The Future of education: priorities for the next election

England currently has one of the narrowest education systems in the world, with pupils only studying 2.64 qualifications on average post-16 in 2022, according to Ofqual data. The Royal Society has long been a champion of reform in this area, recognising that young people need to be educated in a broad range of subjects not only to enter the workforce, but also to ensure emotional and mental wellbeing, and to equip them to be active participants in democracy and society.

You can read a summary of some of the prominent recommendations proposed by delegates here. The recommendations broadly fell into the below categories.

• Educational purpose and value: reimagining what education should be for;
• Curriculum: making learning broader and more balanced;
• Assessment: replacing high-stakes, knowledge-heavy examinations with continuous assessment and a broader criteria;
• Post-16 and further education: promoting and encouraging alternative pathways;
• Digital and education technologies: bringing education into the 21st century;
• Teaching: creating the conditions that enable teachers to be effective in educating young people;
• Greater fairness: reforming the system so that all young people can experience a high-quality education.

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