that younger workers do have amodern realistic expectation of information needed to thrive innotthe world”, work and working life. ED Hirsch, Cultural Literacy, 1988] knowledge Figure 20 shows employers’ perceptions of young workers’ skills, characteristics and experience. The survey evidence shows that employers have relatively negative perceptions and understanding alone should not be the only about younger workers’ social skills, their preparedness for work and their knowledge of how to behave in the workplace: goals – far more important is the ability to use • Over half (52%) of employers disagree that young people making the transition from education to work are well prepared for knowing the world of work.historical facts, and to apply knowledge: • Over half (56%) of employers think that young workers are more difficult to manage than previous generations. for example, is one thing, but the skills to analyse, evaluate, assess and to apply that knowledge to argue and debate are research what makes The questions were sourced from the following publication: Grant, K.,that Egdell, V., knowledge and Vincent, D. 3

3

16-year-old school-leavers

17-to-18-year-old school-leavers

17-to-18-year-old FE collegeleavers

University or higher education leavers

(2021) Young people’s expectations of work and the readiness of the workplace for young people: Two sides of the same coin? Edinburgh: Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland.

22

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Sectoral and occupational shifts and future prospects

“Grades get you through gateways. Qualities of mind determine whether you flourish on the other side.” Professor Guy Claxton, 2016

A survey by Barclays Corporate in 2024 found that 75% of manufacturers report that a shortage of skills is the top barrier to growth and 91% of manufacturers agree that they are taking on more responsibility to train their workforce owing to the scarcity of skilled labour. Furthermore, 39% of skills required today are expected to be transformed or to become outdated over the period 2025 to 2030. Analytical thinking remains the most sought-

Fusion skills list definitions 1.

Oral communication: presentation skills Speaking and listening to transmit and understand information and ideas

2. Collaboration and teamwork: Working cooperatively with others towards achieving shared goals 3. Initiative: Being resourceful and achieving without always being told what to do 4. Problem solving: Finding solutions to complex situations and challenges 5. Organisational skills (planning, time

after core skill among employers, with seven

management, deadlines, prioritisation,

out of ten companies considering it as essential

multi-tasking): Managing time, energy, and

in 2025. This is followed by resilience, flexibility

resources to achieve

and agility, along with leadership and social influence. (World Economic Forum, The Future of

ability to respond to changing circumstances 7. Written communication: Writing across

The key point about skills, be they practical or

all formats to clearly present ideas and

academic, is that they must be transferable. The

information

notion of a job for life has long since vanished but also, the notion that any job that exists today will look exactly the same in twenty years’ time, is equally anachronistic. Adaptability and resilience are more important today than ever before. The willingness to learn and to adapt must be instilled in young people throughout their time in school. Skills and attributes such as collaboration, independence, creativity, critical thinking, communication (verbal, oral and electronic), inquisitiveness, adaptability and persistence must not be permissive optional extras to schooling: they must be a central part of it.

8. Independent working / autonomy: Selfmanaging actions and choices while also interacting with others 9. Critical thinking: Making reasoned judgments that are logical and well-thought out 10. Resilience: Using tactics to overcome setbacks and achieve goals 11. Creativity: Using imagination and generating new ideas 12. Analysis and evaluation skills: Investigating, synthesising and making judgement in an informed and systematic way

In 2019, the City of London Corporation commissioned research into transferable,

www.findfusion.org.uk

employability skills. Its initiative, Find Fusion,

The lack of appropriate skills appears to be an issue

defined twelve “fusion skills”: competencies,

for all age groups - while young people also appear

characteristics and tools that individuals need to

to be less work-ready than ever before. The Institute

excel in the 21st century. Find Fusion argues that

of Student Employers reported in the tenth edition

fusion skills are ubiquitous and relevant across

of their Student Development Survey [2025] that 54%

all industries and are based on research with

of employers reported that graduates do not meet

both schools and employers, yet the skills appear

expectations in self-awareness; 46% had concerns

to be continually underrepresented in both

about graduate resilience and 22% said that verbal

education policy and practice.

communication is a concern.

