National curriculum ‘inappropriate’ for Lincolnshire’s job market

A Lincoln councillor has raised concerns about whether national school curriculum lets young people down.

Lincolnshire has above average levels of young not in education, employment or training, with 2.9% not participating.

Since the Covid pandemic, Lincolnshire’s labour market has faced a serious reduction in the talent pool, and employers have been unable to find the right candidates.

While unemployment is low, there were also unusual levels of “economic inactivity”.

A Lincolnshire County Council meeting discussed the reasons behind today’s labour market problems.

At an Environment and Economy Scrutiny Committee meeting on Tuesday, February 28, Councillor Julie Elizabeth Killey said the on-going problem may well stem back to the national school curriculum.

Lincolnshire County Councillor Julie Killey. | Image: LCC

She said: “I completely agree about the status of vocational education and academic education which has been a structural problem in this country for a long time. 

“What I found really frustrating, I have been a teacher as well for 40 years, was that most children or a large proportion of children did not have a suitable curriculum even at below 16.” 

Mrs Killey added: “It’s beyond our remit completely, but I think that the national curriculum in many ways is inappropriate.”