Written by Ellis Brown When I launched Project Positivity Education, I said our English education system can "limit creativity, be too test focused, cause avoidable mental health issues and kill the joy of learning", those claims were backed up by a year of independent research. The recently published House of Lords (HoL) report (December 2023) by the Education for 11–16 Year Olds Committee affirms such claims and highlights other concerns. The report states secondary education is "moving in the wrong direction" and that the Committee is “convinced that change must be undertaken without delay”. The Committee highlights several “priority areas for attention” to bring reform to our English education system in the short term and longer term. The recommendations include reducing the amount of content in the curriculum, reducing the volume and lowering the stakes of exams taken at age 16, increasing the use of non-exam assessment and abandoning EBacc school performance measures. The Committee heard repeatedly that the current English education system “fails to take account of wider societal and economic shifts”. Keep on reading to find out more about the Committee’s findings and recommendations. An “overburdened” curriculum The curriculum must include essential knowledge and skills to support human thriving; at the moment, that’s sadly not the reality. The recently published HoL report calls for a reduction in the "amount of content in the 11-16 curriculum” describing the current curriculum as “overburdened” necessitating “rote learning and ‘cramming’ subject knowledge” into lessons. “There is also little scope to… apply learning to real-world issues such as climate change, with pupil engagement suffering as a result”. It also states digital, creative and technical skills are likely to be in even greater demand in the future yet "opportunities to develop these skills have, however, been squeezed out of the 11-16 phase”. These skills can be incredibly enjoyable and rewarding to learn (and put into use), regardless of the fact our society relies on and thrives off these skills, not to mention the digital skills gap in the job market, creative industries playing a huge role in the success of our economy and the many valuable skills gained from technical subjects. To me, It just seems crazy to remove and not create the opportunities to develop these essential skills. Project Positivity fully supports a curriculum which contains less content, values all subjects equally, focuses on real life application and equips people with the essential skills and knowledge they need to thrive now and in the future. The report also calls for "additional pathways to support the development of pupils' digital skills”. Project Positivity fully supports better digital education as the risks and benefits of technology are becoming increasingly prevalent, so being informed is essential to safely harnessing the benefits of technology. In addition, the report also calls for an "adequate set of literacy and numeracy qualifications available to pupils age 14 to 16, focused on the application of these skills in real-world contexts”. Alternatives to a high volume, high stakes exam system Exams can be a way of measuring some understanding, knowledge and skills however the current exam system infects every part of our education system, killing the joy of learning and teaching for many. The Committee calls for a reduction in the "volume and lowering the stakes of exams taken at age 16” which would reduce stress, remove barriers for future aspirations and make it clear that you define you, never an exam. This would also allow teachers to focus on teaching students for life, not training them for tests. The Committee believes “the pressure created by the current assessment system has became unsustainable” and “those who do not excel in this type of assessment have few other opportunities to demonstrate their achievements”. It also suggests "increasing the use of coursework or other forms of non-exam assessment, including project-based qualifications” as “Pupils are now tested purely via exams in many GCSE subjects”. This would allow pupils who don’t excel in exams to show off their achievements, abilities and capabilities with different types of assessment. Project Positivity fully supports the outlined reforms to the assessment system as these would allow students to learn for life, not train for tests, making school so much more enjoyable and engaging for many. And when it comes to assessment, an exam wouldn’t be the only way to prove abilities and capabilities. Abandon EBacc school performance measures The report also calls for the abandonment of EBacc school performance measures as it “incentivise[s] a focus on a limited set of traditionally academic subjects” and states “Schools must be given greater flexibility to offer the subjects and qualifications that would best serve their pupils, based on a balanced curriculum”. It highlights “the impact [of EBacc] on creative subjects, including art and design, design and technology, drama and music” being responsible for the “dramatic decline in take-up” of these subjects (as well as vocational ones): a fall of 154,000 (57%) in entries to Design and Technology GCSEs and a reduction of 77,000 (20%) in entries into creative subjects according to the Joint Council for Qualifications.* The report also states “Opportunities to experience more practical, applied forms of learning have become increasingly limited, even though many pupils enjoy, and excel in, this way of acquiring knowledge and skills”. EBacc not only creates a narrow range of subjects, it can limit opportunities to enjoy and excel in subjects which aren’t part of the EBacc, such as the creative arts. The report also calls for a review into other school measures for secondary education. Project Positivity fully supports the abandonment of the EBacc school performance measure as this would help reduce pressure on schools, encourage students to take GCSE courses that they’re interested in, enjoy and excel in and support the creative, technical and vocational subjects which have suffered because of the EBacc. In addition, Project Positivity also fully supports a proper review of all other secondary school performance measures. *Data from the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) highlighted by Edge Foundation in its ‘Skills shortages in the UK economy’ report (2022). Join the chorus for change This report contains many key recommendations to improve our English education system however the House of Lords does not have the power to put these recommendations into reality. The government does; they can either ignore these findings and recommendations or implement them. This report on its own isn’t enough to bring about reform though, we must all call for the change we need for a better now and future. Project Positivity Education gives you the opportunity to share your unique perspective on our English education system and to have it amplified across Project Positivity's platforms by contributing a personal opinion piece. Open to all, personal opinion pieces allow you to share your unique perspective on, or experience with, our English education system in 250 words or less. The House of Lords Committee is in “no doubt of the need for urgent action”. With Project Positivity on a mission to reform our education system, will you join the chorus for change? Find out more and contribute your personal opinion piece here The full House of Lords report is available to read here All HoL quotes above are from the Report’s summary page. Project Positivity shares information relating to Project Positivity's mission however Project Positivity may not fully endorse all the content of referenced reports. Article dictionary House of Lords - part of UK Parliament Curriculum - what is taught in a given course or subject General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) - a type of secondary education qualification in England English Baccalaureate (EBacc) - a school performance measure in England linked to the GCSE results of a set group of subjects

