‘Educating students for life in the 21st century requires a complete rethink’ so says the conclusion of the Institute for Global Change, a UK think-tank headed up by former Prime Minister Tony Blair. This conclusion comes from the findings of a report commissioned by the National Foundation for Education Research after claims by industry that schools were not preparing young people to become effective members of the workforce.  

The findings showed that schools were filling up children with knowledge and a small number of skills but that these were detached from the reality of what young people on the first rung of their career needed. Soft skills have, in the past, had a bad reputation, particularly when linked with ’empathy’, emotional intelligence’ and more. But whilst these soft skills are important, they fit in with other more easily recognisable skills such as the ability to communicate effectively, make an impact, know how to collaborate, be able to critically think about a problem or issue and devise creative solutions. Without these skills, young people become no more than sketchy living versions of Google who, yes, can tell you the capital of Gabon but who can’t write a proposal for funding for a project and struggles to present their research findings to an audience of business people. 

Whilst IGC’s report calls for a rethink of what we call an effective education – including the scrapping of GCSEs and A levels, to be replaced by practical assessments or project work, Elea High believes there is a place for both versions of ‘education’ and, like TLC Private School before it, embeds the fours Cs of the 21st Century Curriculum in its work with young people. Learning with Elea High Online School, you’ll regularly be challenged to think more deeply about an issue, work with your peers to devise the solution to a problem, communicate your findings clearly and concisely to your audience or arrive at creative solutions to a problem. In this way, not only will you have those all important but possibly abstract grades needed for university but will have the nous to be able to use your knowledge to help build a better future for all.