Pupils in England are required to remain in some form of education until they are 18. For the vast majority this will entail A-levels after GCSEs with the view to embarking on a university degree. Last year, over 50% of young adults continued to university education in September. However, lectures and coursework are not the only means to an education, and although this is certainly not suited to everyone irrespective of their intelligence, it is the default route we are herded towards as teenagers. Should so many of us be attending university, and what other avenues are available to the 50% who are left behind? Should pupils be driven towards university as the ultimate goal?
Helping and supporting our local businesses is even more important now that all the shops are open, as people may start to forget about them. Sometimes it takes seconds to help our local businesses and we do not even realise, but whether you want to spend money or not, we have found loads of ways that we can all support local high streets. It is so easy to go into a coffee shop chain on your lunch break to grab a sandwich and a drink, but ask yourself, isn’t it just as easy to walk into your local coffee shop and get lunch from there too? Here's Sheridan Ward's top tips to support local business
Saving money and helping the environment at the same time seems like a no brainer. Many companies have seen their investments repaid manifold when working to increase their sustainability. When done correctly, morale is improved and also efficiency - for example, the World Green Building Fund found maximising natural light increases productivity by 15%!