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SEPTEMBER 2026

Jobs Report 2025)

6. Adaptability / flexibility: The willingness and

“The most important attributes are trust, honesty and integrity….. Attaining a certain qualification is all fine and well, but employers are looking for team players, high achievers, people who have passion and who are engaged.” Ronel Lehmann, Finito

Of course, there will be some who argue that education should be more about knowledge than skills. The work of ED Hirsch and his colleague Daniel Willingham is often quoted by opponents of “progressive education” which, since the sixties, saw a move away from the primacy of factual knowledge and a greater emphasis on higher-order skills such as metacognition and critical thinking. Instead, Hirsch and Willingham argue that core knowledge is necessary for deeper, higher level thinking – that you need knowledge in order to acquire and develop

The continuation of traditional academic subjects, at least to a basic level, is also essential to avoid a utilitarian approach to education and to ensure that every young person has at least some understanding of the country and world in which we all live. Every child should also, regardless of background or ability, be exposed to high culture: Shakespeare, Dickens, Mozart and Monet should not be the preserve of the rich or academically able, nor to those who experience a certain type of family home and upbringing. The need for a broader range of skills was reinforced by the World Economic Forum’s, “The Future of Jobs” report, published in 2020. It argues that by 2025, the top fifteen skills needed globally include: 1. Analytical thinking and innovation, 3. Complex problem-solving,

thinking skills - and, of course, they are right. But this is the key point: we must teach knowledge in order to then develop the higher thinking skills - we need both knowledge and skills, not one at the expense of the other. Hirsch, is often misunderstood: although he argues that knowledge does have intrinsic value, not least for aiding understanding, comprehension and for “cultural capital”, it is also the foundation of higher skills – deeper knowledge will result in deeper critical thinking. And this applies to all subjects, to traditional academic subjects and to all others. (Hirsch and Willingham also argue that children from disadvantaged backgrounds in particular benefit from a structured knowledge base, simply because they are less likely to acquire it at home.) Regrettably, a knowledge rich approach is often misunderstood and taken to mean Gradgridian facts for the sake of facts. The Hirsch approach is succinctly and successfully explained by Katherine Birbalsingh:

4. Critical thinking and analysis 9. Resilience, stress tolerance and flexibility (soft skills)

Chuck Geschke

“Knowledge is essential for learning. It underpins all higher order skills. If we want our pupils to be able to analyse and evaluate, we must first ensure they know and understand what they are analysing or evaluating.”

Co-founder of Adobe Classics Systems and the PDF format

Martha Lane Fox

UK Digital Champion and co-founder Lastminute.com

Ancient and Oxford modern history University

Anne

Former CEO Xerox

English

Marymount College

CEO RBS Americas

English

Bridgeport University

During the weekly subject quizzes at Michaela School, the questions pupils are asked, “force them to think about, apply and manipulate their knowledge.” Katherine Birbalsingh, Headmistress of Michaela

Baroness Susan

School, “The Power of Culture” 24

All of these skills, however, can be successful taught and developed through traditional academic subjects. Geography, for example, is not the rote learning of facts for the sake of it: facts are essential, but it is the analysis, evaluation and the use of factual knowledge to reason, argue and understand that make geography such a valuable subject. The power of the transferable skills developed through the study of traditional academic subjects can by shown by this random selection of leaders in their field: Career Charles MillerSmith

Degree subject

Chief Executive then Mediaeval and St Andrews Chairman of ICI modern history University

Mulcahy Ellen

University/ college

Alemany

Xavier University

Scientist and Profes- Psychology sor of Pharmacology

Oxford University

Former Head of the CIA

Ancient Greek

Goss

Yale University

Sir Anthony

Theoretical physicist

Classics

Oxford University

Greenfield Porter Johnston

James Leggett

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The Wider and Hidden Curriculum “Soft skills” are life skills that are not subject specific,

