Education has always involved preparing young people for futures we can’t entirely predict. Yet the question of which skills will carry genuine value in the years ahead feels newly urgent as technology accelerates and the workplace continues to shift.
We recently asked over 400 students and parents where schools are currently falling short in preparing teenagers for an uncertain future and how this can be improved.
The results reveal clear priorities and some notable differences in perspective across national contexts – a practical snapshot of how families are thinking about future readiness as education continues to evolve.
Key Takeaways
- Critical thinking leads clearly with roughly 23% of all selections, placing it substantially ahead of other skills and making it the single most-cited priority across both the UK and US.
- Digital skills rank second overall and are the top choice among UK respondents, highlighting the largest transatlantic gap in the data.
- The top three skills account for 45-46% of total selections, indicating a strong concentration in a small number of priorities.
- US and UK preferences diverge, with confidence favoured in the UK and critical thinking favoured in the US.
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Which Skills Will Matter Most in the Next 10 Years?
In 2025, Oxford Scholastica asked parents and students across the US (213 respondents) and the UK (214 respondents) which skills they believe will matter most over the next five to ten years. All respondents were asked to select three options from the following list of emerging skills and knowledge:
- Adaptability
- Career readiness
- Confidence
- Creative problem solving
- Critical thinking
- Digital skills
- English language proficiency
- Global awareness
- Independence
- Integrity
- Leadership
- Team work
- Time management
- University preparation
- Verbal communication
- Written communication
Across both countries, critical thinking received a combined 169 selections, making it the most frequently chosen skill. Digital skills followed closely with 165 selections, and adaptability placed third with 122. Together, these three account for just under half of all responses, pointing to a widely shared view that cognitive flexibility, technological competence and the ability to adjust will be central to navigating the coming decade.
Top Skills for the Next Decade
169
165
122
98
92
80
Total selections across US and UK respondents
After the top three, selection counts drop noticeably: creativity received 98 selections, communication 92 and independence 80. From there, the decline continues gradually through mid-ranked skills such as leadership, career readiness and confidence, each receiving between 60 and 70 selections.
Lower-priority skills, including teamwork, global awareness and integrity, gathered between 50 and 60 selections each.
What Are the Top Skill Priorities in the UK?
Among UK respondents, digital skills emerged as the clear top priority with 104 selections, substantially ahead of critical thinking, which received 74. Adaptability ranked third (65), while confidence (60) and creative problem-solving (60) also featured highly. This distribution indicates a balance of technical and interpersonal needs, with UK families placing particular emphasis on digital fluency and self-assurance.
Several skills cluster at lower counts – including independence (39), global awareness (36), teamwork (36), career readiness (29) and verbal communication (29) – suggesting these are viewed as secondary priorities. The pattern reflects a desire for capabilities that combine workplace readiness with personal resilience, rather than purely academic skills.
| Skill | Selections |
|---|---|
| Digital skills | 104 |
| Critical thinking | 74 |
| Adaptability | 65 |
| Confidence | 60 |
| Creative problem-solving | 60 |
| Independence | 39 |
| Global awareness | 36 |
| Teamwork | 36 |
| Career readiness | 29 |
| Verbal communication | 29 |
What Are the Top Skill Priorities in the US?
Critical thinking was the leading skill for US respondents with 95 selections, noticeably above the second-ranked skill, creative problem-solving, which received 70. Communication (62) and digital skills (61) are also strong priorities.
Similar to the UK, mid-ranked practical skills such as adaptability (57), leadership (45), independence (41) and time management (40) indicate a focus on workplace readiness beyond core cognitive skills. However, confidence received 38 selections in the US, compared to 60 in the UK, highlighting a notable difference in how the two groups perceive interpersonal resilience.
Overall, US respondents show emphasis on both problem-solving and technical abilities, with a clear preference for skills that integrate cognitive depth with practical application.
| Skill | Selections |
|---|---|
| Critical thinking | 95 |
| Creative problem-solving | 70 |
| Communication | 62 |
| Digital skills | 61 |
| Adaptability | 57 |
| Leadership | 45 |
| Independence | 41 |
| Time management | 40 |
| Confidence | 38 |
Future-Focused Skills for Teens
At our Oxford summer school, we teach young people how to think actively, critically and for the long term.
Why Do These Priorities Matter?
The differences between UK and US priorities are not extreme but do indicate subtle variations in how future readiness is understood. In both contexts, critical thinking and digital skills remain top priorities, confirming a shared baseline even as specific emphases diverge. The data reflects broader cultural attitudes towards education, with the UK leaning towards confidence-building and technical competence, and the US favouring critical thinking and creative application.
Parents and students in both countries appear to be prioritising capacities that allow young people to successfully navigate change rather than master fixed bodies of knowledge or rely on stable career pathways. The emphasis on problem-solving, flexibility and technical fluency suggests awareness that the next decade will reward those who can learn continuously and apply skills across contexts.
Methodology. Oxford Scholastica Academy collected original data from 427 parents and students in 2025, inviting respondents to identify the skills they believe will matter most in the next 5–10 years.
By Oxford Scholastica Academy
Since 2013, Oxford Scholastica’s award-winning programmes have empowered thousands of students to seize the future. We have welcomed bright students from around the globe for more than a decade, giving them the edge to help them succeed, find their purpose and make a difference in the world.
