GENERAL:
Arts funding. The Culture Secretary announced a boost to Britain’s arts and heritage sector with a £270m Arts Everywhere Fund intended to protect jobs, develop skills and help arts organisations struggling to make ends meet.
Labour market latest. The ONS reported on the latest picture for the UK labour market. showing a slight increase over the last quarter in employment and unemployment rates and in average wage growth but with economic inactivity rates also slightly down and youth unemployment up.
Labour market outlook. The CIPD published its latest quarterly labour market outlook showing employer confidence having fallen ‘sharply’ over the winter months with redundancy intentions up, hiring activity slowing and businesses generally ‘rethinking’ their workforce strategies in light of rising employment costs.
AI for science. The Tony Blair Institute called for AI to be more effectively deployed in R/D and in developing opportunities in science, pointing in a new report to five enablers (data, software tools, talent, infrastructure and institutions) that should be ‘harnessed’ drive such developments.
Youth justice. The Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) raised the issue of ‘racial disproportionality’ in violence affecting young people, calling in a new report for stop and search to be intelligence-led and for better support for children excluded from school. SCHOOLS:
Maths GCSE. OCR’s set out proposals for ‘an urgent reform of GCSE maths that would involve a reduction in the number of assessments and the introduction of a short course on fundamental maths skills as part of the first year of the GCSE.
Childhood skill development. The NFER published the latest in its research series into skills for the future focusing on skills developed in early age, arguing that supporting children’s early skills development can not only close gaps but also provide for skills needs in the future.
Missing school. The Centre for Young Lives called for the introduction of an enrichment guarantee for schools as it published a commissioned report showing that extra-curricular activities from sport to arts can encourage children back into school.
SEND costs. The Local Government Association (LGA) warned that high needs costs are putting many councils in danger of insolvency, calling on the government to write off part of the debt as part of its Spending Review.
FE/SKILLS:
Skills Bill. The AoC published a useful briefing for MPs on the IfATE (Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education) Transfer of Functions Bill as the Bill for setting up the new Skills body reaches its Second Reading with the briefing highlighting the importance of local skills planning, future funding and skills strategy generally.
Tech careers. WorldSkills UK announced the launch of its new Careers Advice Toolkit, a new digital resource comprising guidance, advice and resources and designed to help young people explore apprenticeship and technical career "opportunities.
Devolution impact. The House of Commons Library Service published a briefing on the government’s recent English devolution white paper, running through the skills and employment support powers likely to be included as part of the ‘seven areas of competence’ for new strategic authorities under new legislation. HE:
Spending Review. The Russell Group published its submission to the government’s 2025 Spending Review setting out its commitment to work with government on research, skills and opportunity but calling in return for continued investment in R/D, increasing the HE Innovation Fund, strengthening partnerships in Europe and improving maintenance support while raising the fee cap in line with inflation.
Taking SHAPE. The British Academy launched its latest interactive map looking at first year, first degree SHAPE (subjects in arts, humanities and social sciences) provision across UK universities and suggesting a pretty mixed picture.
World Reputation Rankings. The Times Higher highlighted the importance of institutional reputations as it ran through its recent World Reputation Rankings which saw Oxford now in joint second position, Cambridge 4th and Imperial and UCL also in the top 25.
Student accommodation. The Save the Student site published the results of its latest National Student Accommodation Survey showing a slight improvement on 2024 figures but with the average monthly rental outside London now totalling £563 and 69% of respondents having at least one issue with their student home with damp being the most common.
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