The White Paper, “Every child achieving and

but which are essential for young people to become

thriving”, February 2026, recognises the importance

active and valuable members of society. Skills such

of extra/co-curricular activities stating, “Enrichment,

as resilience, stress tolerance, teamwork, leadership,

which has for too long been the privilege of the

creativity, enterprise and the ability to be flexible should be taught from nappies onwards and, again, can be successfully inculcated through traditional academic subjects as well as through sport, music, drama, school trips and activities such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award. Over time, I have become more convinced of the appropriateness of the independent school appellation of “co-curricular” activities, as opposed to the traditional state school nomenclature of, “extra-curricular” activities. For many youngsters, what they learn and experience playing in the orchestra, being in a team or competing against other schools, individuals or

a few, must now become part of a common entitlement.” It fails, however, to explain how this will become reality, simply remarking that an Enrichment Framework will be published later this academic year. The possibility of leadership roles and positions of responsibility within the school encourages youngsters to experience decision making and of taking responsibility for their decisions, decisions which may well impact on others. Prefects, mentors, monitors, form/year group/charity

against the elements on an expedition, is at least as

representatives and roles helping to run activities

important as what they learn in a specific subject

and events for younger pupils, all help to develop

lesson. Soft skills are most successfully ingrained

character and personality.

when they are part of the whole school ethos what used to be termed the “hidden curriculum”

As I argued in “Better Schools – The Future of

- whereby pupils are immersed in an environment

the Country”, the introduction of a national non-

which challenges (but equally, supports) and which develops character as well as specific knowledge and skills by insisting on punctuality, smart personal appearance, good manners, respect, personal responsibility, honesty and a good work ethic. Pupils who are required to turn up on time, to work hard, to compete, to show respect, to face clear sanctions and consequences for poor behaviour and to accept responsibility for their actions, will develop into maturer members of society. Those who join in with teams and groups in sport, music and drama will develop confidence and resilience, learn to accept failure, learn to work with others but

academic employability leaving certificate [NELC] at 16 or 18, which records and evaluates attendance, punctuality, behaviour, attitude, application and commitment to extra/co-curricular activities and to school life, would raise the importance of such soft, but crucially important, skills. It would also remind youngsters that they, and no one else, are accountable for their attitude, behaviour and work ethic. What could be better preparation for adult life and employment than the teaching of personal responsibility? What could also be of more use to an employer or admissions officer than knowing

also to show initiative and leadership, to be creative

about an applicants’ work ethic, attendance and

and intuitive: all skills and attributes so essential to

attitude, rather than, as at present, only their

employers.

examination results?

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A proposed National Non-academic Employability Leaving Certificate Name: Date of Birth: Pupil identification number: All data is for Years 10 and 11 or for Years 12 and 13 only Very poor

Below average

Average

Good

Excellent

Work ethic Honesty Manners

%

School average %

National average %

Attendance Unauthorised absence

School average (days)

National average (days)

No of days suspended

SEPTEMBER 2026

School average No of detentions No of isolations/internal exclusions

Positions of office/responsibility/leadership held

Positions of office/responsibility/leadership available

School teams/organisations attended regularly

School teams/organisations available

Awards, certificates and prizes attained – sport, music, drama, Duke of Edinburgh

Awards, certificates and prizes available – sport, music, drama, Duke of Edinburgh

Any additional positive or extenuating comments:

School authorisation number: Authorising signature:

BETTER SCHOOLS SCHOOLS AND EMPLOYABILITY

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Early Years It may appear, at first glance, out of place to have a section on early years education in a report discussing readiness for work, but nothing could be more relevant. There can be no doubting the formative influence of children’s first few years of life in their future social, emotional, physical and cognitive development and it is no surprise that one common denominator amongst several leading international school systems is the wide availability of effective pre-school provision. Solid foundations are the basis of later achievement:

seen more often as baby sitting and childcare rather

a child’s development by 22 months serves as a

than as child development. Despite the crucial

strong predictor for education outcomes at age 26

importance of the early years, there seems to be a

and every £1 invested in early years saves £13 in later

much greater interest shown by both politicians and

interventions [kindredsquared.org.uk]. Similarly,

the public in performance at primary and secondary

almost half the attainment gap at GCSE is evident

school level. By then, however, it is too late.

