Lifelong learning means not just prolonging learning throughout life, but also ensuring that schooling prepares young people well for a life of learning. While most are now receiving the solid foundation of an upper secondary education, many have not acquired sufficient competences when they leave school. Education systems need to pay greater attention to improving broad cognitive and motivational outcomes of schooling. In doing so, schools will have to transform, ensuring that their staff are themselves lifelong learners, and that they become innovative as organisations to create more effective learning cultures centred around the perspective of the student. At the same time, education systems need to start asking themselves whether constant expansion focusing on the prolongation of initial education is the best route to lifelong learning, or whether it is making learning too “front-loaded” over the life course.