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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: Public sector reform. The PM set out plans to cut down on red tape, slash waste and adopt technology including new tech apprentices as he set out plans to make the state operate more efficiently and in the interests of ‘working people.’
Tech address. The Technology Secretary addressed the techUK conference where he ran through a hectic list of announcements and reforms aimed at ‘supercharging innovation’ including bringing forward a dedicated tech plan, investing in telecoms research and engineering biology, and appointing Lord Willetts as Chair of the Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO.)
Industrial Strategy. The NAO published a report into the Dept for Business’s efforts around industrial strategy, acknowledging the progress made in supporting industry in recent years but urging the Dept to review its operating model to ensure greater clarity of purpose, collaboration across government, and identification of key metrics.
Living standards 2025. The NIESR published its review of UK living standards 2025, arguing that “stagnation in real income growth in the last 15 years has caused UK living standards to plummet and cost UK workers thousands of pounds per year,” calling for tax cuts and changes to welfare as a result.
Building the infrastructure. The British Chambers of Commerce called for a streamlined planning process, improved transport system, local skills funding and policy stability as it set set out a series of recommendations to improve infrastructure development.
Investor Survey. The consultancy PwC reported on its latest survey among UK investors finding them optimistic about the broader economy and supportive of the role of technology but seeing upskilling of the workforce as the top priority.
Book Fair. The Publishers Association highlighted the importance of UK publishing business as part of this week’s London Book Fair, pointing to a projected rise in UK literary tourism from £1.7bn currently to £2.1bn by 2030.
First 100 days. The 2024-29 EU Commission marked its 100 days milestone with a published list of achievements ranging from growing defensive support for Ukraine, to Summits with India and South Africa, to a new Industrial Plan, Skills Action Plan and Competitiveness Compass. SCHOOLS: Teacher market. The NFER called for a 3%+ pay award for teachers this year along with new strategies to tackle teacher workload and pupil behaviour as it published its latest report on the teacher labour market in England, indicating vacancies at record levels.
SEND. The Chair of the Education Committee called on DfE ministers to confirm when they intended to publish their proposals on SEND along with any future timescale of associated policy announcements over the next six months.
TIMMS vol 2. The government published a follow-up report to the 2023 TIMMS national report providing more detail on issues such as performance by gender with boys outperforming girls in maths, by background with those on free school meals performing less well and by characteristics with attendance and confidence shown as key factors in performance.
Qualifications market. Ofqual published its latest annual qualifications market report showing that for last year among other things a total of 11.8m certificates were issued across qualifications last year, up 3.7% on the year before.
Funding matters. The School Cuts Coalition briefed MPs on the funding issues facing many schools currently as build up to the Chancellor’s statement continued, arguing that the latest settlement will see overall per pupil funding in England at its lowest level for years.
NEU survey. The NEU reported on its (largest ever) survey of members working in the independent sector, finding many struggling with limited pay rises and the cost-of-living and often having to take on second jobs to survive.
Language issues. GL Assessment reported on its survey undertaken by YouGov revealing growing numbers of students with speech and language issues, suggesting more time spent on visual content is partly to blame and calling for early identification of issues and closer working with parents as ways of helping.
Holiday programmes. The government set out details and funding for this year’s Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme which sees local authorities supported to provide typically six weeks of provision, including meals and activities, over the Easter, summer and Christmas holidays for children, especially those on free school meals, aged from reception year 11. FE/SKILLS: Youth Guarantee. The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Youth Employment confirmed the launch of a new Inquiry into a Youth Guarantee, which will look in particular at benefits and opportunities for employers as well as how best to meet the needs of young people.
Resit rethink. Pearson invited contributions to its ‘rethinking’ post-16 English and maths GCSE resits work, calling in the short-term for a cutting back on some of the content and assessment demands and in the longer-term for a shift to a more flexible model that could equip learners with the skills they need for the future.
Numeracy for Gender Equality. National Numeracy pointed to new research showing many women put off from applying for jobs that require working with numbers and data, calling on employers to support recommendations on inclusive recruitment and numeracy support.
Local context. The Learning and Work Institute pointed to the importance of local context as it published a report for the Commission for Healthier Working Lives indicating that economic inactivity due to ill health tends to be concentrated in particular regions, typically former industrial areas and coastal towns, calling as a result for stronger local approaches to work, health and skills. HE:
Back to business. The Office for Students (OfS) announced that having paused its registration work last year to allow time to focus on financial issues in the sector, it would restart this work again in August.
The importance of graduate skills. Universities UK emphasised the importance of graduate skills to economic growth and productivity, showing in a new report that such skills align closely to the government’s defined growth sectors as well as to regional growth.
Supporting industrial strategy. The Russell Group’s Industrial Strategy Panel set out a number of ways in which research-intensive universities could help deliver on key industrial strategy areas, including through high-level skills training, spinouts and start-up, and global reach.
UK/EU R/D. Leading research groups including the Russell Group called on the government and the EU to ensure that UK/EU R/D remained as priority at the planned UK/EU Summit in May, pointing to the success of Horizon Europe as an example of the benefits from researchers working collaboratively.
Bridges to employment. Edge called for greater collaborative learning and bridge building with employers as it published a new report with UCL’s Institute of Education, stressing the impact of practical learning, work experience and career guidance in helping graduates move into employment.
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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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Education Committee Evidence Session on children’s social care (Tuesday 18 March)
Westminster Hall debate on Free School Meals (Tuesday 18 March)
Wonkhe’s ‘The Secret Life of Students 2025’ event (Tuesday 18 March)
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Conferences and CPD opportunities
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Tuesday 18 March: The Secret Life of Students 2025 | Wonkhe (in-person event)
Wednesday 19 March: Teaching and Learning Spring Conference | ETF (in-person event)
Wednesday 19 March: The RE Update: a day course for every secondary RE teacher | NATRE (online event)
Wednesday 19 March: cREative primary RE | NATRE (online event)
Wednesday 19 - Thursday 20 March: Sustainability and Green Skills Conference 2025 | AoC (online event)
Thursday 20 March: Building a High Quality Trust - Manchester | Optimus Education (in-person event)
Thursday 20 March: Enhancing the student experience 2025 | UUK (in-person event)
Thursday 20 March: The new job revolution: selling creativity as an essential skill to international students | The PIE (online event) |
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MONDAY 17 MARCH
On this day in 1969 Golda Meir was elected Israel's first female Prime Minister.
TUESDAY 18 MARCH
On this day in 1314 Jacques de Molay, the 23rd and last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, was burned at the stake by King Philip IV of France.
WEDNESDAY 19 MARCH
On this day in 2008 visionary science fiction writer Sir Arthur C Clarke, author of more than 100 books, died at the age of 90 in Sri Lanka.
THURSDAY 20 MARCH
On this day in 1852 Harriet Beecher Stowe's anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom's Cabin was published in book form in Boston.
FRIDAY 21 MARCH
On this day in 2013 the European Space Agency revealed new data which indicated that at 13.82 billion years old, the Universe was slightly older than originally thought.
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