Steve Besley's Education Eye: week ending 22 May 2026

What's happened this week?

Important stories across the board:

This week’s headlines.

The Education Secretary announced an international crusade on SEND. The government set out an Implementation Plan for new post-16 pathways. A Labour MP called for NEET Zero as the latest labour market figures saw youth unemployment rates rise and a flurry of NEET reports published. The OfS found mixed reactions when its asked stakeholders what they thought of the organisation. And the Education Committee called for ‘statutory ban on social media for children’ in its response to the government’s consultation on the matter.

Some details behind the headlines.

Schools first where the Education Secretary used her speech to this week’s Education World Forum not only to highlight government plans for SEND reform but also to build a global movement around SEND and inclusion.

Described as “a coalition of countries, coming together across a series of summits, to chart a common path forward,” this so-called International SEND Alliance will develop ideas at a series of major events in the UK next year.

The i-newspaper had an interesting read out this week of how some other countries have gone about things.

“Italy integrates without enough support; France is still overcoming outdated ideas; even Finland, often praised, is wrestling with shortages and uneven access.”

Consultation on the government’s “bold” SEND reforms closed this week with the Education Policy Institute, Coram and ASCL among the bodies publishing their responses but as the Education Secretary implied, there may well be a lot to learn from other countries as well.

Talking of consultations, the Education Committee published its response to the government’s consultation on online issues, calling for strict action.

“The Committee calls on the Government to restrict addictive features, impose strict duties on social media companies and treat child safety as a public health issue,” the Chair of the Committee wrote.

Elsewhere, the government updated the standards for pupil health and wellbeing on boarding schools.

The standard for accommodation for example has been “Updated to reflect that fixtures and fittings should be good quality and hot water should be available.”

Hot water. Whatever next!

The Sutton Trust and Social Market Foundation raised questions in a new report about the government’s school-based nursery programme, arguing that many schools were currently reluctant because of costs, space and staffing concerns.

And, FFT Education Datalab provided some fascinating analysis of the impact of pupil disruptive behaviour and exclusions on schoolmates let alone the pupil concerned.

The most damaging juncture was Yr 9 with some classmates likely to suffer from poorer outcomes in English and maths as a result of years of disruption and the pupil concerned more likely to end up as NEET.

‘Intervene early and more effectively,’ was the conclusion.

On to FE, and picking up the thread on NEETs, with initial thoughts from the Milburn Review on the matter set to be published for next week.

The build-up has seen three big NEET reports issued during the week.

First, the IfS examined recent youth employment data, suggesting that ‘structural factors’ were behind the latest trends.

“While it does not seem to be down solely to a temporary cyclical downturn in the economy, more evidence is needed to understand the roles of minimum wages, youth mental health, AI and other factors,” the lead author wrote.

Their call for more evidence was endorsed by the Institute of Directors.

It argued that the government’s “current approach of one-off incentives, such as the Youth Jobs Grant, will not undo the damage done to employers’ ability and willingness to hire more staff.”

Second, the government in its report acknowledged that “NEET risk is complex” but reckoned that three factors were ‘particularly important.’

These included “persistent absence from school during KS4, having an EHCP, and not attaining 5 good GCSEs including English and maths” with men at higher risk, driven it seems, “by a greater sensitivity to risk factors rather than having a higher prevalence of risk factors.”

And third, education policy adviser Peter Hyman and colleagues reported on ‘the heartbreaking stories’ they heard as they talked to left behind and NEET young people across the country.

In a powerful record of personal stories, they heard how school had become a ‘NEET pipeline,’ with many spending not just months but years at home, online and losing hope. ‘A bedroom generation.’

The reports arrived as the latest labour market figures, covering the first three months of the year, painted a further depressing picture for many young people with youth unemployment running at 14.7% and the number of economically inactive young people not in f/t education at an all-time high.

The picture was further compounded by a fall in the overall vacancy rate. “More than 5.5 people out of work (but wanting a job) for every vacancy in March, up from 4.6 a year ago,” as the Learning and Work institute explained.

In other news, the government outlined the arrangements for implementing its new 16-19 qualification pathways.

Its detailed implementation plan includes key dates for rolling out the three planned pathways at two levels, associated regulatory and licensing arrangements and listings of qualification pioneers who will “lead the way for the sector, shaping and sharing best practice as providers transition to the new qualifications.”

Four years of change, ‘unfolding in annual waves from this September,’ as City and Guilds explained.

Post-16 providers planning to deliver the new framework from next September need to submit a Strategic Transition Planning Statement in to the DfE by 6 July.

And finally numeracy and two stories to note this week.

First, the charity National Numeracy heralded this year’s annual National Numeracy Day by highlighting the costs of low levels of numeracy both to the individual and to the country, and listing some of the regional hot and cold spots in terms of regional levels.

Hotter spots in the south, colder ones in the north, according to its Numeracy Index.

And second and in similar vein, Young Enterprise announced its “first-ever, live-streamed National Money Assembly.”

It will be hosted by Martin Lewis, take place on 15 June and be aimed at students in Yr 10 and above who’ll be able to fire all sorts of questions on money matters to the TV guru who will no doubt answer quickly enough for lots of questions to be heard.

In HE, the OfS published the results of its recent stakeholder survey into how the Office is perceived with views evenly spread; 35% positive, 34% neutral and 32% negative.

However, there was recognition of the need for an HE regulator and a sense that things were improving with the direction of travel, in terms of OfS comms at least, described as ‘positive.’

Another HE body reflecting change is the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) which this week announced consultation on some changes to its complaints Scheme for students.

“The proposed approach would move towards a shorter, more principles-led Scheme, supported by clearer explanatory material. We think this could help students and providers better understand what the OIA can and cannot do.”

