Together, they have been asking the big questions that Government must also ask:

• How do we build an education system where every young person can thrive?
• How do we move beyond one-size-fits-all approaches and recognise that young people have different strengths, ambitions and pathways to success?
• How do we ensure education prepares young people for life, helping them develop purpose, agency, relationships and the confidence to navigate an increasingly complex world?

The good news is that the answers can be found by talking to the leaders who have been pioneering the work that needs to become the norm, not the exception. The political decisions should focus on how to make it easier for this work to happen in every school, and for every young person.

The case for change is increasingly urgent. 

As Lucy Powell put it, school is a “straitjacket that has left too many being branded a failure — again and again — instead of being able to realise their potential … We must expand the ambition of education so that it works for every child. This means giving more children a passport to success wherever their passions lie.” 

We only have to look at the one million young people in the UK not in education, employment or training to know that change is urgent. Thousands of families with children who have special educational needs and disabilities describe an intolerable fight for support. Why are they having to wait until challenges reach crisis point before their children are given the right support?

We hear, time and again, school leaders who describe a culture of accountability anxiety. The pressure around assessment and inspection leaves them little space for innovation, creativity or courage.

Young people consistently tell us that one-size-fits-all education isn't meeting their needs. They want schools to recognise their different strengths, interests and pathways to success. It is unacceptable that any young person leaves education feeling disconnected from learning, opportunity and their own potential. It is vital that reforms centre young people’s experiences. 

We all want our children to be healthy, happy, and love learning. And as parents with children at school, we see first-hand that for this to happen we need an education system that values every young person. One that supports them to discover their purpose and thrive as individuals and members of their communities. 

Listen to the leaders in our community, particularly the young people, who are already demonstrating what's possible. They work in schools, with young people, with school leaders, and in the community. Together, they've reached many thousands of young people and educators, changing lives. It's time to bring their expertise to bear if we are to truly transform our education system. Here’s why:

• Their work shows what is possible when you don’t frame education around binary choices of academic success or wellbeing; knowledge or skills; excellence or inclusion. 
• They are creating learning experiences that extend beyond classroom walls and strengthen the communities around them.
• They are showing what’s possible when young leaders have the trust, time and confidence to challenge the status quo.
• They know transformation isn’t easy but they are committed to long term and deep rooted change.  
• And they are demonstrating how education can support a broader set of outcomes, recognising the value of purpose, agency, relationships and growth alongside academic achievement.

Liz Robinson, CEO at Big Education multi academy trust says: “Education is a nuanced and sophisticated process of developing human potential. We must move beyond reductive ways of thinking about children and young people and the way that has been used to judge schools. Our aim should be for success for every child and every school and that means thinking again about how we measure success, how we recognise the greater complexity in certain families and communities and how we support schools to meet the needs of their context with high expectations, skilful teaching expertise and compassionate inclusion.” 

Voice 21 have played a powerful role in showing a better way, as Kate Paradine, CEO, says, “The Government has already committed to ensuring that oracy - speaking, listening and communication - is a key part of our future education system.  Across the country, school leaders and teachers are showing the impact that a culture of oracy in school  can make to children's learning, attainment, confidence, well-being and sense of belonging. Together we can ensure that every child can use their voice to thrive in school, work and life, knowing they matter and belong.”

Ali Durban, founder of Gesher School, sees the importance of “building emotionally healthy systems” so that the structures surrounding young people help them develop into emotionally healthy adults. Her words reflect what many in our community have learned: that wellbeing, belonging and relationships create the foundations for young people to achieve and thrive.

Lucy Bailey, founder of Bounce Forward, believes: “We need to shift from reactive to preventative systems, from fixing problems too late to building psychological fitness early. If we want better outcomes across education we have to invest earlier."

No one has all the answers, but we now have an opportunity to connect policy makers with the expertise, ideas and innovation already happening across education, to shape what comes next. So, if the Government is serious about creating an education system where every young person can thrive, they need to listen to the people creating change today and give them a meaningful role in shaping the education system of tomorrow.

Lucy, if you're reading this, we invite you and your team to meet and learn from our community of changemakers who are already shaping better futures for all young people.