By Claire Racine

The Government’s education white paper published yesterday missed an opportunity to radically change the education system which continues to fail to impart the skills most relevant to children growing up in Britain

In Grit, The skills for success and how they are grown, Yvonne Roberts, of the Young Foundation, argues that a gulf has opened up between what our education system provides and what children need to develop their full potential.

This gulf will not be adequately addressed by one-to-one tuition, more parental rights or teacher licenses.

“A remarkably broad consensus exists on what would be in the curriculum if it started with children’s present and future needs rather than what is familiar to policy-makers or teachers,” said Geoff Mulgan, director of the Young Foundation.

“What’s required includes social skills, systematic reasoning, creativity, collaboration and the ability to communicate effectively.”

Parents throughout the UK agree that an overhaul of the education system is needed. Parents feel that school is failing to prepare students to face today’s challenging recruitment climate, according to research from independent education foundation Edge.

Of the 1,028 surveyed, 43% of parents of 11 to 16 year olds said they did not feel their child was being adequately prepared for the world of work and 42% said the same for life in general.

The Young Foundation argues that what really makes a difference to a child’s future is a foundation in social skills, emotional resilience, enterprise and discipline.

They also suggest that a learning innovation fund should be established – similar to the $750m fund established by Barack Obama.

The Learning Launchpad fund, created by the Young Foundation in partnership with Edge to speed up the creation and development of social ventures aimed at young people, is an example of one such approach.

Launchpad gives money and professional support to individuals who have groundbreaking ideas that will raise the aspirations and release the potential of young people in their transition to adulthood. In the latest round of funding, the Learning Launchpad gave £65,000 to develop three innovative projects which aim to revolutionise the experience of growing up in Britain.

Future First is building an ‘old boys’ network among working class pupils in state schools, Working Rite is reviving traditional apprenticeships for ‘difficult’ youngsters and VI-ability is getting young people involved in running a football club.

The next application deadline for the Learning Launchpad is Wednesday 15 July and winners stand to receive up to £30,000 in funding plus support and advice.