As the Times Higher explained, it would mean students would have six months rather than a year to bring a complaint albeit arguably within a simpler future system.

In other news, the OfS said it wouldn’t appeal over the Sussex judgement.

“We want to focus on the future, learn lessons from the judgment, and work constructively with the sector as we continue our important work to protect and promote free speech on campus.”

And, “Half (48%) of the public would rather avoid AI, 41% are afraid of it and only 24% think it’s positive for humanity.”

One of the headline messages this week from a major research report into AI and the Future of Work from King’s College, London.

Links to most of these stories below, starting with the week’s headlines.

The top headlines of the week:

• ’Too many young people pushed towards university, says UK government adviser’ (Monday)
• ‘Third of university students in Great Britain think that AI job losses will cause social unrest, poll finds’ (Tuesday)
• ‘T levels go fully remote as ministers scrap work placement limits’ (Wednesday)
• ‘Schools are ‘pipeline’ to joblessness for many people, says ex-Labour adviser’ (Thursday)
• ‘Schools could face more legal disputes, SEND experts warn’ (Friday)

General:

• Economic Outlook. The IMF published a new statement on the UK economy, acknowledging the dangers to it from the Middle Eastern conflict but concluding that the economy remained ‘resilient,’ leading it to raise its growth forecast for the UK this year while highlighting the need to prioritise improving labour mobility, skills gaps and business investment for the future.
• Labour market outlook. The ONS published unconfirmed data on the labour market for the first three months of the year, showing a slight rise in unemployment and in the rate of economic inactivity with worrying signs about a rise in youth unemployment and a fall in the vacancy rate generally.
• Another Labour Market Outlook. The CIPD published its latest labour market report showing employer confidence remaining ‘subdued,’ particularly in sectors such as education and public admin, with a mixed picture on recruitment and pay growth.
• Child Poverty. The IPPR think tank highlighted rising rates of child poverty among families with two working adults, let alone those in single-parent families, calling as a result for reform of the benefits system and tailored support for parents.
• Crimes against business. The British Chambers of Commerce called for national action, including a single cyber-attack reporting system, as it published a new report showing increasing numbers of businesses facing theft, fraud, scams and cyber-attacks.

HE:

• Stakeholder survey. The OfS published the report on its stakeholder survey into perceptions of the organisation, finding pretty mixed views into how the Office was perceived by providers, 35% positive and 32% negative, albeit with some sense of things improving in recent months and recognition of the need for a regulator for HE.
• ‘I have a complaint.’ The OIA announced consultation on proposals intended to simplify and improve its student complaints Scheme, including reducing to six months the time slot for bringing a complaint, clarifying respective roles and remits, and setting clear principles for future action.  
• Sussex case. The OfS confirmed that it would not seek to appeal over the recent Sussex judgement, arguing that it wanted to look to the future and in particular to a new complaints scheme and improved regulatory arrangements.
• AI policies. Edinburgh Napier Professor Sam Illingworth reported for HEPI on AI policies in UK universities, finding a mixed picture with policies difficult to find, confusing language and little clarity of the role of students, suggesting as a result five student-centre AI policies for future consideration.
• AI concerns. King’s College published a new research report on AI showing that over a quarter of students use it daily, mainly in helping write or edit text or to carry out research yet many have found factual errors and inaccuracies when using it, while for the general public there are concerns about the impact of AI on jobs and a number even fear it will generate civil unrest.

Tweets and posts of note:

• “At a time when Heads are trying to wrangle their budgets & there’s no white smoke over the teacher cost of living pay rise the last thing the sector needed to see is a video with Gemma C!” -@SamStrickers181.
• “It’s ‘prom’ time again (horrible Americanisation). My boys went to a mainstream primary school. I remember one summer evening going for a walk in the woods next to their school when we heard music. It was the ongoing P7 prom. My boys hadn’t been invited” -@MikeIStevens.
• “I am right over on the strict side as a teacher. But I also occupy the position that you don’t punish the whole class for the one or two whose behaviour is unacceptable. We need another way to prevent toilet related misbehaviour other than punishment for all” -@englishspecial.
• “When a child is put in the lowest reading group, they usually know it. The name of the group doesn't fool anyone. The Butterflies. The Robins. The Stars. Children are very good at working out which group has the hardest books” -@bannon1975.

A selection of quotes that merit attention:

• “We’ll meet at international education events hosted right here in the UK across 2027” - the Education Secretary announces an International SEND Alliance.
• “The government’s reforms have the potential to do a huge amount of good, but they must help schools deliver them” – ASCL publishes its response to the government’s SEND consultation.
• “I recently called on the Government to pursue ‘NEET Zero’ as fervidly as it is seeking to achieve Net Zero” – Labour MP Andew Ranger in a blog for the CSJ.
• “We think there is value in consulting on whether a more principles-led approach, supported by clearer explanatory material, would help students, providers and others to understand the process more easily” – the OIA announces consultation on changes to its complaints Scheme.
• “Our analysis shows that much of the damage to peers comes from prolonged exposure to disruption, proxied by the number of days pupils have been suspended before exclusion” -Education Datalab examines the impact of disruptive pupils on the outcomes of their peers.
• “Ministers must take action before it is too late” – the Chair of the Education Committee calls on the government to take strong action over online safety for children.
• “This is urgent. Childhood is fleeting. We do not know what future we are sending our children into, but we do know this: they will need to know how to be happy. And we have in our hands one of the most powerful tools for building the apparatus of happiness that humans have ever invented – books” – Frank Cottrell-Boyce, the Children’s Laureate in a valedictory address last week.
• “A career where no two days are the same” – one of the ‘rewards’ of teaching cited in a DfE resource pack for recruiters for initial teacher training.

Everything else you need to know ...

What to look out for in the next couple of weeks: