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Will the future feel different to the second Elizabethan era?

16th - 23rd September 2022

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Headlines for the upcoming page. First, our weekly results with an image of a pie chart. Second, our student voice with an image of a student. Third, our past results with an image of a clock. Finally, the Childhood Bereavement Network has responded to our comments which you can read later in the post.

39524

Total votes this week

11349

Age 5-11 votes

28175

Age 11-18 votes

Remembering Queen Elizabeth II

The death of HM Queen Elizabeth II is a point in time where people will remember where they were. Her record breaking reign saw immense change in the UK and the wider Commonwealth with the dissembling of an empire on which the sun once never set. Beyond the geopolitical role she played, Her Majesty maintained her place in the cultural lexicon of Britain as a constant, reassuring presence.

But with her passing, and the passing of every monarch, the question is then: What next?

King Charles III does not have the same reputation as his mother. A thoroughly political role as the Prince of Wales means that he can be a polarising figure in the country. He has campaigned publicly and privately for causes close to him, such as the environment.

Although as he has said himself that his role as monarch will be very different to that he played as Prince of Wales.

Following the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, our voters explored her significant 70 years on the throne and what possible changes the future may hold as His Majesty King Charles III begins his reign. They considered how smaller adjustments may impact our daily lives, such as changes to stamps and the national anthem as well as larger societal shifts.

Our student's thoughts

girl thinking

Primary school

Northamptonshire

“I think it’s good to learn about change because it’s something we all have to experience and don’t necessarily know how to cope with"

boy thinking

Secondary school

Greater London

“The political climate of the UK and the entire world is changing rapidly, going forward the future is going to feel incredibly different to the present due to issues like climate change and the cost of living crisis.”

boy smiling

College

West Yorkshire

"The new monarch will follow the same procedures, protocols, traditions, and standards that the late monarch did. There may be some changes such as on money, however, the King will not reign in a different way to his mother."

Weekly Results

Doughnut chart showing that 52.5% of Primary pupils voted 'Yes' to the question, Do you feel comfortable with change. 47.5% voted no.

Primary

  • Age 5-11 pupils considered how comfortable they were with change over the course of the week.
  • 52.5% voted ‘Yes’ but most comments explained that this was because they felt they had to be due to the importance and/or inevitability of change.
How do these results compare to previous VoteTopics? Earlier in the year, we asked students 'Will learning ever be the same again?'. Over half responded that 'Yes' it would. Could this be because of all the monumental changes over the last couple of years? Perhaps young people are comfortable with change because they've experienced so much of it.
Doughnut chart showing our Secondary and College results for the question, Will the future feel different to the second Elizabethan era?'

Secondary and College

  • Comparatively, over half of Secondary students believe the future will feel different to the second Elizabethan era.
  • Multiple comments stated that climate change could be a reason for change and even suggested that King Charles’ environmental activism could have an influence on future decision making.
How does this compare with previous vote topics? During COP26, we asked 'Will climate change affect children's rights?'. 74% voted that 'Yes' it would. This shows that climate change is at the forefront of many young people's minds.

You spoke...they listened...

"Our children and young people are right – change can be uncertain to deal with. Change can bring about deep feelings, including sadness, anger and anxiety. These are all perfectly normal feelings and can be felt with all types of change – along with anticipation and pride in coping. We think that learning to cope with change can be a positive tool for children and young people to have in their mental ‘toolbox’, so they are more prepared when life takes an unexpected change of direction."

Childhood Bereavement Network

childhood bereavement network logo

Regions with the most votes this week

Image of the West Midlands on a map

  • The West Midlands had the highest number of votes this week with an impressive 5,556.
  • The second highest number of votes in the country came from Northamptonshire.
See last week's results