Opinion: Redefining education

Recently our Senior Strategist and Career Development Specialist, Victoria Geary attended the Education Policy Institute’s “Enrichment For All” event.

Check out her thoughts below on why education should go beyond academics, highlighting the importance of enrichment activities in shaping well-rounded, fulfilled individuals. Drawing from her experience in career development, she discusses how these activities prepare young people for life and work, providing them with the tools they need to thrive.

What is education for? This was the question I posed to the panel at the Education Policy Institute “Enrichment For All” event on 15th July. It was a fantastic afternoon, with research confirming the positive effects of enrichment activities on young people’s academic achievement, employment prospects, and wellbeing.

I’d argue that education is there to enable young people to become fulfilled, active citizens of the world who contribute to society in a way that’s meaningful to them. Even if the purpose of education is as narrowly defined as ‘the means of getting a job to contribute to the economy’ then academic achievements are still only going to get a young person so far.

As a career development professional, I can always tell when a young person has had access to a wide range of enrichment opportunities because they have things to talk about during careers conversations! Denying young people the chance to explore new things limits their ability to develop interests and understand themselves. How can they know what their ‘thing’ is without being presented with options?

I believe it is vital that we have a national curriculum where enrichment activities like National Citizen Service and DofE, sport, music, drama, career education and work experience are fully integrated. While they often are in independent schools, many state schools lack the resources to implement them effectively, despite the significant benefits for disadvantaged students. I wholeheartedly agreed with Ruth Marvel OBE and Oli de Botton's position that enrichment and career education are two sides of the same coin.

As adults, our 'career' includes all our activities and responsibilities that we spend our time on, not simply on the main paid job we do that pays the bills. Focusing solely on academic achievements suggests that this is the only way to be successful and fulfilled when that’s simply not a reflection of the realities of adult life. Having a job does not happen in a vacuum, separate from hobbies, passion projects, side hustle ventures, caring responsibilities and other aspects of life. Education should blend academic study, personal development and enrichment to develop the ‘whole person’.

It was heartening to hear this sentiment in Bridget Phillipson MP’s opening remarks during the well-attended webinar on 16 July, where she reflected on the important role extra-curricular sport played in her school days. According to our new Secretary of State for Education, the Department will be reviewing the school curriculum to ensure that it is broad and that young people are “prepared for their life, work and futures” while “keeping pace with changing times”.

I look forward to the expert-led review mentioned and the continued work we do at We Are Futures with our National Schools Partnership and brand partners. Together, we create innovative competitions, activities and resources that are free to all schools, enriching the educational experiences of young people across the UK and beyond, regardless of background.