Youth panel leads on recommendations for education reform
09 July 2025
A group of youth representatives has called for learning that is more relevant to modern life as part of a report on curriculum and assessment outlining young people’s thoughts on the education system.
The final report from the youth-led Shadow Curriculum and Assessment Review argues that the curriculum should place far greater emphasis on skills such as teamwork, critical thinking, resilience, empathy and problem-solving – across the curriculum and all key stages – as well as life skills such as financial, digital and political literacy that prepare young people to thrive in their futures.
The report presents 14 recommendations aiming to address issues identified by thousands of young people following nationwide engagement across England. The recommendations cover four key themes:
- Building skills and relevance to life
- Assessments, mental health and wellbeing
- Climate, sustainability and citizenship education
- Equity and inclusion.
OCR was delighted to host the Shadow Curriculum and Assessment Review’s expert roundtable on assessment and mental health which discussed the impact of GCSE assessment content on wellbeing.
The Youth Shadow Panel was established by a coalition of young people and leading youth organisations to support the meaningful inclusion of children and young people’s perspectives in the Government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review (CAR) which is due to report in the autumn.