before children start formal schooling at the age of five. An obvious example of this is the fact that,

Youth disengagement does not begin at 16. In

regrettably, 26% of children arrive at school not potty

too many cases, it begins long before a child ever

trained; the equivalent of one day per week is spent

reaches the school gate…. A study of over 8,000

on potty training those not already trained. This time

young people in Bradford found that children who

lost in reception is very often simply not made up

were not school-ready at ages 4-5 were nearly three

elsewhere.

times as likely to be NEET at ages 16-17 years old…

The message we hear consistently from employers is that the most important thing they look for in new recruits is attitude, and attitude is something that is formed from the sandpit onwards.

The scale of inequality is stark. For the most advantaged child, the probability of becoming NEET is 1%.... For the most disadvantaged, it is 25%... The relationship between social background and

“The research is clear: disadvantage starts early”.

educational attainment in England is unbroken….

Website: kindredsquared.org.uk

84% of the variation in GCSE attainment is explained by individual factors or factors outside the school

Most businesses can train their employees in the

gates.

skills and knowledge required for that particular

YPAW 295, 302, 304, 310, 293

sector, but only if the employee has the right frame of mind. This has nothing to do with academic ability

The most coordinated attempt at a national pre-

or qualifications but with the quality of personal

school programme was the “Sure Start” initiative,

development. The consequences of failing to

introduced in 1999, which aimed to offer “one stop

develop basic human skills and attributes in every

shop” centres which would provide health services,

individual are long-term underachievement, failure

parental support and early years learning and

and possible criminality.

childcare. The centres were initially to be based in areas of disadvantage, but with a later aim of

Regrettably, 0-2 is seen in England more as a health

extending them to all areas. Tony Blair described

than an education or child development issue; it is

Sure Start as, “One of New Labour’s greatest

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achievements.” From 2010, successive governments have cut relevant funding with the result that many centres have subsequently closed. In the White Paper, “Every child achieving and thriving”, however, the government called for the establishment of “Best Start Family Hubs” which “will build on the very best of Sure Start children’s centres.” There is no question that “Sure Start” was expensive [at its peak in 2010, when there were over 3,000 Sure Start Children’s Centres in operation, total spending was £2.7 billion per year at current prices. IFS 2025], but there has been ongoing debate as to whether the programme was successful in achieving any of its educational aims of improving attainment, behaviour and future life chances, as well as over the question of value for money. Perhaps the best assessment of Sure Start comes from Alun Francis, Chair of the Social Mobility Commission: “Overall,

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while there is definitely more to be learned from Sure Start than we thought, it is not a panacea. It is not the whole programme that worked but parts of it. And we still need to be much clearer about which aspects were most valuable. Moreover, even a reformed Sure Start will not be enough on its own. It would need to be accompanied by policies for families – and a recognition of the changing and complex nature of their make-up today.” TES, 3rd May 2024

Since the demise of Sure Start, one policy supported by all main political parties has been the move towards universal childcare, increasing the number of hours of free childcare available to working parents. Although one successful aim of the policy has been to enable more parents, especially mothers, to return to work, the educational benefits of only providing greater childcare are disputed, simply because the raison d’etre is childcare and not early years education or child development. “The claim that expanding the offer of universal childcare will create a more equal society by reducing attainment gaps between more and less advantaged children is not supported by available evidence… The connection between early formal childcare and social equality remains, as such, largely speculative.” Civitas, January 2024

