Teenagers in England typically have ‘worse socio-emotional skills'
Teenagers in England typically have worse socio-emotional skills than their peers in other countries, a report has suggested.
The socio-emotional skills of pupils aged 15-16 in England are significantly weaker than many of their peers in comparator countries, according to the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER).
If left unaddressed, these weaknesses could have consequences for young people's future employability, the researchers have warned.
The NFER study examines the socio-emotional skills of young people in England – based on scores of assertiveness, co-operation, curiosity, emotional control, empathy, persistence and stress resistance – compared to those of other countries that were part of a major international study.
The 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa), which is an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) study, measured the socio-emotional skills of 15-year-olds in 31 countries.
The NFER research, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, said: 'Young people in England typically have worse socio-emotional skills at the end of lower secondary school (age 15/16) than the OECD average, and inequalities in these skills are also greater in England than any other country in our data.'
Researchers found that England ranks in the bottom ten countries of the countries that measured socio-emotional skills in the OECD study.
The working paper added: 'Inequalities in children's socio-emotional skills are also higher in England than any other country in our data, which appears to be driven by large inequalities in children's emotional control, stress resistance, assertiveness and perseverance.'
Researchers have suggested that the relatively poor socio-emotional skills of 15-16 year olds in England could be an indication that young people have lower Essential Employment Skills (EES) when they leave education than their peers across the OECD.
The report also found that 15-16-year-olds in the UK typically have better maths, reading and science skills compared to their peers across OECD countries.
But inequalities in these skills are 'marginally greater' in the UK and they have not narrowed over the past decade, it added.
The study has called on the Government to explore what more it could do to incentivise schools to promote the development of children's socio-emotional skills – like communication and collaboration.
It also called on the government to create a clear Early Years workforce strategy as it highlighted the importance of high-quality Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) for children's skill development.
Jude Hillary, the programme's principal investigator and NFER's co-head of UK policy and practice, said: 'Socio-emotional skills are very important for young people's employment prospects as well as their life satisfaction and general wellbeing.
'This research suggests we need to do more, earlier in children's lives to support their social and emotional development and give them the best possible start.
'If we fail to prioritise these skills, we are potentially not just limiting individual wellbeing and potential – we are weakening the future workforce and economy of the UK.'
The NFER report also called on the Government to consider introducing targeted funding for disadvantaged pupils in 16-19 education.
Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'Socio-emotional skills are important not just in the workplace but for forming strong and successful relationships in all areas of life, and the inequalities identified in this report are concerning.
'We agree that more needs to be done to support the social and emotional development of all children from a young age.
'Improving access to early years education is key to closing the disadvantage gap, and this will require an uplift in funding and staffing levels.'
He added: 'We have long called for reform of the pupil premium to provide funding for disadvantaged 16 to 19 year-olds which matches that for younger pupils.
'Educational inequalities do not disappear at this age, and this should be reflected in funding levels to ensure schools and colleges are able to support all students as they prepare to enter the workplace or engage in further study.'
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