We are living and learning in a time of multiple crises with profound implications for every aspect of our lives. Hankering for what we have 'lost' is understandable, but we need to take the opportunity to build something better. This means being wide awake to the realities of crisis and combining a sense of urgency with radical optimism and hope. Education can help equip us to face the challenges and plan for recovery without falling back into the very practices which caused the crises. This article advocates an approach to recovery based on social justice and sustainability, built on values of equality, democracy and solidarity. This would mean reconceiving the curriculum and, in England, working towards a national education service.