Legal and commercial education is fundamental to a school system that teaches relevant skills for the future
A young person’s time in school is fundamental in developing their future prospects and employability. A foundational knowledge across a wide spectrum of topics is one of the primary goals of education in England and Wales. To this end, pupils are taught about Science, Mathematics, History and English, as well as being given a broad education in personal, social, health and economics (PSHE). However, despite the legalised world in which we live, legal education is seemingly not considered relevant. Schools could be doing more to tackle this.
In its 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, the UN has recognised the importance of quality education, including the need for an increase in the number of young people who have “relevant” skills. On World Youth Skills Day, and in the current geopolitical climate, relevancy is without a doubt the paramount word. What could be more relevant than the ability to analyse and interrogate the legal and commercial context in which daily events and issues take shape?
The Black Lives Matter events of the past few weeks have thrown the relevancy of an education in the law into sharp relief. The tragic events that lead to the death of George Floyd in the USA have inspired a wave of civic action. If young people were taught more at school about The Equality Act, they might feel more confident to challenge discrimination, both direct and indirect, when they see it. That might be when asserting themselves if stopped and searched, or being challenged under ‘stop and account‘ rules during a protest.
Yet legal and commercial awareness are often thought of as ‘common sense’; knowing how to rent a property and tackle rogue landlords, pay your credit card or answer a question in a job interview about the commercial issues shaping the current legal landscape. But they aren’t common sense; they are very much a skill that can, and should, be taught at school. That’s why legal education is included in the national curriculum for secondary schools under citizenship. However, provision, materials and support for teachers on the subject is lacking.
Knowing your rights and where they come from is a critical skill for both the creation of well-rounded citizens and community cohesion. A legal knowledge base creates respect for the responsibilities that we all have as adults, and enables the confident assertion of rights when challenged. Equally, an understanding of the protections the law affords can help to ensure that opportunities in later life are not prohibited or delayed by early run-ins with the law.
Those opportunities to flourish are expanded for those young people who have an understanding of the commercial and legal realities that govern their daily lives. Knowledge of the law will help them set their finances in order from an early age, whether through knowing the importance of setting up a pension or understanding how best to manage their student debt in possibly precarious gig economy or zero-hours roles. This sets them up on the right foot once they leave school.
Thinking beyond school, legal literacy also provides the foundations for wider commercial awareness, which results in an increase in employability in both legal and other professions. While a good place to start, reading the newspapers and watching the news might only present the political agenda of the outlet in question. At the same time, disinformation and fake news are a profound concern. An understanding of the wider legal context and commercial background in which decisions are made will help students more closely understand the story. It will help them to make critical judgements and to ask why a decision has been made, whether in Parliament, or in the City, and inform their own decision-making processes later down the line.
It might also help them to get to a position where they can be the ones to make those decisions themselves, and is therefore vital for social mobility. Without equal access for all, a privileged minority who are lucky enough to have parents in corporate professions have an unfair advantage over their peers. Learning how to become commercially and legally aware is therefore paramount to increased job prospects, not only in the legal professions, but in any industry where an advisory element is integral. These roles should be open and accessible to all.
Over time, as younger people grow into informed adults and responsible citizens, these skills and knowledge will be passed down. In the meantime, schools should not be left in the dark. They must be given better support and a higher quality of resources that improve their students’ legal and commercial education. Only then can they begin to train their students effectively in commercial awareness, including in legal education. Like Mathematics, Science and Arts, these are relevant skills that will inform and empower young people for life beyond the classroom.