What would you add to National Curriculum ?

Yes basic cookery for both sexes. That way they will not need to use all these ready meals etc & save a fortune.
\in my experience they love to cook if given the right approach. All my GC have learnt / are learning with me as did their dads & they are perfectly able to knock up some basic dishes. My eldest DGS cooks for every new girlfriend (of which there are many!!) & they are always impressed. The last one asked if she could still come round for his Chinese Chicken after they split up- to give him his due he did say yes!

How to run a home. To include budgeting, Direct Debits, bank accounts, credit cards, all bills utilities, council tax, benefits system, NI, tax, insurances for home, shopping for food, nutrition vitamins etc, cleaning and cooking. Most children struggle with this when leaving home.

Money management would be the top of my list. Cooking not necessary as everybody can read a recipe.2nd in list would be ‘common sense’ .... so there you have it..... money management and common sense!

I would add self defence training.

As a retired teacher, some of my knowledge is a little out-of-date, but I did teach in different parts of England until a few years ago.
Most pupils study drama in KS3, many KS4 too, so they do speak in public (and other subjects too they'll speak in front of at least a classful). Many secondary schools participate in local Public Speaking competitions.
Schools start earlier and has been mentioned, have much shorter breaks than ever before. The number of hours/days in a pupil's years used to be prescribed by govt; maybe academies can manipulate that, I don't know. The half day loss is a purely financial decision. It saves money because the teaching staff have all their non-contact time Friday pm. I used to hate frees Friday pm, because I got less work done (marking, lesson plans, admin etc) than I would've at any other time.
All the academic subjects can't be taught in the morning - what would core subject staff do in the afternoon? Some schools have a late lunchtime so the morning is much longer than the afternoon.

Food and textiles are part of Design Technology, and all pupils will cook, sew, experience a workshop environment for making things in wood (possibly metal and plastics too). Usually each year they do a term of each, and then choose one for their GCSE.
Teamwork, good manners etc is part of every lesson.
Finally the idea that schools aren't interested in the less able is not true.

Many of the things that Gransnetters feel are missing in education are because of govt interference in a system that for many of them neither they nor their children/grandchildren ever experienced. The effect in schools of austerity has been indescribable, fewer teachers (bigger classes), more experienced teachers edged out, fewer people coming into the profession, the crazy pressure on English, Maths, Science, the constant change.
Academisation means some much has been lost - subject support from Local Authority and networking with other local schools, less money in school, decisions being made hundreds of miles away, little or no local understanding - working for the council was so different.

Definitely Cookery - from planning a meal, shopping and budgeting for a week's meals, using food that is in season and local produce.
Financial planning from having a bank account, use of credit - either by cards or loans, as well as finding the best costs for utilities etc.
I also like the idea of the conversation classes - surely that would have a knock on effect to help form friendships that won't need technology to keep alive!
How to get from A to B without using "Mum's or Dad's taxi"!
The number of time that I have been waiting to catch a bus home from the nearest town and their are usually a group of teenagers that seem to think that if they stand at a bus stop, a bus will magically appear! Timetables apparently don't exist!

I sympathise with the wish to add life skills to the curriculum, but what would you omit in order to make space? Expecting teachers to do more is entirely unreasonable, and in any case they may not have the appropriate skills.

As someone has already pointed out, the children most in need of such support are least likely to get it from home, but I don’t see any ready solution in these cash-strapped times.

Excellent ideas here - I do hope that someone with clout in Education is reading this thread! I would alternate, perhaps weekly, and have basic cookery, speech training, debating, the art of conversation, basic economics of the Mr. Micawber variety, self defence, and a course for home management to put up shelves, change a fuse, simple decorating, basic sewing repairs - life skills that seem beyond many people today.

Times tables from an early age, they definitely stay with you throughout your life and are needed on a regular basis.

Elliane - what are these "airy-fairy" subjects you speak of, please?

As well as how to cook/grow food I'd like to see more art appreciation, more encouragement of creativity. It's so sad that it is no longer the case that every child has the chance to learn music. It's no wonder most pop bands are now made up of privately educated children. They're the only ones with the music lessons. Rock used to be something of a social leveller but no more.

Most of what I list below have already been suggested:

1) ... Cooking nutritious food.

2) ... Clearing up after cooking or other project work.

3) ... Looking after pets properly, vet contacts, feeding, cleaning etc.

4) ... How to use various household appliances such as washing machine, dryer, vacuum cleaner, coffee maker, kettle, oven etc.

5) ... financial advice

6) ... General do it yourself.

7) ... Gardening .... though the way back garden developments are going, new housing seems to have little more than a postage sized patch that you cannot in all honesty call a garden.

8) ... Decent career advise based on the child's academic and practical performances (though I realise some children can become more adept at both in later life).

