What Kind of People Are We Trying to Raise?

The Question

Every parent hopes their child grows into someone who is respectful.

Someone who is kind.

Someone who can navigate challenges without being defined by them.

Someone who can build strong relationships.

Someone who can contribute positively to the people and communities around them.

Which raises a question that sits at the heart of education:

What kind of adult are we trying to raise?

The Conversation

For many years, public debates about education have often presented a false choice.

Academic excellence or wellbeing.

Achievement or character.

Rigour or relationships.

But life doesn't work that way.

The most respected professionals are rarely defined by technical expertise alone.

The most effective leaders are rarely recognised simply for what they know.

They are valued because they combine capability with character.

They earn trust.

They communicate clearly.

They make thoughtful decisions under pressure.

They understand how their actions affect others.

Those qualities matter at university.

They matter in the workplace.

They matter in life.

Research increasingly points in the same direction.

The OECD Learning Compass 2030 argues that education should develop not only knowledge, but also the skills, attitudes and values required for students to thrive personally and contribute positively to society. Published in 2019, the framework emphasises student agency, wellbeing and responsibility alongside academic learning. 

Closer to home, the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) identified five essential skills for learning in contemporary education: critical thinking, creative thinking, collaboration, communication and self-regulation. Published in January 2025, the framework was developed through extensive research into the capabilities young people need to succeed at school and beyond. 

What's striking is that these are not "soft" skills.

They're increasingly becoming “the” skills.

Because the future is unlikely to reward expertise alone.

It will reward people who know how to apply that expertise in ways that build trust, solve problems and bring others with them.

What the Research Says

Education researchers increasingly argue that academic achievement alone is no longer a sufficient measure of educational success.

The OECD Learning Compass 2030 framework highlights the importance of developing knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that support both personal wellbeing and positive contribution to society. Published 2019. 

The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) identified five essential capabilities for modern learners: critical thinking, creative thinking, collaboration, communication and self-regulation. Published 23 January 2025. 

Further Reading

• OECD Learning Compass 2030
  https://www.oecd.org/education/2030-project/ 
• ACER Essential Skills for Learning (2025)
  https://research.acer.edu.au/ar_misc/76/ 

Keeping It Real

At Kingswood, we don't believe families should have to choose between academic achievement and character development.

Students deserve both.

We want to work alongside young people who challenge themselves intellectually.

Who pursues ambitious goals.

Who understands the satisfaction that comes from hard work and goal setting.

But we also want them to become people others trust.

People who lead with integrity.

People who understand that an awesome life isn't only about what they achieve, but how they achieve it.

Because when parents choose a school, they aren't simply choosing where their child will study.

They're helping shape the kind of adult their child will become.

Continuing the Conversation

In our next article, we'll explore a question that sits at the centre of modern education:

If life after school is diverse and interconnected, should school reflect that reality?