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Practical Difficulties 1. The teacher recruitment and retention crisis is beyond the remit of this report, yet it must be stated that it remains the single greatest barrier to school improvement. “A lack of teaching staff was reported to be the most common barrier to teaching both in England and across the OECD (54% of [English] pupils attended schools where the headteachers reported this hindered instruction “to some extent” or “a lot”, compared to 47% across the OECD).” [PISA 2022, p13] “For poor pupils the difference between a good teacher and a bad teacher is a whole year’s learning.” Supporting the attainment of disadvantaged pupils, DfE November 2015 In 2024, over 40,000 teachers (more than 9% of the workforce) quit for reasons other than retirement. Although primary school rolls are dropping, it will take several years for this to work through to secondary schools, so recruitment and retention will remain a major inhibitor for several years to come. And it is double edged sword – we are losing many of our best and most experienced teachers at the same time that fewer people are training as teachers, especially in some key subjects. Although there are signs that recruitment to teacher training courses has eased in the last couple of years, still only 88% of the secondary target was met 2025-26, despite the targets being reduced by 19% because of “better retention forecasts”. [NB Are these forecasts or just wishful thinking? We shall only know the true state of teacher retention at the end of the academic year.] The targets were still missed in business, computing, design and technology, modern foreign languages and physics (for which only 37% of the applicants were British nationals.) Of relevance also, in terms of good role models, only 31% of applicants to teacher training this year were male. The recruitment and retention crisis is clearly affecting schools. January 30

2026, roughly 25% of schools have no “in-field” physics teacher and roughly 58% of GCSE physics classes are taught by “out-of-field” teachers. [The Institute of Physics] How can we possibly raise standards in such a crucial subject area, without the requisite number of subject specialists who are also highly trained, motivated and effective classroom practitioners? Teacher quality is the single largest in-school determinant of pupil outcomes. A year with a good teacher can add months of progress. A year without one can set a child back by the same margin. The young people who most need high-quality, sustained teaching are least likely to receive it. Disadvantaged pupils are on average more likely to have out-of-subject, inexperienced or unqualified teachers. Schools in the most deprived areas, in coastal towns, in post-industrial communities, in places where NEET rates are highest, struggle hardest to recruit and retain good teachers. YPAW 317, 318

2. The single biggest reasons for teachers quitting early is workload and stress – cited by 74% and 73% respectively of those who recently left the profession for reasons other than retirement. [Working lives of Teachers and Leaders, published November 2025 [84% and 75% respectively in November 2024] The new statutory guidance on careers may well be perceived by the profession as yet one more thing to do, another reform that schools will have to implement alongside any changes adopted by the government from the recent curriculum review, in addition to the demands of the new Ofsted Toolkit [from November 2025]. It will do nothing to ameliorate four of the top six reasons for teachers BETTER SCHOOLS SCHOOLS AND EMPLOYABILITY

quitting: workload; stress; “pressure relating to pupil outcomes” (53%) and “government initiatives and policy changes” (35%). 3. Funding. There is no doubt that the new statutory guidance, especially the new work experience requirements, will create a significant financial burden for schools. Central government funds the NCS and CEC but who will fund the additional school staff required to arrange and monitor compulsory work experience placements and to take responsibility for implementing the Gatsby Benchmarks and other careersrelated requirements? Where is the money for “independent” careers advice? This cannot be undertaken by existing staff as part of their current duties (not least, for the reason above - workload) so will require additional staff appointments. From where will the money come?

5. Schools do not and cannot operate in a vacuum. Young people only spend, on average, 17.5% of the year in school: for 82.5% they are susceptible to the pressures and influences of home, friends, the media and of society as a whole. It is harder for schools to insist on high standards, good manners and selfdiscipline if these influences of home or of wider society run counter to the mores of the school; likewise, it is more difficult for schools to insist on hard work, aspiration and high achievement if job opportunities are not available or if a benefits culture appears to make qualifications pointless. The UK does not have a welfare system that treats participation as a core objective for young people…. It is designed in such a way that many young people can feel they are risking a secure income of £2,000 or more in benefits each month if they do try work.

