Time to stop talking and start delivering

In a bold move to shift the education reform conversation from rhetoric to reality, the Foundation for Education Development (FED) has announced the launch of the National Education Assembly (NEA), a groundbreaking, stakeholder-led initiative that will place those with lived experience of education at the centre of shaping its future.

Launched in September 2025, the NEA is not just another consultation exercise. It’s the practical next step in FED’s long-standing campaign for a long-term, system-wide approach to education policy in the UK. It’s time to stop talking and start delivering. Those who live and breathe education every day must have a say in shaping its future.

A platform for participation - not politics

At a time when Government debate circles around long-term reform without decisive action, FED believes the answers are already in the system. Educators, learners, parents, and leaders know what works and what doesn’t. The National Education Assembly (NEA) will be the mechanism through which their insights are elevated, coordinated, and translated into meaningful influence. Beginning this Autumn, the NEA will meet four times annually, with two in-person gatherings and two virtual assemblies, ensuring broad accessibility across the sector. The first in-person event will take place on 11 November 2025, followed immediately by the FED National Education Summit on 12 November 2025.

To ensure year-round engagement, the FED have also launched a dedicated NEA app, offering users across the country the opportunity to participate in discussions, submit ideas, and collaborate on shaping education’s future, regardless of geography or role.

Part of a bigger vision: FED futures

The NEA sits at the heart of FED Futures, a wider strategy introduced in 2025 to tackle deep-seated issues in the UK education system. Grounded in evidence and sector-wide consultation, FED Futures focuses on three urgent challenges:

• Inclusion: With exclusions up 50% in the last five years and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) funding shortfalls estimated at 70%, the need for equitable, inclusive education is clear.
• Workforce: A looming crisis in teacher retention, with 35% of educators planning to leave the profession within five years, demands urgent action on wellbeing, development, and leadership pathways.
• Partnerships: FED is challenging the competitive silos of schools, Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs), and local authorities, advocating for collaborative ecosystems that prioritise collective success over rivalry.

FED Futures aims not only to spotlight these problems but to create practical, scalable solutions through cross-sector collaboration. Three further National Education Futures projects will be launched in June 2025. These focused strands will explore systemic reform in:

• Mathematics and numeracy education,
• English and literacy education
• Skills and careers education

Each project will examine what’s currently working, where gaps exist, and how policy, practice, and resources can be aligned to equip future generations for a fast-changing world.

A new era of collaboration

What sets the NEA apart from other initiatives is its genuinely inclusive approach. The aim is not to impose change from the top down, but to co-create it with those who are embedded in the day-to-day reality of teaching, learning, and leadership.

To find out more about how to get involved and make your voice heard, sign up at www.fed.education 

As well as his role as the Founder and Chair of the Foundation for Education Development, Carl is Chief Executive of the City Learning Trust. He is one of the longest-serving CEOs of a Multi-Academy Trust in England, a National Leader of Education, and has led and developed local, regional and national strategic boards and initiatives.