Charities including The Scout Association, UK Youth and the National Youth Agency have formed a ‘shadow review’ to ensure young people’s opinions can be gathered as the government looks to overhaul the way pupils are taught and assessed. The move has been taken due to concerns that the DfE’s consultation roadshow is being held in “difficult to reach locations or during school hours”.

Youth panel members are being recruited to help oversee the shadow review, which will feature more accessible roadshow locations and times, as well as an easier to navigate consultation process. “It will run faster than the official review” and produce reports ahead of the government’s own review, say the youth organisations involved.

Although separate from the government’s review, the youth organisations “are optimistic” that its chair education policy expert Professor Becky Francis will consider recommendations made by young people through the shadow review.