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LOOKING BACK AT THE WEEK THAT WAS
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The main stories from the papers
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The latest announcements and policy news
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Follow this link to view the full version of Steve Besley's popular policy round-up – including an overview of all the important stories, his top headlines of the week, tweets and posts of note, the most memorable quotes, and all the not-to-be-missed statistics.
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GENERAL: Plan for Growth. The Chancellor set out a range of measures to help stimulate UK economic growth in a much-anticipated speech, running through plans to unlock investment, shake up planning, prioritise transport links and support the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor and skills development as well as a third runway at Heathrow in a speech designed to fire up UK enthusiasm and capacity.
Infrastructure Strategy. The government set out the latest thinking on its proposed 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy, due to be formally published in June, and currently including ‘targeted replacement and maintenance of the education estate’ among its famed missions.
Growth outlook. The CBI reported the results from its latest Growth Indicator, painting a fairly gloomy picture with private sector firms showing ‘a further significant fall in activity over the next three months.’
The Future of Work. The institute for the Future of Work published the Final Report from its three-year research project led by Sir Christopher Pissarides into how work will develop in future, pointing to emerging ‘frictions’ in the labour market and calling for a new concept of Good Work built around a form of ‘human-centred automation’ that ‘manages risks and identifies opportunities.’
UK Poverty 2025. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation published its latest major report into UK poverty, collated last year before the general election, showing no great change to poverty rates over the past 20 years with many groups including families with children, ethnic minority groups and disabled people living in deep poverty.
Children and the riots. The Children’s Commissioner published the results of interviews with children and young people charged following last summer’s riots, indicating that most were caught up in the moment and were not driven by particular ideologies and suggesting the government’s response was often ‘severe.’
Inclusion. The Centre for Young Lives announced that it was working with Mission 44 to host a series of roadshows this spring bringing teachers, youth organisations and others together to tackle issues of inclusion and lost learning for young people at a local level. SCHOOLS: School funding. The government published the latest set of stats on school funding for 5–16-year-olds in England showing that since 2010/11 when adjusted for inflation, per-pupil funding has been largely flat and in some years falling but with increases from 2018/19.
School readiness. The early years charity Kindred published its latest school readiness survey with evidence based on the Sept 2024 Reception cohort and showing a worsening problem with 34% not able to listen or respond to simple instructions and 25% not toilet trained.
Schools Bill criticism. The Times highlighted concerns about the government’s Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill in an Editorial this week, arguing that the changes for academies risk damaging standards and are an unnecessary distraction.
More criticism. The New Schools Network (NSN) added its voice to criticisms of the current Schools Bill, arguing that it ‘represents a retrograde step for education’ and announcing a new mission to champion freedom and innovation in light of the current legislation.
See you in court. The Independent Schools Council announced that the date for its challenge to the government’s policy of putting VAT on independent school fees has been set for 1-3 April in the High Court.
Curriculum review. The Headteachers’ Roundtable set out their preferred principles for the secondary curriculum as part of the Curriculum and Assessment Review, supporting the case for a core base but with autonomy to enable different forms of learning and with ‘a fresh look at accountability’ including the EBacc.
Letterbox Club. The children’s reading charity, BookTrust highlighted the impact of its LetterBox Club scheme which provides reading, numeracy and stationery resources for primary schools over the year, showing that last year it reached over 11,000 children across the UK, encouraging them with their reading. FE/SKILLS: FE Inquiry. The Education Committee announced a new inquiry into the challenges and issues facing the FE sector covering curriculum reform, skills training provision and student support, and calling for evidence to be submitted by 7 March.
Skills and productivity. The Lifelong Education Institute in conjunction with City and Guilds examined the relationship between skills and productivity as part of this week’s National Productivity Week, finding it not always well understood and calling for better tailoring of training to sectors, regions and individuals.
College pay. The Guardian condemned the government for its failure to award teachers in sixth-form colleges the same pay award as teachers in schools, describing it in an Editorial as “a brazen injustice.” HE:
Franchising. The government launched a new consultation on franchised arrangements in HE, acknowledging the importance of such provision but pointing to the risks of fraud and proposing as a result that unless they were exempt, providers with 300 or more students would need to be registered with the OfS.
Horizon. The government announced a further big push around UK-EU science and technology links which will see a new nationwide advertising campaign to help boost UK participation in the Horizon Europe research programme as well as the UK joining the European Research Infrastructure Consortia.
OfS Strategy. Former Universities Minister Jo Johnson reflected in a blog on the HEPI site about the OfS’s latest 5-year strategy which is out for consultation, taking it to task for its failure to support start-ups and innovation, arguing that the ‘pausing’ of registration of new providers should be reversed.
Degree Apprenticeships. Edge called on the government to take the opportunity of its skills system reforms to simplify the system around Degree Apprenticeships as it published new survey evidence showing both employers and apprentices often struggling with some of the current requirements and expectations.
Pro-Palestine encampments. Josh Freeman, Policy Manager at HEPI, reflected in a new report on some of the lessons that could be learned from the setting up of Pro-Palestine encampments on campuses last year, using evidence from all sides to suggest that clear expectations, robust communications and clarity over the parameters of freedom of speech might help.
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Research, reports and studies published this week
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COMING UP IN THE NEXT WEEK
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Important reports, deadlines and government events
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Westminster Hall debate on apprenticeships (Tuesday 4 February)
Education Committee evidence session on the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Tuesday 4 February)
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Conferences and CPD opportunities
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Running an education-related event that you'd like to see included in our calendar? Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with details and a link to the booking info.
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MONDAY 03 FEBRUARY
On this day in 1959 rising American rock stars Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and JP Richardson, along with their pilot, were killed in a plane crash near Iowa, USA.
TUESDAY 04 FEBRUARY
On this day in 2004 Mark Zuckerberg launched Facebook from his Harvard University dormitory room.
WEDNESDAY 05 FEBRUARY
On this day in 1924 the Royal Greenwich Observatory began broadcasting the hourly time signals known as the Greenwich Time Signal or the BBC pips.
THURSDAY 06 FEBRUARY
On this day in 1937 John Steinbeck's novella Of Mice and Men, the story of the bond between two migrant workers, was first published.
FRIDAY 07 FEBRUARY
On this day in 1301 Edward of Caernarfon (later Edward II) became the first English Prince of Wales.
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