The return to class is a chance to put young people’s wellbeing at the heart of education
Humans are wired for storytelling. A compelling story can be a comfort or an inspiration; raising our sights, stirring our emotions. So, as children return to school tomorrow, they deserve a better story than the one being told with the big, fat, gloomy title of “lost generation”.
This is not a lost generation. A crass label that’s likely to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. The students we serve in deprived parts of London, and thousands like them across the country, are not lost. Frustrated, yes. Bored, yes. Many still living in poverty, yes. In some cases, traumatised and in need of skilled support. But not lost. They’ve missed some learning but this has not rendered them incapable, permanently behind, or unable to lead a productive life.
