Overview

• Electoral Commission chief Vijay Rangarajan said schools will begin with pupils aged 14 and over, with the goal of starting instruction from age 11.
• The commission is developing impartial classroom materials and has urged teachers to leave personal politics outside lessons.
• July’s reform package set voting at 16 for the next general election and proposed automatic voter registration, wider ID options such as UK‑issued bank cards, and tougher donation rules.
• A Teacher Tapp survey of 6,000 teachers found more than 80% do not think the current curriculum prepares pupils to vote at 16.
• Officials cite patchy provision in Scotland as a warning, while the watchdog is also calling for restored regulatory independence and stronger measures against abuse and opaque money.