Lessons4Life, a UK-wide collaboration of organisations dedicated to improving children’s futures by advocating for stronger personal development education, has launched its white paper The cycle of missed opportunities (and what we need to do about it).
The launch, which was held on 9th July at Church House Westminster and opened by David Baines MP, a former teacher, was followed by delivery of the white paper to Downing Street. Making the societal and economic case for “bridging the gap in personal development education”, including the ask for Professor Becky Francis CBE and her Curriculum and Assessment Review team to “give due consideration to this as part of their evaluation of PSHE, RSHE, Religious Education, and other curriculum areas linked to personal development”, the white paper says in summary:
“Despite multiple policies focusing on children’s personal development and life skills, the current approach is fragmented, leaving gaps in young people’s preparedness for life. Schools struggle to navigate overlapping guidance, teachers lack the necessary support, and pupils enter secondary education without the key skills they need to thrive. Our research highlights a significant need for a cohesive, structured, and measurable approach to personal development education that prepares children for their futures.”
The white paper, supported by an ongoing Prepare Our Kids For Life – Not Just Exams petition, makes four key recommendations drawing on extensive research and independent data:
DfE Policy Consolidation: A Unified Framework for Personal Development
Recommendation: Consolidate multiple overlapping policies into one cohesive policy that simplifies and strengthens personal development delivery in schools.
Why? Schools need clarity and consistency. By providing a clear framework, we ensure:
Teachers have a structured approach to teaching personal development and life skills.
Pupils know what they should learn and the skills they should acquire at each key stage.
Clear goals not only support pupils but also enable teachers to focus on delivering what is truly essential.
Gaps in personal development are addressed early, ensuring equal life chances for all.
National Measurement Framework: Tracking Progress & Targeting Support
Recommendation: Introduce a national Personal Development Measurement Framework to assess and track pupils’ progress.
Why? Improvements begin with measurement. A structured assessment approach would:
Identify gaps early and enable targeted interventions.
Help schools measure progress and provide evidence-based support.
Improve pupils’ confidence, wellbeing, and academic success.
Enable the sharing of valuable evidence with parents/carers, empowering them to support their children’s personal development from home.
Comprehensive Training for Educators: Empowering Teachers for Impact
Recommendation: Invest in high-quality training for teachers and school staff to deliver effective personal development education.
Why? Teachers play a critical role in shaping young people’s futures, yet many feel unequipped to address the challenges their pupils face. Training would:
Increase teacher confidence in delivering personal development education.
Ensure inclusivity, particularly for SEND pupils.
Enable schools to adapt curricula to better support pupils’ needs.
Committed Funding & Support: Investing in a Long-Term Solution
Recommendation: Secure dedicated funding to provide long-term resources and support for schools.
Why? Without sustainable investment, change will remain superficial. Funding will:
Provide access to essential resources and professional support to enhance teaching.
Reduce government spend and the strain on public services.
Create a long-term societal shift, ensuring future generations of parents are better equipped to support their children’s personal development at home.
“Three viable funding routes” presented are a Health-Linked Levy on High Fat, Sugar, and Salt Products, Digital Services Tax (consider raising this from 2-6%), and Reallocation of Top-End Government Spending on Preventable Issues. “Investing in personal development from early years through to school-leaving age is a cost-effective, strategic intervention; one that will generate returns not only in improved life outcomes but also in future savings across multiple departments,”, the white paper says.
These “realistic, research-backed recommendations” are informed by multiple sources of evidence that “proves the need to change”:
Pupils’ Readiness for Secondary Education: Pilot study of Year 7 pupils across 15 counties in England, revealing key personal development gaps.
Teacher Insights: Data collected from 6,000+ KS3 teachers via TeacherTapp, assessing pupils’ readiness for secondary school.
Parental Perspective: Surveys from ParentKind and SchoolTV, highlighting concerns about life skills education.
Key National Statistics: Data on children’s safety, mental health, and wellbeing, reinforcing the urgent need for intervention.
The white paper concludes: “The case for investing in personal development is clear. The evidence is compelling, and the time to act is now. We call on the Department for Education, government leaders, and stakeholders across health, social care, and education to work together in turning these recommendations into a national priority. To create meaningful change, it must come from the top. Whether through policy change, funding support, or collaboration, we are calling on you to play a vital role in creating a future where all children are empowered to thrive – not just academically, but personally, socially, and emotionally. We believe that by providing 10-15 years of meaningful input into our education system, we will raise a generation of parents and carers who are better prepared to support their children at home – easing the burden on schools and ensuring it is no longer solely their responsibility to meet these vital personal development needs.”
