Mission 44 – the foundation launched by Sir Lewis Hamilton to drive change so that every young person can thrive in school and access great careers in STEM – is calling for education system reform, as a new nationwide study reveals a stark and urgent need for the system to better support, listen to, and include young people; particularly those most vulnerable.

The polling, part of Mission 44’s Nothing Happens in Isolation campaign launched last year, comes amid growing concern about the record-high and rising rates of suspensions and exclusions in England’s schools, and when teachers and school staff are working hard in increasingly challenging environments. This data shows they urgently need greater systemic support to meet students’ needs and exposes an educational system where too many pupils feel they don’t belong in school (feel unsafe and unwelcome), with more vulnerable students most likely to be left behind.

The research by Opinium, based on comprehensive representative surveys of students and parents across the UK, shows that schools urgently need support to adapt and place student voice and wellbeing at the heart of the education system.

Vulnerable young people are struggling to feel they belong and are supported

Nearly 1 in 5 (17%) young people say school or college is a place where they don’t feel safe or welcome, this is particularly true for female students (20%), SEN students (28%) and disabled students (30%) who feel significantly less safe and welcome than their peers. Similarly students from lower socio-economic (C2DE) backgrounds (21%) are more likely to feel this way than those from ABC1 backgrounds (15%).

One of the most concerning findings is that 41% of young people say their school or college has not listened to or shown concern for their worries or wellbeing.* This figure rises to a concerning 63% among SEN pupils and 64% among those with disabilities – highlighting a need for better structures and capacity to ensure student voice is heard.

Inclusion and belonging in education is not felt equally by all students. While one in ten (10%) students overall feel their school does a poor job in providing an inclusive environment, this figure rises sharply among more vulnerable groups – to 17% of students with SEN and to 19% of disabled students. Inclusion was described as creating an environment or place where everyone, no matter their background or who they are, feels welcome, valued, supported and respected.

Stress, anxiety and tiredness are leading many young people to skip school. More than 2 in 5 (43%) say they have done so, with the rate increasing to 69% for SEN students, 73% for disabled pupils, and 49% among girls.*

Young people also worry about others being excluded at school. Two in five (41%) say they have been concerned that a fellow student could be treated unfairly or left out – something that rises to 59% of SEN students and 63% of those with disabilities.* Communication between pupils and staff is also proving a barrier to inclusion. Almost one in three students (30%) say they do not feel comfortable speaking to school or college staff about how happy or not they are feeling. Meanwhile, three in four (75%) say they want more of a say in what and how they learn.

The toll on young people’s wellbeing is clear. One in five (22%) say their experience at school or college has negatively affected their mental health and wellbeing, rising to 26% among girls and an alarming 36% among SEN pupils and 38% of disabled students.

Many parents think that schools do not meet their children’s needs, despite the best efforts of schools

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.* Over three in four (78%) parents that watched the Netflix series Adolescence say it has impacted the way they view their child’s school experience as a result; around a third (31%) say it has made them more concerned about the potential issues their child might face at school and a quarter (25%) now want to know more about the experience their child has at school.

Parents overwhelmingly agree that inclusion is important and the majority say that schools should take young people’s views into account.

An overwhelming 94% of parents say an inclusive environment in their child’s school or college is important, and 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%) than white parents (64%), and in London (76%). Support is also notably strong for the development of a national standard on inclusive learning, which is backed by 72% of parents.

Young people and parents back practical reforms to create more inclusive school environments

The research also identifies solutions that could help schools become more inclusive. Two thirds (68%) of parents support providing mentors for students at risk of exclusion, with 84% of young people also thinking this is a good idea. There is also strong support for giving students a greater say in their education, with 75% of young people wanting more input on what and how they learn.

88% of young people would like to see something more from their school or college to help them feel it is being more inclusive. The most popular suggestions were; to provide a safe space for students to talk about their emotions, experiences and worries (28%), the school or college regularly assessing/checking how happy students are and how students feel about their experience at school or college (27%) and increasing support for vulnerable students who need extra help – like those with additional/special needs, living in poverty, or at risk of discrimination (26%).

Mission 44 recognises that despite individual teacher’s best efforts, systemic change is needed to create a more inclusive school environment where every child can thrive, and is urging policymakers to support school leaders by acting on the findings and introducing:

• A National Framework for Inclusion: To provide schools with clear guidance and support on how to foster inclusive, supportive environments for every child.

• An Annual National Student Experience Survey: To ensure students’ voices are consistently heard and used to shape school and policy decisions.

• Targeted Funding for an Inclusive Workforce: To build a more inclusive profession that reflects the diversity of the communities it serves and equips all teachers with the skills to support every learner.

• Mentorship Programmes for Students at Risk of Exclusion: To provide the personal support needed to help vulnerable young people stay in school and succeed.

Jason Arthur, CEO, Mission 44 said:

“Rising rates of absence, misbehaviour, suspensions and exclusions are symptoms of a deeper lack of inclusion – many of which disproportionately impact our most vulnerable students. Our new research now shows it’s the same students who are least likely to feel they belong or be listened to in the system. That makes this not just an education issue, but a matter of social justice.

“Through our Nothing Happens in Isolation campaign, we’re calling for urgent, joined-up action to address the real drivers of these issues: unmet needs, mental health challenges, discrimination, and poverty. Unfortunately there is no one silver bullet for this, but it must include listening to student voice and equipping schools with the tools they need to create inclusive environments for all.

“Our campaign is not about blaming teachers. We’re calling for systemic change so that every child can thrive and and achieve in the classroom, we need a framework that outlines what good school inclusion is, a mechanism to hear young people’s experiences of school and what they need, a teaching workforce that reflects the communities they serve and more personalised support for vulnerable students.”

Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said:

“This polling is deeply worrying. Schools and colleges are doing everything they can to provide the best possible support to their students. But they are working amidst extremely tight budgets and a shortage of specialist support available for children with special educational needs and disabilities, and for those suffering from poor mental health and wellbeing. The time has come for a strategic plan, set within a nationally agreed framework with clear objectives and actions, to address this crisis in the best interests of children and young people.”

Taivian, 17, was excluded from school when he was 15. Taivian was supported by CAPE, a tuition and mentoring organisation set up to improve the life-outcomes of excluded children, and those at risk of exclusion, funded by Mission 44. Taivian said:

“When I was at mainstream school, I just didn’t feel like they listened to me a lot. I feel as though I would come to them with a problem and it would be pushed to the side or ignored. Whereas, when I started working with CAPE, I actually felt listened to and I felt like I could come to my mentor about things other than just Maths, English or Science. I felt like I could actually speak to my mentor about things that were concerning me in my day-to-day life.

“At school, I just found myself getting very frustrated and when I got frustrated, all they could really see was me being angry. They didn’t really understand why I was angry. So I feel like if they had a better understanding of that, then maybe I wouldn’t have gotten kicked out. In the end, CAPE helped me get into college, where I got an Electrics qualification and am now in work, so I thank CAPE for that.”