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As organisations, leaders, educators, parents, and advocates working across the education and youth sectors, we are deeply concerned by the growing crisis facing our schools – and the young people at the heart of them. New research from Mission 44 – the foundation launched by Sir Lewis Hamilton to support young people to thrive in education and beyond – reveals a stark disconnect between students’ needs and their everyday experience of school.
The polling comes amid growing concern about the record-high and rising rates of suspensions and exclusions in England’s schools, and in an increasingly challenging climate for students, parents and teachers. These new findings expose an educational system where too many pupils feel they don’t belong in school, with more vulnerable students most likely to be left behind.
The findings are stark:
These numbers reflect a system in which too many children – particularly those who have special educational needs, are disabled or come from lower-income families – are feeling ignored, unsupported, or pushed to the margins.
The concerns of young people are echoed by their parents. Over a third (34%) believe their child’s learning needs/preferences are not being met, and over a quarter (28%) say their child has felt excluded from school activities or learning. Overwhelmingly, nearly all (94%) parents say an inclusive environment in their child’s school or college is important, and more than three quarters (76%) support schools being required to take student experience into account when making decisions. Two-thirds (67%) would support the creation of a national student experience survey, with higher levels of support among ethnic minority parents (79%). Support is also notably strong for the development of a national standard on inclusive learning, which is backed by 72% of parents.
Through its Nothing Happens in Isolation campaign, Mission 44 has highlighted research, insights, and lived experience to show how unmet needs, poor mental health support, discrimination, and poverty can drive school absence, suspension, and exclusion. It’s clear that these challenges don’t exist in isolation – and they can’t be solved in isolation either.
Whilst we recognise that the government has made efforts over the last year to improve inclusion within the education system, it is clear that we need to go further and faster. That’s why we’re united in calling for urgent, coordinated action to build an inclusive education system where every child feels safe, heard, and able to thrive.
We support Mission 44’s recommendations and are calling for government and sector-wide action to implement the following four measures:
The rationale for these policy recommendations, and the others Mission 44 recommend as part of their campaign, can be read in full here.
Together, we believe these changes can create a stronger, fairer, and more compassionate education system. One that listens to young people. One that works for every child. We stand ready to work in partnership with national and local governments, educators, families and students to make this vision a reality.
Signed,
USA
Outside of the USA