9) ... Compulsory family (parents or guardian) involvement in school life (example to illustrate why: When I was teaching at a particular school that was listed as the 10th worst school in the UK for academic performance (I took the job after the performance tables were published). I'd specialised in special needs and thought I could make an impact - I used to commute (motorcycle) 160+ miles a day to the school from Salford to Bordesley Green, Birmingham until I was hit by a speeding car at J6 (spaghetti junction) coming off the M6 in my second year at the school) I was surprised to see a particular student that I knew was studious, courteous and non disruptive in after-school detention every time I was time-tabled to attend. We always had two teachers running the detention class. I was still relatively new at the school at the time. I asked the other more experienced teacher why this particular student was always in detention. I was told that his parents would rip his school books up if he took them home and apparently were very proud that their son was in detention all the time. They never attended parents evenings or other school events etc. The student was keen to learn and had asked to be able to attend the after school detention so that he could complete his home work and other assignments. I was very shocked at this but came to realise that there were many parents who contributed nothing educationally to their children's care. It should be compulsory for parents to have to attend the school at various times and perhaps have parenting skill sessions etc..

Cardy - it is possible for schools to teach the academic stuff in half a day. It happens all the time at vocational schools such as stage or ballet or music schools. Not sure how it all works out though!

How to negotiate, compromise and put your case forward with assertiveness, not anger. How to develop a relationship on an equal footing and ensuring everyone knows how to pull as a team in a relationship rather than fighting each other. How to make decisions successfully especially where there are life changing choices. How to bring up children so they are not damaged emotionally by the time they are 3.
All the academic stuff like history, geography, etc at school can be learned at any time but relationship issues start so very young, as does parenthood for many people.

Chardy yes, the primary schools my DGC go to do encourage public speaking, presentations of their own projects in front of the class and also to the whole school.
They also have special assemblies, enacting perhaps a period of history, a short piece from a drama and occasionally Shakespeare and put on school plays.

It all encourages confidence which is good.

“8) ... Decent career advise based on the child's academic and practical performances (though I realise some children can become more adept at both in later life).”

Many do go on to great achievements later in life, there are plenty of examples of entrepreneurs who started at the bottom.
They all learned a trade and worked hard, but they did learn a trade first.

Finances for sure.
How to manage income and basic rules such as if you don't have it, you can't spend it!
Together with helpful info on mortgages and student debt.

Basic sign language.

Baby care and child rearing for both sexes at school. The number of parents I see who have more control and knowledge about their mobile phone and tablets than how to raise their children. The majority of people will have children and yet many have no idea of the basics. It goes hand in hand with cooking and managing finances. Start with the basics of living well and bringing up the next generation well. While in the coffee shop this morning I watched a mum on her mobile phone .....while her son was opening all the sugar sachets, sprinkling them on the table and then licking it all up. It did look funny to be honest but she knew he was doing it!!

Good idea missdeke

Perhaps it would be better to stick to academic and vocational subjects in schools and find government money for parenting classes for some of the parents who are seemingly failing their children by not teaching them home and life skills.

There is only so much teachers should be expected to teach in the limits of the school.

Relationships and emotional health....

In the limits of the school day

Shandy 3 you make a good point on managing income. Practical application of maths learnt-what you will actually pay if you take out a 100,000 mortgage at x%.
If you haven’t got it, don’t spend it.
If they start lessons on how to get the best deal on income tax, I'd go back to school.
Re: who would teach a subject, I sat in a Primary school Governor meeting when teaching ICT and again when foreign languages were introduced and heard governors saying that staff should go to night-school to pick up the necessary skills.
I’d like nutrition to be taught-we did it in Home Economics. So many children (and adults) are taught nutrition by Internet ‘influencers’ who make lots of money by introducing and promoting the latest food fad. With no understanding of what foods do to our bodies, people get swept up into the latest craze whether it’s good for you or not. Sorry for the long post.

I agree that school pupils should know about the things mentioned above and that their parents are not necessarily going to have the time or inclination to pass on what they know. However, I became a teacher because I loved my subject and deeply resented being forced to teach Citizenship when I wanted to be teaching that subject. I was doubly annoyed because some of the content was dubious PC nonsense with which I disagreed.

On the other hand, as a sixth-form form teacher I often imparted useful information to my charges. I remember the horror and incredulity I used to face from some pupils when they learned they were going to have some of their wages taken for tax and NI. When I further explained that education was not actually free but paid for by the parents out of their taxes this was another amazing (and amusing) revelation.

I can agree without reservation about teaching proper cooking skills to both boys and girls.

Lizbetthann55, I think you’ve covered just about everything I was going to say. You’re right about the length of the school day. I’m told that they are encouraged to work at home, but I see so many youngsters wandering around in the afternoon, that I don’t think much work gets done.