VotesforSchools

We asked young people how they saw the state of LGBT+ rights in the UK. Here are some highlights from their discussions.

Read more about this VoteTopic here: https://buff.ly/XOJDmmj

𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐨𝐧 𝐋𝐆𝐁𝐓+ 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬

With June marking the start of Pride Month, we asked young people how they saw the current state of LGBT+ rights in the UK. A 2023 YouGov poll found that over three quarters of Britons supported same-sex marriage and 77% said that Britain was a tolerant country for gay and le***an people. However, in ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Map index of LGBT+ rights, the UK has dropped from 1st place in 2015 to to 22nd place in 2026. Often thought of as the most progressive demographic, we wanted to know how young people saw the state of LGBT+ rights in the UK.

43,015 young people in the UK took part in this vote

Questions & Results:
Primary 5-9: 𝐈𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞’𝐬 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬?
83.6% Yes

Primary 9-11: 𝐃𝐨 𝐰𝐞 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐋𝐆𝐁𝐓+ 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬?
61.6% Yes

Secondary, 16+ & College: 𝐃𝐨 𝐰𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐋𝐆𝐁𝐓+ 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐊?
65.3% No

A majority of younger voters found it interesting and important to learn about the rights of others, with some arguing that a knowledge of rights can help you stand up for others. “No” voters discussed how you should be kind and respectful to everyone without needing to know their rights. A common view amongst older Primary pupils was that the UK is generally in a good place for LGBT+ rights but that there is always more that can and should be done. Many, both “Yes” and “No” voters, expressed passionate views about the injustice of discriminating against people for their sexuality or gender identity.

Many Secondary voters were shocked to hear about the UK’s drop from 1st to 22nd place in Rainbow Map’s world LGBT+ rights tracker. Students thought that the UK should be following the example of other countries who are currently doing more for the LGBT+ community. Lots expressed the view that, while the UK is a progressive country and generally a good place for LGBT+ rights, there is still more progress to be made. Some voters shared concerns about current political trends in the UK and what they could mean for the LGBT+ community.

Voters on the whole expressed a feeling that people should be respected and allowed to live their lives regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Students at both Primary and Secondary reported having either experienced or witnessed homophobic behaviour first-hand.

Read more about this VoteTopic here: https://buff.ly/XOJDmmj

In support of , voters are discussing their feelings about the UK today: is it as divided as the data and headlines would have us believe, or is there more that unites us? Join the conversation and have your say 💬

As begins, older voters will reflect on LGBT+ rights, how we value them and whether they can be taken for granted. Younger voters will discuss why learning about everyone’s rights matters. 🌈

We asked young people to tell us their thoughts on knife crime and their role in reducing it.

Here are some highlights from their discussions.

Read more this VoteTopic here: https://buff.ly/agFLki7

Knife Crime: Young people want to help but they cannot do it alone.

Knife Crime Awareness week, running from 18th-24th May, aimed to shine a light on the important work being done to reduce knife crime in Britain and to start conversations about what else can be done to halt this devastating issue. April saw the launch of the Government’s “Protecting Lives, Building Hope” plan, which aims to halve knife crime in the UK by 2036. Based around four pillars of Support, Stop, Police, and End, the plan seeks to tackle the root causes of the issue, as well as improving the response of the criminal justice system. As the demographic most likely to be directly affected by knife crime, we wanted to know how young people viewed themselves and the role they could play when it comes to stemming the tide of knife violence on our streets.

Primary 5-9 were asked: Is it easy to understand safety rules?
75% Yes

9-11, Secondary and 16+ & College were asked: Can young people lead the way to reduce knife crime?
9-11: 59.1% Yes
Secondary: 50.5% Yes
16+ & College: 59.3% Yes

Amongst all ages, there was an understanding that this is an issue primarily affecting young people and so they are uniquely placed to act.

5-7-year old voters showed a clear understanding of safety rules. Many gave examples that they follow in their own lives, such as holding a parent’s hand to cross the road. 9-11-year olds shared that, while young people did have a part to play in stopping knife crime, it was too large an issue to expect children to solve and so adults should take the lead.

