by Aaliya

Education is at the forefront for a better future. It has the ability to shape and empower young minds therefore every child, regardless of postcode or background, should be able to access excellent education. However, unfortunately, results from the Big Ambition show us that not everyone is able to and not everyone feels happy or safe at school, a place whose very design is to provide young people with a safe place to go to where their happiness should be a priority.

Due to lack of funding, there is a lack of support for young people in schools, whether that is in regards to mental health support, support for disabled students, and support for those with neurodivergent needs. Due to this, not everyone gets the same standard of education and thus are more disadvantaged when it comes to being prepared for future studies and success.

My big ambition is to ensure a child’s socioeconomic background or circumstance doesn’t affect the opportunities provided to them and their standard of living. For this reason, I believe it is vital that every school should have a trained mental health specialist to ensure support is given to not only those with neurodivergent needs but also students struggling with their mental health amid this mental health crisis our country is going through. I also believe more funding is necessary so that schools can ensure disabled students can still partake in many of the activities and lessons as their peers, as well as have the same opportunities to succeed academically; the support should be freely given and easy to access.

The world, as well as British society, is an ever-changing place however our education system does not seem keep up with this nor equip students with the necessary skills to succeed in this modern world. As our society becomes more technologically advanced and diverse, our education needs to reflect that. This is why more lessons must be integrated into the national curriculum teaching young people about technology and online safety just as we are taught about Maths and English, to prepare young people for a seemingly digital future as well as ensuring they are being protected online. We also need to ensure that our curriculum is more diverse to learn about the rich history of the people, who have come from all walks of life, and who make up our country.