The DofE charity is urging the Government to ‘be bold’ and listen to young people by developing an ‘enriched’ curriculum that develops essential life skills, resilience and independence, alongside core academic qualifications.

The call comes in the DofE charity’s response to the Government’s National Curriculum and Assessment Review. It is echoed by the recently published interim report from the youth-led Youth Shadow Review – which calls for education to provide more opportunities to learn through experience and develop practical life skills – and recent polling showing that just 38% of university students feel the curriculum left them ‘ready for life and work’, and 51% want the chance to learn more ‘life skills.’

The Government’s review, launched in a drive to raise standards in schools and create an education system that is ‘broader, richer and more cutting-edge’ and which ‘sets all young people up for life and work’, will inform an update to the national curriculum that all state schools and academies will be required by law to teach up to age 16.

A central aim of the Review is to deliver “a curriculum that ensures children and young people leave compulsory education ready for life and ready for work, building the knowledge, skills and attributes young people need to thrive.”

The DofE argues that volunteering, activities beyond the classroom and adventures away from home are vital to this, giving students a broader range of skills and experiences that better reflect their diverse talents and prepare them for life beyond the school gates. The DofE specifically has been shown to positively impact young people’s wellbeing, physical activity, skills development, and community ties. There is also evidence that enrichment activities boost wellbeing and pupil engagement with school, as detailed in research published last month by the DofE, Centre for Young Lives and NCS Trust.

Ruth Marvel OBE, CEO of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, welcomes the Government’s focus on developing an education system that truly sets all young people up for life and work – but says this cannot be achieved through academic learning alone.

She said: “Young people are unique and motivated in different ways. Non-formal learning opportunities like clubs, volunteering and adventures away from home support essential, practical skills development, build independence and resilience and enable a smoother transition from education to employment.

“With attendance at an all-time low, school needs to be more engaging and bolster student well-being, and enrichment is a powerful vehicle for that. The Government must be bold and evolve the curriculum so it speaks to every learner and not just those wishing to follow highly academic pathways post 16 – by doing so, young people transitioning to employment will be better prepared and we will have the ‘broader, richer and more cutting-edge’ education system this review seeks to deliver.”

With input from its UK Youth Ambassadors, the DofE charity makes a series of calls as part of its submission to the National Curriculum and Assessment Review. They include:

• The introduction of an ‘enrichment entitlement’: As part of a new ‘enriched’ curriculum, all students should be able to participate in a minimum of 80 hours per year of self-directed, non-formal learning and development activities and experiences in school.
• An enrichment premium: Make enrichment available to all by creating a long-term funding stream which provides targeted support for those from low-income households and who have additional needs.
• A broad, balanced and flexible education system: Rebalancing the curriculum so public exams and academic education is better balanced with other forms of learning and assessment – ensuring all students leave school with the broad range of skills, knowledge and experiences that are needed for success in adult life.
• An updated approach to Ofsted inspections: Develop an enrichment framework and clear guidance to support schools to provide a high-quality enrichment offer as part of their duty to support students’ personal development and well-being. For maximum transparency, this framework should be used to assess the quality of personal development and well-being support as part of the new Ofsted School Report Card.

Listen to Youth Ambassador, Kea, who was part of the Shadow Group panel, as they urge the government to actively listen to young people:

Young people’s views

A recent interim report published by the youth-led Shadow National Curriculum and Assessment Review, revealed that young people want a curriculum that is relevant to life, includes practical based subjects, and moves away from high-pressured end of year exams in favour of coursework and project-based assessments.

DofE UK Youth Ambassador, Kea, 18, a Silver DofE Award holder who is a member of the Youth Shadow Panel, recognises the need for change in the curriculum and supports the DofE’s calls to action. Kea said: “Young people know first-hand what works and what does not; decision-making adults should be actively listening to our opinions, concerns and ideas, recognising our voices and contributions for the worth they hold. Young people like me are passionate about making the world a better place and we now have the chance to do so, by shaping education to work for our futures.

“The Youth Shadow Panel’s interim report highlighted that young people feel that their learning is not preparing them for their futures, and I agree with this finding. Many of the skills I now find essential to my personal life, academic progression and my roles as Youth Ambassador and Panellist have stemmed directly from the extracurricular experiences of my Bronze and Silver DofE Awards. These skills have made me not only a better person, but a more ambitious, capable young adult, which is why I believe it is so important to work towards providing extracurricular access for all young people across the UK.

“There are so many vital skills that cannot be learnt from a textbook or a presentation in a classroom, vital skills which we now have the opportunity to develop within aspects of the curriculum. I look forward to seeing young people’s contributions listened to and acted upon within the National Curriculum and Assessment Review.”

Ruth said: “Around a third of pupils in state schools, and 50% for the most disadvantaged students, fail both their English and maths GCSEs each year, impeding and influencing the next chapter of their life. Young people need a broader choice of learning opportunities and an assessment system that suits all learners, and it’s clear from the Youth Shadow Panel’s interim report, that young people want this too. I urge the Government to listen to their views and ensure the national curriculum evolves into a framework that sets all young people up for life after education.”