Education systems were never previously designed for thriving – especially not by everybody. They now need to be, in the face of humanity's predicament. Education's purpose must be explicitly reconceived. Individual outcomes, even if defined as competencies (knowledge, skills, attitudes and values), are necessary but insufficient. Rethinking purpose is motivating and profound work. It is already an important focus in business, politics and civic society. For schools, COVID-19 has deepened the need to rethink their purpose. Schools are still needed, but they must be reinvented. Governments and systems need to support schools in the shift; some already are, including Finland, British Columbia, and New Zealand. The state needs to embrace alternative, broader outputs of schools. The personal experiences of two school leaders in the UK making the shift show how even in unconducive systems, progress is possible.