Education leaders in Suffolk want school curriculum updated to be fit for purpose
A new survey revealed the majority of students wish they'd learnt more about budgeting, financial advice and carer choices.
Education leaders in Suffolk say the school curriculum needs a full review to make sure it's fit for purpose in getting students ready for the real world.
It comes as a survey shows nearly three in five university students wanted more help with finances and budgeting when they were at school.
"We should try to to stop our schools becoming exam factories"
We spoke to Dave Lee-Allan, the executive director of the Suffolk Association of Secondary Headteachers about his views on the current school system and if it prepares students enough for the real world.
He explained that in many schools, they're often working to meet the standards set by OFCOM and subsequently focus on this like exams instead of more life orientated skills.
"That bit of the bit of the curriculum doesn't win prizes when it comes to league tables, so you do find it does get edged out."
"Is our education system fit for purpose?"
But this is something he want's to see change.
"We should try to to stop our schools becoming exam factories. All credit to those schools that run curriculums that are as broad as they can make them that hang on to the art subjects, and look to do work in the local community that look to see that school should be more...
"This is such an important period of time in which we can help form the the best practise that will support that person going forward.
"In how they explore the world and their and their own developing belief systems.
"And their understanding of of the world and how it's changing, it's changing so rapidly.We have to expose them to more and more.
"...I would love a full and dtailed not just a curriculum review, which the government have said that they want to do, but a real fndamental rethink, or at least an exploration of is our education system fit for purpose?
"There's been a real push about knowledge based curriculums, knowledge rich curriculums which I fully support
"But I don't think you can have knowledge rich curriculum without skills.
"I think the modern workplace and the modern environment demands that you have skills as well as knowledge .I think I'd like to see.Some more leaning towards some skills."
Another thing he expressed was there is a growing pressure on educators to teach children everything they need in life, however he feels this is unsustainable as the sector is already thinly stretched.
"You don't have to teach them everything. from 11 to 16.
"What you want to do is teach them the skills so that then when they get to a new problem they say,well, I know how to ask the right questions how to trust the information that I've downloaded. I can look at that and determine whether whether that is appropriate content or not."
The report
Nearly three in five university students want more education on financial choices and budgeting at school, a survey has suggested.
More than two in five (44%) undergraduates wanted more teaching on career pathways in Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE) classes, according to the poll for the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) think tank.
The survey, of 1,105 full-time undergraduate students domiciled in England, found that the majority (83%) said their time in school or college prepared them well for their studies in higher education.
But only 38% said the curriculum in school or college left them "ready for life and ready for work".
In July, the Government launched its curriculum and assessment review, which is being led by education expert Professor Becky Francis.
The consultation on the review in England closed in November and an interim report is due to be published early this year.
Students were asked in the poll about which aspects of the PSHE curriculum they found helpful, and which topics they wanted to know more about.
Overall, 59% said they wanted to know more about financial choices and budgeting in these classes.
The Hepi report said: "This may be more pressing because of the financial challenges students increasingly face while studying in higher education.
"Some 56% of students now work part-time during term. Of those who do not work, a third say it is because they cannot find a job.
"They may therefore benefit from more careers experience and education in school."
The poll, which was carried out by Savanta in November and December, suggested that 63% of students want more vocational skills - and around half want more digital and IT skills (52%) and more oracy skills (49%).
Nearly two in five (39%) students said they think there are too many assessments in school and college, the survey found.
Meanwhile, around a third (34%) think studying four or five A levels or Btecs would give pupils "greater fulfilment and satisfaction".
The report has called for students to be given more education on financial planning at school, and that every young person is given a "pathway mentor guarantee" - a one-to-one conversation with an expert in careers pathways to advise them on the best post-16 choices.
It has also called for students to be able to take four or five subjects at A-level rather than just three, and for the number of assessments to be reduced.