Our campaigns
Our schools and teachers need champions
Teachers do an incredible job under challenging circumstances. But what if the education system weren’t so challenging?
We speak out on the issues that are putting the most pressure on schools serving low-income communities. And holding back the children facing the biggest challenges.
It's time for decision makers to prioritise solutions that will create a fairer society for everyone. Or risk more children being left behind.
Our Government manifesto sets out recommendations for creating an education system that gives every child the opportunities they need to thrive.
To attract Gen Z into the classroom, we must reframe what a teaching career could offer the next generation. Our report, Tomorrow’s Teachers, outlines how to make teaching the ‘go-to’ profession for graduates by improving flexibility, work-life balance, and career development. High-quality teaching is key to powering potential in every pupil, but we need to align the profession with Gen Z's motivations and aspirations.
Together, we can make change happen.
Want to help us give all kids a fighting chance to fulfil their potential? On this page you can find out more about what we’re taking action on at the moment.
Teacher recruitment
Tomorrow’s teachers
Whilst we know teaching can offer job security, good holidays, generous pensions and deeply fulfilling work, teaching also involves many trade-offs which are no longer compelling enough to graduates. Recruitment is falling and action needs to be taken. In this research, we set out an ambitious roadmap of the changes needed to get Gen Z into the classroom.
Tomorrow’s teachers are waiting. And that wait must end today.
Inclusivity
Missing Pages
Did you know that, even today, a child can finish school without having read a single book written by a person of colour? This needs to change. Through our Missing Pages campaign, we’re calling for greater representation of ethnic minority authors in English literature lessons.
STEMinism
Careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) are dominated by men. This is despite the fact that girls perform just as well as – or even better than – boys across these subjects at school. We’re campaigning to reverse the lack of representation in STEM careers which has far-reaching effects in terms of gender-bias and ultimately results in fewer girls pursuing these subjects.
School funding
Classroom to career
Children from disadvantaged backgrounds face barriers to accessing professional careers. We think investing in careers education should start in primary school: our classroom to career campaign calls on large employers to start engaging with their future workforce early, so children are encouraged to pursue potential career pathways.
Rethinking pupil premium
All too often, it’s the schools in the most disadvantaged areas that face the biggest challenges. But tackling those challenges doesn’t come cheap. We’re pushing the government to fairly fund schools serving the poorest communities.
Past campaigns
Shut in not shut out
When the pandemic struck, millions of children were shut inside instead of going to school. As a result, many were shut out of the opportunities they deserve. We campaigned to make sure every child, regardless of background, had the same access to learning.
Campaign wins:
- An additional £1.8bn from the government for the education recovery package in September 2021.
- Education recovery funding doubled for secondary schools in May 2022.
- Nearly 2 million laptops donated to schools through government support.
- Teach First supporters provided an additional £1m worth of computer equipment.
