Category: policy
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22 July, 2024Speakers for Schools Response to The King’s Speech 17 July 2024
Speakers for Schools Response to The King’s Speech 17 July 2024 ‘My Ministers will seek to raise educational standards and break down barriers to opportunity.’ We welcome these words spoken by the King yesterday in his speech outlining what the new Labour government will be driving through in the coming months. Raising educational standards and ensuring schools […]
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18 June, 2024General Election Spotlight: How does each party envision the future of education?
General Election Spotlight: How does each party envision the future of education? Surveying the political landscape Education has fallen to an all-time low on the list of voters’ top priorities, crowded out by concerns around the cost of living, health, and ‘the economy in general’. However, it is fundamental to all the above and unless it is seen […]
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31 May, 2024How does work experience work in Northern Ireland?
How does work experience work in Northern Ireland? With the restoration of devolved government to Northern Ireland in February 2024, what can we expect from the newly appointed Ministers responsible for supporting post-primary work experience? Understanding the sectors The school system is different from elsewhere in the UK, given the segregated nature of education provision, […]
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15 May, 2024Developing young people as a whole
Developing young people as a whole Is our obsession with attainment leaving them behind? The importance of socio-emotional skills Here at Speakers for Schools, we strongly believe that work experience and enrichment activities outside the central curriculum, in its wide range of forms, are crucial to developing young peoples’ social and emotional skills and affecting […]
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29 April, 2024Universal Work Experience Gains Public Support In New Report
Universal Work Experience Gains Public Support In New Report The recent report by the Edge Foundation provides insight into the appetite for reform within 16 -19 education, highlighting findings that demand immediate attention from employers, educators, and policymakers alike. Here’s a breakdown of the key revelations: Interestingly, this support for mandatory work experience cut across […]
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14 March, 2024Enhancing youth skills for future employment
Enhancing youth skills for future employment Last week, we held an inspiring roundtable in Portsmouth to rethink the intersectionality of education, skills, and social mobility. We invited a diverse assembly of businesses, educators, policymakers, and, most importantly, young voices to discuss the barriers young people face to succeed, irrespective of their social class or place […]
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19 January, 2024Revolutionising the Labour Market: Unleashing productivity by putting skills first.
Revolutionising the Labour Market: Unleashing productivity by putting skills first. In the ever-evolving landscape of industries, accessing and retaining talent has become a critical concern. Recent data from the World Economic Forum (WEF) reveals that a staggering 61% of businesses are worried about the availability of skilled individuals in the next five years. This concern […]
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11 January, 2024The intersection between regional barriers and digital skills divides for young people
The intersection between regional barriers and digital skills divides for young people The opportunity to thrive for our young people – whether academically, professionally or otherwise – is, despite the best efforts of many, still often determined by one’s location. In an increasingly digitised world, it is easy to imagine that all geographical barriers to […]
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13 December, 2023Enhancing Careers Education: A Call to Embed Work Experience in Secondary Curriculum
Enhancing Careers Education: A Call to Embed Work Experience in Secondary Curriculum The UK House of Lords Education for 11-16 Year Olds Committee has published its inquiry report, finding that the system is failing to prepare young people to take advantage of the full range of options post-formal education or to meet the future demands of the […]
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8 December, 2023Our top four takeaways from PISA 2022 findings
Our top four takeaways from PISA 2022 findings Over the past couple of days, headlines have rightly covered the decline in attainment in mathematics, reading, and science across the UK and internationally in the latest findings from OECD’s PISA report. Although performance in mathematics in England has decreased to a lesser extent than in some […]