With employers today looking for more than just academic excellence, has the current education system become out of step with the demands of modern society? Deputy Head & DSL at King’s College School, Wimbledon, Richard Amlot, explores how, while exams remain important, re-imagining the system to include developing holistic, future-ready skills, character, and purpose, can better help pupils prepare for the future.
It is a sad reality that too many children up and down the country do not enjoy school. It was ever thus. We all have friends and acquaintances who recall a negative experience of their school days. Moreover, we are living in a world that is changing at breakneck speed. Today’s world demands agile innovators, incisive problem-solvers and creators who can tackle complex, tech-shaped challenges that barely existed ten years ago. A string of 9s, A*s, and a university education is no longer the holy grail of what employers are looking for. And yet, the foundation of our educational system is still operating as it was in the 1950s. We are still predominantly teaching our students to memorise facts and fight for grades. We need to re-imagine our education system. And here’s how…