The Children’s Plan: The Children’s Commissioner’s School Census

Read The Children’s Plan: The Children’s Commissioner’s School Census in full. Read the Summary version.

For the first time as Children’s Commissioner, I have used my statutory powers to ask all schools, and colleges, a set of questions. A census in response to what children told me they wanted and needed to attend, engage, attain, and excel. I want to thank every school and college leader who took the time to respond and helped provide this unique national picture of children’s experience of education. Without them it would not have been possible to get, for the first time, such comprehensive proof of how much schools and colleges are doing to support every child, how much they are trying to know and care for their children despite the challenges.

When I became a teacher more than 30 years ago, and later, a headteacher, I saw firsthand the transformative power of great teaching. I was part of the first wave of education reform 20 years ago that brought energy, urgency and a belief that every child could achieve their potential with the right support and ambition. It was exciting.

Those reforms worked. Schools got better, standards rose, and outcomes improved – but not for every child. In that, we failed.