Deeply ingrained prejudice

Ever since Edge was launched just over five years ago - provided we phrase things in the right way - the large majority (70%-80%) of every type of audience (teachers, young people, parents, employers, opinion formers) agree with us; they want young people to have more opportunities to carry out high quality practical and vocational learning.

So why don’t things change?

It is because the underlying assumptions behind our education system are deeply ingrained and institutionalised. In the UK, more than any country in the world, we turn diversity in terms of young people’s aptitudes and intelligences into hierarchy. A particular form of academic and analytical intelligence is regarded as better than others. The social pressures to want this route to success - to regard this route as in some way ‘better’ than another - is strong and pervasive and starts from a very early age.

This may have served us well in the 19th century; but in the 21st century, unless this attitude is changed we can be very confident that our overall education system will not provide our young people with the preparation they need for a successful and fulfilling life. It is as simple and important as that.