Are British schools ‘exam-obsessed’? Teachers think so

• Alan Milburn, the government's adviser on youth unemployment, has criticised the school system for being "exam-obsessed" and failing to adequately prepare young people for adult life and work.
• His comments follow a YouGov survey of 1,004 UK teachers, revealing that 74 per cent believe there is too much emphasis on passing exams.
• The survey also found that 73 per cent of teachers felt there was insufficient focus on preparing students for employment or developing 'soft skills'.
• Milburn, who is leading a government review into young people and work, highlighted that 66 per cent of teachers reported a decline in overall work readiness among students.
• The review aims to address the rising number of young people not in employment, education, or training (NEET), which reached 957,000 between October and December 2025.

IN FULL

Labour’s youth unemployment tsar hits out at ‘exam-obsessed’ British schools