One of England’s largest multi-academy trusts will survey its pupils for ideas to solve the key stage 3 engagement crisis – before piloting potentially “radical” solutions in its schools.
According to research, one in for pupils in England disengage when they move up to secondary school, with particularly low rates among girls and disadvantaged pupils.
Lift Schools, which runs 57 schools, is partnering with Reach Foundation to launch the Key Stage 3 Futures Programme from January.
The project will survey pupils, teachers and parents across the trust’s schools from January, before testing practical solutions for engagement in September 2026.
‘Prepared to be quite radical’
CEO of Lift Schools Becks Boomer-Clark said Lift is “prepared to be quite radical. To meet the challenge of engagement we probably do need a revolution in the shape and structure of early secondary years”.
It will become part of Lift School’s Innovation Lab and will be led by Reach Foundation’s managing director Ed Vainker and independent panel member of the curriculum and assessment review Jon Hutchinson.
Boomer-Clark suggested solutions such as starting the school day later and changing the size of classes could be tested, but that they were “open to ideas” from pupils.
“Part of the challenge of the engagement crisis is that it’s very often adults projecting their solutions onto children’s experience of school,” Boomer-Clark said.
1 in 4 disengaged by secondary school
In May, research carried out by the Commission on Engagement and Lead Indicators found more than one in four pupils begin to disengage with school as they reach Year 7.
And research from Lift Schools of 21,000 pupils and 1,700 teachers across its schools found a significant dip in pupils reporting they had a sense of belonging.
While 84 per cent of year 6 pupils said they had a sense of belonging, just 58 per cent of year 9 pupils reported the same.
Less than half of girls in year 8 who were receiving free school meals felt they belonged at school, research found.
Lift is also partnering with UCL and Nuffield Health to explore the causal links between school and classroom climate and student belonging, attendance and attainment.
Vainker said the project was a “huge opportunity to make sure that the early years of secondary build on the positive experiences that many young people have in primary and sets young people up to go to achieve well”.
Boomer-Clark added Lift was open to other schools taking part in the pilots.
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