Written by Ellis Brown There’s rarely an occasion when anyone’s happy to hear that they’ve just received homework; it’s quite the opposite to receiving £200 when you pass ‘Go’ in Monopoly. And why would you be happy about it when you have hobbies and passions to pursue, family and friends to see, responsibilities to fulfil and yourself to look after? I’m in year 10 now and when I ask my friends ‘What are you doing after school?’ I’ve been getting more answers like ‘Doing homework, I have so much to do, it’s so stressful’. They’re sadly not alone though, 66% of the 2,000 children surveyed by the Children’s Commissioner said homework (and / or exams) is the most stressful thing for them. Not only does homework take time, it can create barriers for disadvantaged pupils who cannot easily access support out of school. So is homework worth it? According to some, yes. Homework often includes finishing tasks from class, revision or practicing something. They say there’s just simply not enough time to cover everything at school and they’re not wrong. So homework seems like a reasonable solution to the bigger problem right? Well perhaps we don’t need to learn ‘everything’. Perhaps the current curriculum contains too much to learn. In fact, the recently published House of Lords report [3] described the current curriculum as “overburdened” necessitating “rote learning and ‘cramming’ subject knowledge” into lessons. As a result, teachers are often left with no option other then to issue homework. Only if the curriculum is reformed by reducing content down to a broad, balanced range of essential skills and knowledge, which values all subjects equally, then homework can be scrapped (or at least massively reduced). Wider reform to the English education system is also in order including reform to the assessment system. Reform would also allow young people to do more of what they’re interested in and passionate about, surely that’s more worthwhile than doing homework. So to sum up, is homework necessary? Yes, at the moment it probably is, but it shouldn’t be; homework can, and must, be scrapped or at least massively reduced for secondary education but only when there’s proper curriculum and wider education reform. Find out more about Project Positivity’s take on curriculum reform here Only the government can implement reform, so we must all call for the change we need for a better now and future. Project Positivity Education gives you the opportunity to share your unique perspective on our English education system and to have it amplified across Project Positivity's platforms by contributing a personal opinion piece. Open to all, personal opinion pieces allow you to share your unique perspective on, or experience with, our English education system in 250 words or less. Join the chorus for change here References (in order) House of Lords: The Committee described the current secondary school curriculum as “overburdened” in the recently published report (December 2023). Read it here. Children’s Commissioner: 66% of the 2,000 children they surveyed said homework (and / or exams) are the most stressful thing for them (May 2020). Find out more here. House of Lords: The Committee described the current secondary school curriculum as “overburdened” necessitating “rote learning and ‘cramming’ subject knowledge” into lessons in the recently published report (December 2023). Read it here. Project Positivity shares information relating to Project Positivity's mission however Project Positivity may not fully endorse all the content of referenced reports.

"At last a logical and sensible project by the most qualified person, a young person actually in the system who can see and feel that the present system isn’t working. Yes we need education, but the educator and educatees don’t need the pressure of unnecessary testing. Trust and allow the teachers to teach and pupil's to learn in a less stressful environment. Creativity and actual practical everyday life skills shouldn’t be feared. We should be preparing ALL young people for their future life not isolating or belittling and squashing them into an academic box only valued or judged by pressurised exams. And shaming by a brainwashed system of value is only achieved by a “high” mark. But who says what the “high” mark is and how is that viewed? I feel unfortunately by a system and society that is too judgmental as opposed to nurturing and one the fosters difference and change. Thank you Ellis Brown, for bringing some logic and sense to our awareness." Written by an interested individual Disclaimer: A 'Personal opinion piece' reflects the views / experiences of the individual writing the piece and may or may not be fully endorsed by Project Positivity. If you'd like to have your unique perspective on, or experience with, our English Education system anonymously amplified across Project Positivity's platforms, just like the person above, contribute a personal opinion piece. Find out more here.