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Last year’s [report] release found the state of school funding worsening, with many school leaders reporting having to cut down on staff, as well as spending on a range of other activities in their school. This year’s survey suggests that far from improving, the situation is getting worse, with even more cuts to staffing, IT equipment, and sports budgets, as well as trips and outings, across both primary and secondary schools.

on the college site, partly in consequence of high dropout rates and lower than expected uptake but, primarily, because of the lack of local employers willing or capable of engaging.

Investment in benefits is prioritised over employment support. YPAW 495, 6.1

The Sutton Trust, April 2025

2025-26 per pupil spending in England, for 5-16 year olds, was £8,210 [www.gov.uk]; this compares with average independent day school fees of £18,456 per annum (excluding VAT) [ISC Annual Report 2025]. 4. One other practical problem facing schools is that local employers, where they exist, are not always able or willing to accommodate pupils. Rural and coastal areas, as well as other areas where there are few employers and job opportunities, pose particular difficulties. What do schools do where opportunities simply are not available? A specific issue concerns T Levels, for which industry placements are a mandatory and critical part of each course and require a substantial period of time (at least 45 days) in the workplace. Since January 2025, however, 20% of the placement can be undertaken remotely instead of in the workplace, or as “simulated activity”

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Recommendations 1. In order to raise their profile, profile, careers

5. A broader KS 4 curriculum, with more high-

education, work experience and preparation for

quality technical, practical and vocational courses.

“next steps” should be a specific, stand-alone area

Work experience components in relevant subjects

for Ofsted inspections and to be reported/graded

are to be optional (replaced by in-school scenarios

as a separate, identifiable item on a school’s Ofsted

and simulations) so that schools and pupils in

report card.

areas with few employment opportunities are not penalised. Pupils must also not be limited by the

Destination measures do not in general drive

demands of the local economy. In order to prevent

Ofsted judgements or funding. They do not

young people being pigeonholed too early, more

trigger intervention when outcomes are poor.

general practical and technical courses could

A metric that carries no consequence is not

be offered at 14, preparing the way to greater

accountability, but at best information.

specialisation post-16. Courses in construction, for

YPAW 364

example, could cover varied aspects of plumbing, carpentry and brick laying while broad ranged

2. Additional ring-fenced funding for employing

design and technology courses could include

work experience co-ordinators and careers’ advisors

a variety of materials, design approaches and

should be available to every school. If all pupils are

construction techniques.

to be found meaningful work placements, this will take time and resources which many schools do

Regardless of ability or aptitude, all teenagers must

not currently possess. Dedicated specialist careers

be able to maximise their full potential – be the

staff can also support the wider school in delivering

subject classics or electrical training, the goal must

the Gatsby Benchmarks and other careers-related

be to produce the best classicists and the best

requirements.

electricians.

3. To introduce a non-academic leaving certificate both to provide employers and admissions officers

6. As a consequence of a broader curriculum at

with relevant information, but also to encourage

14-16, there should be an emphasis on attaining

senior pupils to take personal responsibility for their

higher standards in all subject areas, academic and

behaviour, attendance and work ethic.

non-academic. There should not only be a variety of courses in terms of academic, practical and

4. Greater emphasis in examinations and in

vocational, but also the option to study subjects at

programmes of study for all subjects, academic,

different levels. This will enable more pupils to make

practical, technical and vocational, to be placed

effective progress but also enable the most able to

on the use and application of subject knowledge

be pushed to a much higher level. This should not

as well as on factual recall and understanding -

prevent pupils of all abilities studying, for example,

to include analysis, evaluation, critical thinking,

modern foreign languages, but if all pupils are no

problem solving etc. Schools are naturally primarily

longer required to follow the GCSE programme,

focussed on exam performance because that

different courses could then aim to stretch the best

is how they are publicly judged, so only if the

linguists further than at present while other courses

demands of examinations change – what and how

could cater for less able linguists.

