Preparing learners to thrive in a changing world
Ready for the future?
Students are more prepared than they think they are.
Findings
The first survey question aims to give an overall sense of how well prepared students feel they are for (a) their next step in education and (b) their future after finishing formal education. Respondents were asked to rate preparedness on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 represents ‘Not at all prepared’ and 5 represents ‘Extremely well prepared’.
Next step in education
Less than half of students consider themselves to be well prepared (a rating of 4 or 5) for their next step in education.
Question: How well prepared do you think you are for your next step in education? Please answer on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is ‘Not at all prepared’ and 5 is ‘Extremely well prepared’.
Individual percentages are rounded, so displayed totals may differ from the exact sum.
Can't see this chart? Download it here↗.
In an interview, one student shared their concerns about the change of environment and demands of university:
"Studies-wise, I think my grasp of the subject is probably pretty good, but going into a new environment that’s where I feel less well prepared. Studying psychology as a full degree versus just having it as one of my four subjects, just handling that will be difficult let alone moving to a new environment at university. I feel largely underprepared for handling that sort of a thing."
Student, Pakistan
Future after finishing education
When considering how well prepared students feel they are for their future after finishing education, only 45% of students rate themselves as feeling well prepared.
Question: How well prepared do you think you are for your future after education? Please answer on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is ‘Not at all prepared’ and 5 is ‘Extremely well prepared’.
Individual percentages are rounded, so displayed totals may differ from the exact sum.
Can't see this chart? Download it here↗.
We did not ask students to explain their responses, but we did ask students to describe in three words the qualities of someone who is ready for their future after finishing education. The words expressed most often include confidence, determination, and being responsible. This may be a recognition of the shift of responsibility that occurs when students finish formal education and enter the workplace.
Question: Imagine someone who is ready for their future after finishing education – name three qualities that they have. Please do not enter names of individuals.
One student highlights this responsibility, while reflecting on the skills they might need in the future:
"Compared to high school, university is mainly self-study so I can’t rely on my teachers anymore, I will need to develop my own skills to do deep research for projects and reports. But when I start to work, I think self-management is the most essential skill for me to develop so that I can improve my ability and have more individual achievements."
Student, Thailand
How well prepared do teachers feel their students are?
We also asked teachers to reflect on how well prepared they feel their students are for their next step in education. Teachers were asked to reflect on their cohort of students aged 14 to 19.
More than two-thirds of teachers feel that their students are well prepared for their next step in education (a rating of four or five).
Question: How well prepared do you think students are for their next step in education? Please answer on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is ‘Not at all prepared’ and 5 is ‘Extremely well prepared’.
Individual percentages are rounded, so displayed totals may differ from the exact sum.
Can't see this chart? Download it here↗.
Within the survey, we asked teachers to explain their rating and this reveals nuanced opinions on student preparedness:
"We are fostering students’ independence, encouraging them to rise to every occasion with confidence and resilience. As they transition into the next phase of their lives, we are ensuring they are equipped with the right skills and the right attitude towards personal growth and development."
Teacher, Nigeria
When considering how well prepared their students are for their future after finishing education, teachers continue to be confident – around three in five teachers say that their students are well prepared (a rating of four or five).
Question: How well prepared do you think students are for their future after education? Please answer on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is ‘Not at all prepared’ and 5 is ‘Extremely well prepared’.
Individual percentages are rounded, so displayed totals may differ from the exact sum.
Can't see this chart? Download it here↗.
One respondent explains the challenge of preparing students for life outside formal education:
"Though students have made short term plans for the next one or two years, they are unsure of what to choose post-graduation."
Teacher, India
Nevertheless, many responses reflect confidence about the long-term value of students’ skills and experiences:
"They consistently inquire about the subject choices that match their dream careers, and they usually make an effort to perform well in those subjects."
Teacher, Uganda
"They gain strong communication skills, enhancing their ability to articulate ideas and collaborate effectively with others. Exposure to diverse perspectives fosters adaptability and cultural sensitivity, which is essential for navigating a globalised workforce."
Teacher, United Arab Emirates
Developing future-readiness: where should schools place the most emphasis?
We wanted to understand how teachers and students view the role of school in preparing students for their future. From a list of options, teachers place the greatest emphasis on thinking skills / life skills*, followed by love of learning and emotional wellbeing.
Students also highlight thinking skills / life skills, although not as strongly as teachers did. Like teachers, they also emphasise love of learning and emotional wellbeing. Unlike teachers, significantly more students rate career-readiness and entry for higher education as their highest priority. Students were also more likely than teachers to prioritise social skills.
*‘Life skills’ was included on the teacher survey, and ‘Thinking skills’ was included on the student survey – both had the same definition: ‘for example, problem-solving, decision-making, and critical thinking’.
Question for teachers: What do you believe are the most important aspects of the future that schools should prepare students for? Please select up to 3 of the most important factors, with 1 being the most important factor.
Question for students: What do you believe are the most important aspects of your future that your current school should prepare you for? Please select up to 3 of the most important factors, with 1 being the most important factor.
This chart shows the percentage of teachers and students selecting each of the 10 factors as the most important.