In Secondary and 16+ & College discussions, peer influence was a recurring theme. Voters shared that young people are often much more influenced by the views and behaviour of their peers than adults. Consequently, they felt that their demographic could have a greater impact when it comes to discouraging carrying knives. However, others pointed out that this influence can be harmful: if others are carrying blades, why wouldn’t you? Some argued that it was unfair to expect young people to lead on this issue, saying it was too much pressure and responsibility to place on their shoulders.

A common view was that young people can contribute but that it is ultimately up to adults (whether police, government or communities as a whole) to solve the problem.

Read more about this VoteTopic here: https://buff.ly/agFLki7

For Mental Health Awareness week, we asked students: “Do tests affect your mental health?”

The answer was a resounding YES!

Here are some of the highlights we received from classroom discussions.

Read more about this VoteTopic here: https://buff.ly/G08n0Vg

Tests and examinations are frequently identified as one of the major stressors in the lives of children and young people. According to Young Minds’s Missing the Mark report, 63% of 15-18-year-olds said they struggled to cope in the lead up to and during GCSE and A Level exams and 35% of KS2 students said that SATs made them feel ill. To mark this year’s Mental Health Awareness week, running from 11-17th May, we wanted to find out how young people felt about tests in their own words. We asked them “Do tests have affect your mental health?”

𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬:

• 𝐀 𝐦𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡.
• 𝟖𝟏% 𝐨𝐟 𝟏𝟔+ & 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 report that tests affect their mental health—the highest figure across all groups.
• 𝟕𝟔% 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 voted that tests affect their mental health.
• 𝟔𝟕% 𝐨𝐟 𝟕-𝟏𝟏 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫-𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐬 agreed that tests had a mental health impact.

The mental toll reported by students manifests in anxious feelings, disrupted sleep, and general stress. Older students specifically identified pressure from teachers, schools, and parents as key sources of this stress.

Our data also highlights a gender disparity, as girls are significantly more likely to report that their mental health is affected by tests. For example, at the Secondary level, 𝟑𝟑% 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐨𝐲𝐬 said they are *not* affected by tests, compared to only 𝟏𝟓% 𝐨𝐟 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬.

While some young people appreciate tests for improving learning and identifying areas to work on, the survey confirms that the emotional weight of testing is considerable for many.

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬, 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡?

You can read more about our Test Pressure VoteTopic here: https://buff.ly/G08n0Vg

For Knife Crime Awareness Week, voters explore the role of young people in preventing knife crime. Youth voice matters - shared views and experiences are fed back to decision-makers and experts working to create safer communities.

Sending UK waste abroad? Rubbish idea say UK young people!

According to the Environmental Investigation Agency, the UK exported nearly 600,000 tonnes of plastic waste in 2024. Many countries send waste overseas for recycling: it is often cheaper than domestic processing and can help them reach recycling targets. The idea is that this rubbish is properly recycled upon arrival, with the countries on the receiving end getting an economic boost. However, due to contaminated materials or unscrupulous behaviour of “bad actors” in the industry, it can often end up in landfill or fly-tipped. Critics see this arrangement as a way for wealthy nations to shirk their environmental responsibilities, labelling it “waste colonialism”. For supporters, it is a mutually beneficial way of solving a persistent problem. Often the most passionate demographic on environmental issues, we wanted to know where young people stood on this topic.

Primary 5-11, Secondary, 16+ & College voters were asked: “Should the UK send its rubbish to other countries?

5-7: 75.4% No
7-11: 80.2% No
11-16: 64.7% No
16+ & College: 67.3% No

Responsibility was the key theme in discussions across all age groups. Voters argued that the UK should be responsible for the waste it produces, not ship it out for others to deal with. Many primary voters also focused on the potential environmental harm that improper waste disposal could cause.

Older students also spoke about the need for the UK to improve its own waste infrastructure with some even calling on the government to take action against companies responsible for large amounts of plastic packaging. “Yes” voters discussed how waste disposal agreements could be mutually beneficial, as long as both countries agreed and followed the rules properly. Others argued that some countries are better equipped to handle large amounts of waste, either by having lots of space available or by their improved recycling infrastructure.

Boys were more open to waste exportation than their female peers at all ages. Secondary returned the greatest difference with only 25% of Secondary girls voting “Yes”, compared to 45% of boys.

Across all ages, voters didn’t want to see British waste sent overseas; it should be dealt with where it was produced.

You can read more about our Waste Exportation VoteTopic here: https://buff.ly/4EDKW2J