Seven in ten teachers say they wish schools were preparing students for more than just exams

A survey out this week shows parents, pupils and teachers all agree there now needs to be a significant shift in the education system, as charity Big Change and the Innovation Unit release a new report on reimagining education - with Andreas Schleicher, Director of Education at the OECD, stating current education systems leave ‘teachers, students and parents feeling disempowered.’

Survey data from YouGov and TeacherTapp shows that teachers, students and parents want less focus on cramming for exams:

84% of teachers think school is preparing children for exams, but three-quarters of all teachers wish this wasn’t the main focus.6 in 10 (60%) of all children aged 11-18, and half (50%) of parents of children aged 11-18, want schools to focus on more than passing exams.

Teachers, parents and students all wanted to see more focus on preparing young people for the future and helping them to become good citizens:

Teachers (84%) and almost two-thirds of children aged 11-18 (65%) wish that education did more to help students learn about making a positive difference to society and the planet. Parents wish that schools would prioritise helping students find what they are passionate about (32%), improve their communication skills (42%) and learn about the environment - a far cry from what they feel schools do best, which is preparing them to pass exams. Almost two thirds (64%) of teachers wanted education to prioritise helping students get the job they want.

Students wanted to see a shift in how they learn, beyond the traditional classroom setting:

Students aged 11-18 feel they learn well when interacting with their peers (76%) and with other adults outside of school (40%) - yet this is not the norm in our education system.

The survey shows widespread acknowledgement that our education system needs a significant change: but currently that change is not coming.

The survey also revealed half of parents (50%) and almost three-quarters of teachers (71%) thought the Government had the most power to reform education positively. The survey results come at a time when politicians are being accused of being distracted by Brexit, with very little meaningful change to education policy in recent years.

The new report from Big Change and Innovation Unit demonstrates how important it is for parents, teachers and pupils to be brought along, as well as the communities around them.

The ‘Reimagining Education Together' report highlights twenty examples from across the world of pioneers who are making change happen in their schools, communities and on a broader scale. They show how businesses, parents, governments and whole communities can come together to reimagine education and take learning beyond the classroom.

Please find the press release available for download for additional information.

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Andrew.devoy@virgin.com

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