Former BBC Dragon and entrepreneur James Caan CBE has issued a powerful call for urgent reform in the UK’s education system, as he launched the landmark National Education Futures 2025 report at the House of Lords last week.
Hosted by The Rt Hon the Lord Knight of Weymouth, the event brought together parliamentarians, policymakers, and education leaders to address the growing crisis across schools, colleges and training systems.
Describing the moment as “a kite dancing in a hurricane”, Caan said, “Our education system, buffeted by social inequality, workforce pressures, and fragmented structures, is at a tipping point. But if we tether that kite to purpose, to inclusion, and to long-term vision, it can soar.”
The report sets out three critical priorities for transformation:
Inclusion
Caan urged a reimagining of inclusion as foundational, not optional. “Every learner — regardless of postcode, background or ability — deserves to thrive. Diversity must not be bolted on, but built in,” he said.
Workforce
Calling teachers the system’s “greatest asset”, Caan highlighted a crisis in morale and retention: “Too many are leaving, burnt out and unheard. When we invest in those who teach, we invest in the futures of those they teach.”
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