Supporting young people in shaping the future of education

In response to the Government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review, a youth-led Shadow Review has been launched to ensure youth voices are central in shaping the future of education.

UK Youth has joined other leading youth organisations, including The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, I Have a Voice, the National Union of Students, National Youth Agency, Scouts, Students Organising for Sustainability – UK and Young Citizens, to support the shadow review and represent the voices of the thousands of young people who are part of the organisations.

The Government’s review, launched in July 2024, aims to ensure the curriculum “appropriately balances ambition, excellence, relevance, flexibility and inclusivity for all young people”, ensuring that young people leave compulsory education “ready for life and ready for work”.

This youth-led review will shadow every step of the government review, from launching its own ‘call for evidence’, running regional roadshow events and publishing an interim and final report.

There is some catching up to do, but the youth-led review is moving quickly to ensure youth voices lead, with reports set to be publish ahead of the government’s, to support the integration of young people’s perspectives.

The shadow review will soon be announcing its youth panel, which is chaired by Amira Campbell, NUS and SOS-UK president.

Amira said: “Students know firsthand what does and doesn’t work in the current curriculum, having been taught it so recently.

“We know meaningful inclusion of youth voice is essential to the quality and legitimacy of the government’s review and this Shadow review is the perfect avenue to lay out students’ and young people’s visions of what a truly liberated, inclusive and innovative curriculum could and should look like.”

Enfys, aged 17, student volunteer in the shadow organising team, said: “It is crucial young people’s voices are included in the Curriculum and Assessment Review, as its outcomes will directly impact students like me.

“Our shadow review will demonstrate the range of issues young people care about and how this could be better reflected in the curriculum and in how we are assessed.

“I don’t feel the curriculum reflects the fact young people are growing up in a world shaped by the climate emergency and ecological crisis. This is an exciting opportunity to change our education, and we are ready to share our views with the Department for Education.”

For further announcements, ways to get involved and what the Shadow Review seeks to deliver, see Visit shadowpanel.uk.

UK Youth is a leading charity with a vision that all young people are equipped to thrive and empowered to contribute at every stage of their lives. With an open network of more than 9,000 youth organisations and nation partners; UK Youth reaches more than four million young people across the UK and is focused on unlocking youth work as the catalyst of change that is needed now more than ever. To find out more, visit ukyouth.org

UK Youth is involved in a range of programmes designed to help young people thrive, such as outdoor learning, physical literacy, social action and employability. For more on UK Youth’s programmes, see ukyouth.org/what-we-do/programmes