- Opinion
It’s time ... to unlock real-world skills everywhere
Today's curriculum goes beyond academic knowledge. Schools are now required to nurture key life skills through enrichment activities spanning civic engagement, arts and culture, nature, sport, and practical life skills. These experiences are not just add-ons; they are vital for building resilience, confidence, leadership, and wellbeing in every learner.
It’s time to unlock real-world skills everywhere
Mandatory benchmarks mean that every pupil should benefit from at least 80 hours of enrichment each year, distributed across five categories: community service, creative pursuits, outdoor adventures, sports, and life skills development. These opportunities give students the chance to discover new interests, contribute to their communities, and prepare for future careers and citizenship. Yet without reliable systems for capturing and recognizing these achievements, enrichment remains invisible, unnoticed by schools, Ofsted, parents, and the learners themselves.
RM Compare makes real-world learning visible. Schools can gather evidence of enrichment through multimedia portfolios - videos, photos, project logs, and creative reflections. Comparative judgement ensures fair moderation and benchmarking, so every learner’s participation and progress can be celebrated and reported with confidence, supporting Ofsted inspection, MAT-wide standardisation, and individual growth across all areas of school life.
It’s time to unlock every learner’s potential—both inside and outside the classroom. RM Compare empowers schools to value, assess, and showcase real-world skills, ensuring enrichment is recognized and every child’s strengths are made visible.
The blog series
- It's time.....to measure what you treasure
- It’s time.... to value the whole curriculum
- It's time....to recognise every success pathway
- It’s time ... to empower teacher judgement
- It's time ... to drive real outcomes
- It’s time ... to celebrate creativity
- It’s time ... to unlock real-world skills everywhere
- It’s time ... to rely on technology that keeps working
- It’s time ... for assessment everyone can access
- It’s time ... for fair, scalable assessment