Our Focus

Practical learning

Learning Launchpad's primary focus is on practical learning. This involves learning by doing things for real, working with experts and integrating theory and practice. It is a doorway to the working world. For many young people in Britain today, the current education system is too academic, too one-size-fits-all, and too disconnected from their hopes for their own futures. The lack of high quality, well respected opportunities for practical learning contributes to the unacceptable number of students who are either dropping out of school or failing to attend regularly. The number of young people out of school or training is roughly the same as a decade ago and truancy rates have seen scant improvement. For every young person out of school there are several students who remain in school but become disinterested and fail to thrive. This applies to the most gifted and talented as well as the less able. Many young people who stay in school and even do well are voicing the desire to have a curriculum that is more practical.

At the same time, many employers are concerned about the skills gaps in the UK. Edge recently found that 67% of employers think schools are not equipping young people with the vital work skills of team working, communication and time keeping; 71% would consider hiring young people with poor exam grades but a large amount of work experience. In a similar vein, every new survey of unfilled vacancies confirms that employers are looking for - and not finding - non-cognitive skills such as motivation and flexibility, willingness to work and learn, and appearance, behaviour, confidence, and positive gestures and mannerisms.