Inquiry into the 'The Loss of the Love of Learning'

The report is organised into four sections, or modules, with the challenges for each in focus: Current Landscape of Engagement in Education; Curriculum Design and Engagement; Assessment Practices and Their Impact on Engagement; and Supporting Teachers in the Love of Learning. 

Module 1: The Current Landscape of Engagement in Education.

The report maps the current landscape of engagement through: Absenteeism; Changes to numbers who are home educated; Teacher engagement; Behavioural challenges; The impact of behaviour on pupil-teacher relations; and Structural or Societal Factors – What is driving the decline. Pertaining to these sections, the report helpfully summarises the challenges:

• With no nationally agreed measure of student engagement, current evaluations of school success rely too heavily on academic outcomes, limiting our understanding of pupils' broader educational experience. 
• Persistent absence remains significantly above pre-pandemic levels, with 1 in 5 pupils missing substantial time from school, a trend strongly linked to disengagement. 
• Many parents choosing EHE cite mental health, SEND, or dissatisfaction with school, suggesting that for some, home education is a response to a loss of joy and security in traditional settings. More than half of teachers report rising rates of pupil disengagement, with increasing numbers of students appearing switched off from classroom learning. 
• When teachers experience burnout and lose professional joy, the ripple effects reduce the consistency and quality of pupil relationships, which are key to fostering engagement. Behaviour in schools is worsening, particularly in secondary settings, with misbehaviour disrupting an estimated 7 minutes of every 30-minute lesson. 
• Mental health difficulties among children are rising, and anxiety is now one of the most cited reasons for school refusal or withdrawal. 
• Some families no longer see formal education as beneficial, especially when schools are perceived as sources of stress rather than support. 
• Economic hardship contributes to low engagement through hunger, poor sleep, digital exclusion, and family stress, all of which hinder pupils' ability to participate fully in learning. 
• A lack of intergenerational learning culture in some communities may dampen children's enthusiasm for education, particularly when few adult role models exist who value or enjoy learning. 
• The pandemic has exacerbated many of these challenges, increasing disengagement, anxiety, and gaps in readiness for the next stages of learning.

Module 2: Curriculum Design and Engagement

The report describes how arts education emphasises process, experimentation, and reflection over the one-right-answer approach, building resilience and comfort with learning from mistakes, and habits learned in and through arts carry over to other subjects.

Challenges:

• With the national curriculum described as overly dense and rigid, teachers report lacking time for deep, exploratory learning that fosters curiosity and engagement. 
• The pressure to meet syllabus demands has led to the shortening of enrichment activities such as field trips, with the average residential visit declining from 4.6 to 2.9 days. 
• Opportunities for cultural and creative learning are increasingly concentrated in more affluent schools, widening inequality in access to the arts. 
• Pupils and teachers alike report that curriculum content often feels outdated and disconnected from modern life, contributing to disengagement. 
• A lack of diversity in the curriculum limits students' sense of belonging, with many minority ethnic pupils feeling unrepresented and disengaged. 
• Literature curricula in particular have been criticised for an overemphasis on heritage texts, with students calling for texts that reflect contemporary and relatable experiences. 
• Curriculum standardisation across schools has reduced many teachers' ability to adapt content to suit their pupils' interests.

Module 3: Assessment Practices and Their Impact on Engagement

The report cites evidence that powerfully illustrated how assessment practices, particularly the prevalence of high-stakes, summative exams, influence student engagement and attitudes toward learning. They note: data from Summer 2020 to Summer 2024 shows that while Ebacc entries increased, non-Ebасс entries declined over the same period.

Challenges:

• With SATs preparation dominating Year 6, particularly in disadvantaged schools, pupils are missing out on a broader curriculum that supports deeper and more engaging learning. 
• The pressure of SATs is negatively affecting pupil wellbeing, with a majority of Year 6 pupils reporting worry and a notable proportion experiencing sleep loss and emotional distress. 
• With GCSEs and A-levels now assessed almost entirely through end-of-course exams, students face heightened pressure with little opportunity to demonstrate learning through alternative methods. Comparatively long exam durations in England, combined with revision and mock exam pressures, leave little space for varied learning experiences or holistic development. 
• Pupils with SEND, mental health needs, or unstable home environments are disproportionately disadvantaged by the current model of high-stakes terminal assessment. 
• Some students disengage entirely from learning due to the belief that they cannot succeed within the exam framework, increasing the risk of exclusion or dropout. 
• Even high-achieving pupils are impacted, with the system promoting a narrow focus on final grades rather than a love of learning or intellectual curiosity. 
• The emphasis on ranking and pass thresholds leads some students to internalise failure, reinforcing low self-worth and undermining motivation. 
• As the EBacc and Progress 8 shape school accountability, schools are incentivised to reduce subject choice, particularly in creative disciplines. 
• Without reform, the accountability system may continue to discourage schools from offering diverse subject options, limiting pupil choice and engagement.

Module 4: Supporting Teachers in the Love of Learning

The report says 'Submissions painted a sobering picture of a profession under strain, which is leading many teachers to lose their love of teaching and, in alarming numbers, leave the classroom.' And, 'teacher retention rates are troubling: roughly 1 in 10 teachers leaves the state sector each year, and surveys suggest a vast majority have at least considered quitting (Education Support, 2024). Attrition amongst early career teachers is particularly high, with 1 in 3 leaving within the first 5 years in the profession (Department for Education, 2025).'

Challenges: 

• With approximately one in ten teachers leaving the state sector annually and one in three early career teachers exiting within five years, the high level of teacher attrition must be addressed. 
• Teachers increasingly report a loss of professional autonomy, limiting their ability to adapt lessons and apply their judgement in the classroom. 
• A significant portion of teachers' time is now spent on administrative and accountability driven tasks, often at the expense of activities with direct educational value. 
• The reduction in available teaching assistants means that teachers are managing complex needs and behavioural challenges alone, which is affecting both classroom dynamics and their wellbeing. 
• Delays in accessing external services-such as CAMHS and speech and language therapyare leaving many pupils without the support they need, with consequences felt in classroom behaviour and learning. 
• Teachers' limited involvement in the design and implementation of education policy is contributing to a sense of disempowerment and reducing the effectiveness of reform initiatives.

Michele Gregson, general secretary of NSEAD says:

'The Inquiry into the 'The Loss of the Love of Learning' reflects the perfect storm of high-stakes accountability systems, arts-depleted learning, backward-facing curricular and a workforce and profession that has been devalued for too long. 

The report's four sections, document how and why the joy of learning is being sucked out of education. We applaud the APPG for collating this evidence which illustrates only to well, why the purpose of education needs a re-write. NSEAD's own 2024 manifesto indicates the changes we want to see: A valued, nurtured and diverse subject-specialist workforce; A learner-centred, future-facing contemporary curriculum and equity of opportunity for all. We call on this government, to not only halt the loss of the love of learning, but make education learner-centred, where all children access every subject, and to value our incredible workforce and profession once again.'

Read the inquiry here