Life skills / Thinking skills
Love of learning
Emotional wellbeing
Adaptability
Social skills
Self-awareness
Career readiness
Social responsibility
Entry for higher education
Higher education study
Conversations in the classroom
An important part of being prepared for the future is understanding the world around us, so we asked teachers and students to tell us about the topics they discuss at school.
It is clear many conversations are happening in the classroom that may help students to understand the world around them. However, it is striking that across all the topics, a significantly higher number of teachers mention these conversations than students, and the difference is especially large in relation to mental health and wellbeing. Additionally, 12% of students say they do not discuss any of these topics in the classroom.
It is important to acknowledge that these differences could be because teachers are reflecting on their whole cohort of students aged 14 to 19, whereas students are reflecting on their own experiences.
Question for teachers: Which of the following, if any, do you discuss with your students? Please select all that apply.
Question for students: Which of the following, if any, do you discuss in lessons / with your teachers? Please select all that apply.
The use of social media
The development of new technologies
Wellbeing
Mental health
Climate change and / or environmental issues
Current affairs
Online disinformation and misinformation
The economy and job market
Role models
Other (please specify)
None of the above
Analysis
Our research reveals that many students do not feel well prepared for their future – yet we believe they are more capable than they think. By building their awareness and belief in their abilities, we can support them to feel more ready for the future.
Where does this underestimation on the part of students come from? They may not recognise all the skills they are developing alongside deep subject knowledge, nor see the different ways in which their learning experiences at school could translate into future success. For example, our recent skills audit has shown that students who study Cambridge International A Level Geography develop proficiency in systems thinking. While they may not always recognise or describe themselves as being skilled in this area, by studying this subject they are implicitly building these skills. This presents an opportunity for education providers to better signpost these skills so that students recognise the ways in which they are being prepared and understand how these skills may serve them in the future.
From our research we see that teachers reflecting on their students aged 14 to 19 consider them to be well prepared for their futures. Teachers are well placed to judge students’ preparedness, because of their understanding of curriculum design and skills development, and because of their longitudinal experience of seeing students progress to – and thrive in – higher education and in careers.
Beyond the skills students develop through subject study, we also need to show students how the conversations they are having in the classroom, and the extracurricular activities they participate in, are valuable opportunities to develop important skills, deepen their interests, support their wellbeing and demonstrate commitment beyond the classroom. We should also help students appreciate how involvement in community outreach offers meaningful opportunities to develop a sense of engagement and citizenship beyond the classroom. Finally, it’s important that students have opportunities to develop empathy which is essential for inclusion, helping students to understand and connect to others’ experiences and perspectives.
There are indications that conversations taking place in the classroom around wellbeing and mental health are not as impactful as they need to be, and in this context it should be acknowledged that wellbeing is an important aspect of inclusion, and that feeling prepared for the future is not just about being equipped academically, but also socially and mentally. The fact that fewer students report these conversations happening than their teachers could indicate that the conversations are not having the desired impact, and that could be factoring into students’ feelings about their preparedness for the future. Developing a shared language around wellbeing and having caring conversations that make space for feelings as well as exchange of ideas and perspectives, will make a difference.
"We’re facing a huge mental health crisis and depression of young people globally. This makes the dimensions of thriving, happiness, health, understanding emotions, understanding the way you think, being able to relate ever more central to learning. Making space to show that caring is crucial in a world which is so challenging is really important."
Olivier Brechard, Director of International Relations, Learning Planet Institute
Supporting students to recognise the full extent of when, where and how they are developing key skills – both in the classroom and beyond – is critical for helping them to feel prepared for their future. If students are more aware of the skills they are developing and understand how they can be applied outside school to tackle challenges in the future, we believe they will have a stronger belief that they are prepared for their future and will have a greater sense of agency in terms of influencing their future.
"Signposting students through their learning is really important. If we could signpost from the beginning – from early years – that they are acquiring those skills, and of course, it’s got to be age appropriate, then I think you would change people’s perception."
Alison Bellwood, Executive Director of Education, Project Everyone
How you can get started
In the ‘How you can get started’ sections of this report we highlight the Cambridge resources and support available now, or coming soon, that can help teachers and school leaders start putting what they have learned into practice.
- We have resources on active learning, inclusive education and learner wellbeing that can support the topics explored in ‘Ready for the future?’. Go to the Learner Resources page within this report for more information and links to these resources.
- Students’ own ideas about what it means to be prepared for the future include confidence, discipline, determination and being responsible – two of which (confident and responsible) are Cambridge learner attributes. These are threaded through our programmes and resources to support schools to develop students who are confident, responsible, reflective, innovative and engaged. You can find guidance on how to nurture these in our Cambridge learner attributes guide↗.
- We can help you maximise the impact of the wellbeing conversations you are having in the classroom. The Cambridge Wellbeing Check↗ (for ages 7 to 19) is a great starting point. It gives students the chance to explore and share with teachers how well they are feeling, and how well they feel they are doing (whether they feel they are fulfilling their potential). This classroom assessment helps teachers to spot students who need more support with their wellbeing.