Share Your Thoughts to Shape the Future of Education

The Youth Shadow Panel is inviting children and young people across England to share your views on your experience of school or college. Share your opinions on what you like, don’t like, and how your education could be improved.

You can share your thoughts by completing a short, accessible survey where you can also submit creative responses like pictures, videos, voice notes or writing. You can also share your thoughts on social media with the hashtag #shadowCAR or by sending to @youthshadowpanel on Instagram.

How can you get involved (age 5-19 in England)

• Fill in the survey: it’s important your voice is heard so follow the link for more guidance and to complete the survey. 
• Get creative: Share your views through pictures, videos, voice notes, creative writing, or art. These can be uploaded directly in the survey or shared on social media using the hashtag #shadowCAR or by sending to @youthshadowpanel on Instagram.
• Encourage others: Discuss the questions in the survey with your friends, you could also ask your teachers, parents or youth workers for help. Then, encourage your friends to share their views via the survey or by posting on social media. You may choose to do this as a group.

Adults (teachers, parents, youth workers): how you can support

• Share the survey: Share the short, accessible survey with your students/pupils/children and set time in the day for them to complete it, giving them guidance on the questions as needed.
• Support creative submissions: Students can share their views through pictures, videos, voice notes, creative writing, or art. These can be uploaded directly in the survey or shared on social media using the hashtag #shadowCAR or sent to @youthshadowpanel on Instagram.
• Submit group views: Discuss the questions as a group and submit collective feedback on their behalf.‍
• Use the lesson plan and PowerPoint template linked in the plan to run a session on gathering views.

Who is the Youth Shadow Panel and why does this matter?

The Youth Shadow Panel is made up of 12 young people in England who are passionate about ensuring youth voice is central to the shaping of future education. They represent the youth-led Shadow Curriculum and Assessment Review which is hosted by SOS-UK and was set up by a group of leading youth organisations (including the Scouts, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, NUS and NYA), united by a determination to support the inclusion of children and youth perspectives in the Government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review. The Government’s Review will lead to changes about what is taught in schools and colleges and how students/pupils are assessed. 

The idea for the Shadow Review was sparked by a group of us at Teach the Future as we found that there wasn’t a way for us to meaningfully engage with the Government’s Review, and generally found it inaccessible. We asked SOS-UK to help us, and got lots of other amazing youth organisations to support it too!

What young people submit via our survey or social media will contribute to the Youth Shadow Panel discussions and shape their recommendations to be shared with the government Review. You can find out more by visiting www.shadowpanel.uk

Key details

• Views can be submitted between 2 December 2024 - 12 January 2025.
• Complete the survey and find out more at: www.shadowpanel.uk/get-involved/share-your-views
• Social Media: Post on Instagram, TikTok, X, LinkedIn, or Facebook using #shadowCAR or send to @youthshadowpanel on Instagram.