they assess – will classroom teaching change. 32

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7. Schools to be supported in using “assertive discipline” – sanctioning pupils for poor behaviour, poor work ethic, lateness and non-attendance, all essential requisites for the workplace. No pupil, regardless of background, ability or SEND should have the right to disrupt the learning of others nor to make school difficult, unpleasant or unsafe for other pupils or adults. 8. Additional ring-fenced funding should be found to support extra/co-curricular and other non-qualification activities such as sport, music, drama, volunteering, charity work etc. Since “workload” remains the biggest cause of the teacher recruitment and retention crisis, additional personnel and adult supervision will be required if all pupils are to benefit from a wide variety of extracurricular options. 9. Some form of incentive to be given to employers to encourage them to offer more work experience

SEPTEMBER 2026

placements and to engage with schools – without their willing support, little will be achieved. See the Skills Tax Credit already suggested by the Jobs Foundation. 10. Urgent action to resolve the teacher recruitment and retention crisis. No school system can be better than the quality of its teachers and the system will only deliver if and when we have an adequate supply of highly trained, highly motivated and highly effective teachers. 11. Early years – high quality early years education [NB not just childcare and child minding] should be available to all who require it; it should be means tested to make it accessible to all. Since the most effective way of supporting SEND children is to identify and provide for their individual needs as early as possible, this could also enable far more SEND pupils to benefit from subsequent mainstream schooling. Formal parenting classes should be compulsory to all who wish to access child benefits, covering issues such as health, child behaviour, cognitive, emotional and social development, education and how to ensure children are “school ready”. Parenting should also be a compulsory topic in the National Curriculum PSHE programme at Key Stage 4 and 5.

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Conclusion Joseph Stalin allegedly once said, “One death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic”. Sadly, although not feeling comfortable with quoting Stalin, the sentiment applies equally to NEETS. We can bemoan the ever-increasing number of young people not in employment, education or training, but it is so easy to forget that each and every individual statistic is a very real young person without opportunity, income, prospects or even hope. The damage done to the individual is unimaginable, while the damage done to the economy and to society as a whole, is simply unacceptable. Central government clearly has a crucial role to play in creating economic growth and greater employment opportunities: we cannot expect employers to take on more and more young people, to train them and, as is so often the case in the current economic and technological climate, to retrain them in a few years’ time, if the employers’ sole reward is higher National Insurance and higher taxation. That, however, is beyond the remit of this report. What, on the other hand, is also very clear is that schools can be empowered to better prepare all young people, whatever their ability or background, for the world of work.

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We cannot, however, expect schools to deliver if they are hamstrung by appalling pupil behaviour, non-attendance, aggressive parents, a lack of resources or facilities or if they are held back by the single biggest issue facing schools over the last ten or twenty years – the severe teacher recruitment and retention crisis. No school system can be better than the quality of its teachers and only if and when we have an adequate supply of highly trained, highly motivated and highly effective classroom teachers, will the system really deliver. Much of what I have written in this report has already been discussed in previous reports. There is a simple reason for this: what employers need most is young people who can think for themselves and who are keen, committed, hardworking, trustworthy, reliable, resilient, loyal, responsible and adaptable, regardless of their qualifications or academic ability. Such personal attributes and behaviours should be the consequence of a disciplined, caring, challenging, engaging and appropriate education – the very essence and purpose of “better schools”.

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About the author

Tim Clark was a secondary teacher for 32 years and a Head for 18 years, firstly at a selective grammar school which he led from “good” to “outstanding” and latterly at a difficult comprehensive academy, sited on one of the largest and most deprived council estates in east London, which he “transformed” (Ofsted 2017). In 2019 he moved into education consultancy and professional development training, specialising in school improvement and leadership development. He has supported schools in all sectors, primary and secondary, state and independent, both in this country and abroad. In 2020 he co-authored an influential report on Ofsted for the think tank Policy Exchange, where he is a Senior Fellow. In 2026, Tim co-authored the report, “Jobs and Education: Building the Bridge to Opportunity” for the Jobs Foundation.

Finito Campus, Sutherland House, 3 Lloyd’s Avenue, London, EC3N 3DS 020 3780 7700 | www.finito.org.uk | www.finitoworld.com 36

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