Personal opinion pieces When you contribute a personal opinion piece, you're not just amplifying your own voice. You're inspiring others to join the chorus for change too and when enough people do, the chorus for change becomes an unignorable force for change. Open to all, personal opinion pieces gives you the opportunity to anonymously share your unique perspective on, or personal experience with, our English education system in up to 250 words and to have it published across Project Positivity's platforms. Submit your personal opinion piece I agree to the terms and conditions Select the option that best describes your relationship with our education system Type your personal opinion piece here Title your personal opinion piece If you have one, enter your verfication pin Submit Thank you for your submission Guidance 1. First, please confirm you agree to the terms & conditions and then select whether you're a student, teacher, parent, education professional, interested individual or 'other' if none of these apply. 2. Now, please share your unique perspective on, or personal experience with, our English education system in up to 250 words. Either write about a view or experience as a whole or focus in on part of it. When writing, remember to be honest, not target any individual, group or place and to only give your own views / experiences. ​ 3. Next, please create a short, catchy title that summarises what your personal opinion piece is about. ​ 4. Finally, please confirm you're not a robot and, if you have one, enter your verification pin. ​ Note: The verification of personal opinion pieces will be limited. Any verification process will be initiated by Project Positivity and granted at Project Positivity's discretion. ​ What next? Your personal opinion piece could be published on Project Positivity's views and news page , mailing list and on Instagram , TikTok and YouTube . Keep an eye out!

Project Positivity Education Inspiring and empowering everyone to bring positive change to our education system Watch the launch Mission Our English education system is functioning but it functions in a way which can limit creativity, be too test focused, cause avoidable mental health issues and kill the joy of learning. Project Positivity Education aims to inspire and empower everyone to bring positive change to our education system in a way that supports human thriving. Join the chorus for change Open to all, personal opinion pieces give you the opportunity to share your unique perspective on, and experience with, our English education system in 250 words or less and to have it amplified across Project Positivity's platforms. Find out more 'Pancakes' - a recipe for human thriving Underpinning Project Positivity Education's mission is a broader desire to encourage human thriving. 'Pancakes' illustrates this in an easy to understand and visually engaging way. Read 'Pancakes' Watch 'Pancakes' The latest views & news Discover other peoples' experiences and perspectives. Keep up with news from Project Positivity Education. HoL report: "urgent change" needed to secondary education Ellis Brown Feb 3 5 min Homework: the result of an “overburdened” curriculum Ellis Brown Feb 3 3 min "Logic at Last" Personal Opinion Piece Jan 20 1 min Stay in the know. Join the mailing list. Please enter your email here What best describes you? I agree to the privacy policy Sign Up You've signed up to Project Positivity's mailing list. Thanks!

'Pancakes' - a recipe for human thriving By Ellis Brown Early in 2023, I asked myself 'what creates a thriving human being?' and 'how can I illustrate this in an accessible, easy to understand and visually engaging​ way?'. So I created 'Pancakes'. Project Positivity is centered around 'Pancakes' because everything Project Positivity does is an effort to support human thriving and the environment we live in. To make some tasty pancakes, you'll need 150g of plain flour, 1tsp of baking powder, 2 pinches of salt, 30g of caster sugar, 1 egg and 150ml of milk. Add this all together, give it a good whisk to create the batter and then cook the pancakes in a pan. Delicious. Now imagine the 150g of plain flour represents having access to clean water, food, clothing, money, fulfilling work and a home. The 1 tsp of baking powder represents a loving family or carer. The 2 pinches of salt represents a positive social experience in person and online. The 30g of caster sugar represents a supportive and stimulating education system. The egg represents access to other essential services including healthcare, financial services, legal support and public transport. The 150ml of milk represents a peaceful, thriving, sustainable environment. There can be slight variation in the amount of each ingredient used to create a thriving human life, but if the required ingredients are lost or too little it becomes hard to thrive. For example, if only 25ml of milk goes into the batter instead of 150ml, the desired pancake will not be created. A pancake with only 25ml of milk in the batter A supportive and stimulating education syste m ​ Our education system should function in a way which makes it easier for everyone to thrive, not harder. Project Positivity Education is on a mission to bring positive change to our education system so more people can fulfil their potential. Whether it's creativity being limited or the system being too test focused, there needs to be reform. After all, education is an investment in our present and our futures; humanity's future. Find out more about Project Positivity Education and join the chorus for change here . You may use the 'Pancakes' analogy in your work however please make the following reference: © 'Pancakes' analogy by Ellis Brown (2023)