The Youth Shadow Panel has worked incredibly hard over the last seven months to publish a report that represents the lived experiences of young people, which is underpinned by the expertise of sector leaders, and respectful of the boundaries of what teachers and schools can deliver. Our recommendations are evidence-based and aim to produce an education system which truly supports the diversity of students in England, and equips us with the skills we need in the present and future.
We marked the release of the report with a launch event in Parliament on Tuesday 8th of July, attended by over 100 stakeholders spanning parliamentarians and government representatives, members of the DfE Curriculum & Assessment Review (the Review) team, charities and campaigners, alongside educators, children, and young people. The response was overwhelmingly positive. Since the launch, we have already received meeting requests from key people in government, and notable individuals made very supportive comments at the event.
Nadia Whittome, MP for Nottingham East, stated her belief that:
“The Youth Shadow Panel’s recommendations offer a vision for how we can reform education to better meet the needs of all young people, while supporting teachers… The Curriculum and Assessment Review Panel, and the government, should take young people and the Youth Shadow Panel’s recommendations seriously.”
Dave Parr, Chief Executive of Oasis Group, commented:
“It's a shame this is the Shadow panel, this should be the centre of the Review’s recommendations, what you've [the Shadow Youth Panel] designed is really important.”
Rockelle Garen, A-Level student who attended one of our roadshow events in spring, concluded her speech with the following:
“Education can empower students through learning if we decrease the quantity of assessments, increase their quality and subsequently carve out the time for enrichment and practical learning. This will lay the foundations for young people to learn, thrive and make change so that we may move forward as a global community.”
Sarah Hall, MP for Warrington South and officer for the APPG on Inclusion and Nurture in Education, stated about the report:
“This is an overhaul. We need to make the classroom a place where children can thrive. We must make the voice of young people truly heard and need to make sure you're central moving forward.“
Following the event in Parliament, Youth Shadow Panel Chair Amira Campbell met with Professor Becky Francis to officially hand over a copy of the report to the Review team. They discussed the Youth Shadow Panel’s recommendations, how the Panel arrived at these recommendations and the opinions of students across England, and how the recommendations fit into wider conversations around education.
The Shadow Curriculum and Assessment Review team will continue meeting and working with relevant stakeholders in and out of government. We’re looking forward to the launch of the Review’s final report, to see how the DfE takes on implementing the changes recommended and how these reforms answer the calls of students.
Our report is now available for all to read, share, and support on our website. We have also produced a headline summary in an easy-to-read version.
To show your support for the youth-led recommendations, please sign our open letter calling on the Department for Education and the Curriculum and Assessment Review Panel to adopt them in the Review's final report and implement them in the following education reform processes.
