TEACHERS in Britain value life skills over academic qualifications when it comes to preparing young people for success in adulthood, a study by Sutton Trust has revealed.

New research by the group found that 96 per cent of teachers think life skills are of equal or more importance than formal qualifications in determining how young people do later in life, with 51 per cent saying they are more important.

But around half of state school teachers say they do not have the time or sufficient training to focus on developing young people’s life skills.

State school teachers are twice as likely as private school teachers to say their school does not provide good opportunities for pupils to develop these non-academic skills, the report found.

Sutton Trust and the Education Endowment Foundation founder Sir Peter Lampl said: “State schools generally have to work much harder than independent schools as their pupils are likely to have fewer opportunities to develop these skills in their home life and through co-curricular activities.”