GPSJ - SPRING 2025 - Flipbook - Page 7
NEWS
GPSJ
OECD data shows government needs to
prioritise student wellbeing, says think tank
Bridget Phillipson should
slim down GCSEs and collect
better data on pupil wellbeing
to respond to the record fall
in student wellbeing between
2003-2022, according to a
series of brie昀椀ngs from the
Social Market Foundation.
Novel analysis of data from
the OECD shows that the UK
recorded the largest fall in sense
of belonging for students between
2003-2022 of any developed
country.
We used to have it all argues
that education reforms by
the previous Conservative
government, which increased the
amount of examinations sat by
students, has resulted in increased
stress and mental health issues.
Rather than there being a ‘tradeo昀昀’ between prioritising students
wellbeing versus their academic
attainment; evidence in fact points
to pupil wellbeing contributing
to better educational outcomes.
In his foreword for the paper,
former education secretary David
Blunkett said: “This report sets out
a compelling case for recalibrating
our approach – ensuring that
education policy fosters both high
achievement and a supportive
school environment”.
The brie昀椀ng takes note
of studies such as the Avon
Longitudinal Study of Parents
& Children, which shows better
wellbeing correlates with Key
Stage 2 & 3 academic attainment
– as well as novel analysis of
OECD data, which showed that
in 2005, the UK scored highly in
academic outcome for maths as
well as on student belonging to
their schools.
To reverse the decline in
student wellbeing, the Social
Market Foundation suggests that
the Education Secretary should
slim down GCSE’s and introduce
alternative forms of assessment
to reduce the levels of stress felt
by students; and introduce a new
national programme dedicated to
collating data on the wellbeing of
students to provide policymakers
with more nuanced context.
A further brie昀椀ng compiled in
partnership with academics from
The University of Manchester
also shows inequalities in
young people’s wellbeing
based on gender, sexual
orientation and neighbourhood.
Their research, which is part
of #BeeWell, a collaborative
programme surveying young
people’s wellbeing, provides
further case studies on the
bene昀椀cial impacts of increasing
mental health awareness and
provision in schools. One
school for example successfully
implemented changes to their
curriculum to better cover health
relationships, and improved
knowledge amongst students
about accessing pastoral care.
Along with a coalition of 50 other
organisations, they are calling for
a mental wellbeing measurement
programme to be included in the
Children’s Wellbeing & Schools
Bill.
The brie昀椀ng is complemented
with a foreword from former
Education & Employment
Secretary, Lord Blunkett, who
says that ‘We must move beyond
outdated assumptions that
wellbeing and attainment are
mutually exclusive, and instead
create a school system that
supports both’.
Over 15,000 pieces of essential firefighting
equipment are donated to Ukraine
A convoy of UK 昀椀re and rescue
services delivering over 15,000
pieces of life saving 昀椀re昀椀ghting
equipment to Ukrainian
昀椀re昀椀ghters is leaving today.
30 昀椀re and rescue vehicles,
including 26 昀椀re engines, will
also be donated.
18 昀椀re and rescue services from
across the UK are participating
in the convoy, organised by
FIRE AID, National Resilience
and International Search and
Rescue (based out of Merseyside
Fire and Rescue Service), HM
Government, National Fire Chiefs
Council (NFCC) and the Fire
Industry Association (FIA). The
convoy, which is the eighth and
largest of its kind, is sponsored by
the UK government. It will add to
the 119 昀椀re and rescue vehicles
and 200,000 pieces of 昀椀re昀椀ghting
equipment that have already been
donated since the invasion began.
The war in Ukraine has had a
devastating impact on Ukrainian
昀椀re昀椀ghters. Latest 昀椀gures from
the State Emergency Services
of Ukraine show that since the
start of the full-scale invasion in
2022, 100 昀椀re昀椀ghters have been
killed and a further 431 injured,
whilst four are currently in captivity
and one is missing. Meanwhile,
411 昀椀rehouses and 1,700 昀椀re
vehicles have been destroyed,
and 95 昀椀rehouses are now in
occupied territories. Despite these
challenges, Ukrainian 昀椀re昀椀ghters
continue to operate in the war
zone - not to engage in combat,
but to save lives and protect
property, often at great personal
risk.
English and Welsh 昀椀re and
rescue services have donated
all the appliances and kit for the
eighth convoy, which ranges from
basic 昀椀re昀椀ghting equipment such
as hoses, PPE and road tra昀케c
collision equipment. About 100
volunteers, drawn from 昀椀re and
rescue services and FIRE AID, will
participate in the convoy.
UK 昀椀re sector, we are not only
providing essential tools but also
reinforcing a message of solidarity.
Our commitment to supporting
our 昀椀re昀椀ghting colleagues in
Ukraine remains steadfast.”
GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SECTOR JOURNAL SPRING 2025
7
