Steve Besley's Education Eye: week ending 17 May 2024

Welcome to Education Eye, a regular update detailing the policies and stories happening in UK education, compiled by Steve Besley.

What's happened this week?

Important stories across the board:

A lot going on this week.

So straight into one of the big talking points, that of graduate visas, before checking out the rest of the education news.

Graduate visas was the subject of a ‘rapid review’ report by the Migration Advisory Committee, commissioned by the Home Secretary a couple of months ago and published this week. It followed political concerns about how the visa scheme, used by many international students, was operating. “We want,” the Home Secretary had written in his commissioning letter to the Committee, “to ensure the route is not being abused.”

The scheme which allows graduates to remain in the country for at least two years after graduating depending on the qualification, is hugely important not just to the HE sector but also, as many have pointed out in recent weeks, to the country, culturally, economically and socially.

In the words of Sally Mapstone, St Andrews VC and UUK President: “International students are incredibly important to UK culture. They contribute a huge amount to universities, to the economy, to skills and jobs and we think it would be a tragedy if the government took what would actually be quite unnecessary further action to restrict the number of international students.”

In the event, the Committee found “no evidence of any significant abuse of the route” and recommended that “the route remains in place in its current form.” Not only that but “any additional restrictions on the Graduate route will likely further exacerbate the decline in international student numbers.”

The report did make some recommendations or the collection and monitoring of data on visa routes and course outcomes and specifically on the system of recruitment agents, where it called for a mandatory registration system but was widely welcomed across the sector.

‘Extremely important and welcome’ was how Universities UK described it. “I hope the government listens to the very clear message from this report,” the view from the University Alliance Group.

The government has said ‘it is considering the review’s findings very closely and will respond fully in due course.’

The report is advisory only and the key issue key now is to secure its future. “We need the government to provide much needed reassurance that the route is here to stay,” Universities UK explained. Future university funding is at stake as the Office for Students have pointed out this week.

On to other news where both Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer have been in election mood this week.

The PM kicked off the week with what The Independent’s John Rentoul called ‘Rishi’s scary speech.’ Suggesting that the country was at a crossroads, ‘facing some of the most dangerous yet the most transformational years our country has ever known,’ he argued that we’d have a better future if we stuck with him. “Above all, you can trust me to keep you and your family safe and secure from the threats we face at home and abroad.”

The speech included a number of references to education, mostly positive apart from the traditional dig at so-called “rip-off degrees.” It suggests that education and skills, or at least maths for all under the Advanced British Standard, more apprenticeships and using AI to support student learning will form part of the Party’s education manifesto

Later in the week, Sir Keir Starmer headed off to Essex to outline the six first steps that an incoming Labour government would take to deliver on its core missions, if elected. It included recruiting 6,500 new teachers “in key subjects to set children up for life, work and the future, paid for by ending tax breaks for private schools.” Personalised digital first steps card are now available to hold them to account.

Back in Westminster this week, MPs discussed the impact of smartphones and social media on children. As one MP put it “as parents of our own children and Members of Parliament for the nation’s children, it is our responsibility and duty to take action to protect them and give them their childhood back.” Most MPs agreed something should be done but weren’t sure what.

Elsewhere, the Lords Industry and Regulators Committee took evidence on skills and apprenticeships. The AoC and AELP both give evidence next week.

In other general news this week, the latest labour market figures out this week brought lots of references to heating and cooling.

As the CBI put it “While there continue to be signs of the labour market cooling, it is still overheating and there is not yet any indication that pay rises are reducing to a level compatible with easing inflation and reducing interest rates.”

It’s been Mental Health Awareness Week where the theme has been keeping active. “Even a short burst of 10 minutes’ brisk walking can boost our mood and increase our mental alertness and energy.”

The DfE used the occasion to publish an update on its Transforming Children and Young People’s Mental Health Implementation Programme although ASCL described the progress here as ‘glacial.’

Elsewhere Teach First published survey evidence showing just how much time teachers are having to spend supporting pupils with mental health concerns. “84% of teachers had spent more time helping pupils with mental health issues over the past academic year, according to polling evidence.”

Moving on to schools, the government issued new guidance and consultation on sex education. With a focus on age limits and not teaching ‘the contested theory of gender identity,’ the education secretary claimed “parents can be reassured once and for all their children will only learn age-appropriate content.” The NAHT remained unconvinced. “We have serious concerns about how potential limits would work in practice.”

Teach First and the NFER have both had reports out on teacher recruitment and retention this week.

Teach First saw “an ambitious Recruitment and Retentions strategy” as a way of helping end educational inequality while the NFER argued that improvements in pay would help produce the workforce needed. “Increasing teacher pay at a faster rate than average earnings would likely contribute to improved teacher recruitment and retention and more subjects reaching their recruitment targets.”

In other schools news, the EDSK think tank called for ‘a managed evolution’ when it comes to curriculum and assessment reform. Leading arts bodies highlighted what they called ‘an Arts Apocalypse’ in our schools, calling for a “a seat at the table” in any future review of the curriculum. BERA announced a new research network for teachers, and education researcher Sam Sims reported in the TES ‘how to save teachers 5 million hours a year without affecting learning.’ It’s all to do with dropping unnecessary data dumps as per here.

In FE, the government set out changes to its apprenticeship funding rules for next year, to support from the AELP and published the list of L3 qualifications set to have funding removed from next August, to less support from the AoC. Elsewhere, the ESFA published its Business Plan for the year ahead.

The Public Accounts Committee pointed in a new report to skills shortages as a key factor in holding back the delivery of major infrastructure projects. “The UK Government and wider economy lack the necessary skills and capacity to deliver ambitious plans for major infrastructure over the next five years.”

And the Campaign for Learning highlighted the importance of company reskilling as it hosted this year’s annual Learning at Work Week.

In HE, that migration report has been the main talking point for much of the week. More employers joined in during the week, worried that any ‘meddling’ with the graduate route could end up cutting a vital pipeline of international talent.

In another and not unrelated development this week, the Office for Students (OfS) reported on university finances. It conjured up a pretty bleak picture, at least in the short to medium term, with any drop in international let alone domestic applications adding to the uncertainty. “This report paints a picture that will be of concern to universities and colleges, and to their students.”

Elsewhere, campus protests and freedom of speech have been a noticeable topic.

The OfS’s Director for Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom listed some broad principles for institutions to consider during the current wave of campus and promised more guidance to follow. “We understand the challenges that these issues may be creating for you and your colleagues.” And Advance HE added its own guidance in a series of briefings.

Finally, the Office of the Independent Adjudicator published its annual report showing a rise in the number of complaints received last year. “The rise has been driven by complaints from postgraduate and non-EU students, with complaints from home undergraduate students reducing slightly.” Academic appeals was the top listed issue.

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

The top headlines of the week:

‘UK universities report drop in international students amid visa doubts’ (Monday).
‘Migration council warns ministers not to axe student visa programme’ (Tuesday).
‘Plan to ban sex education for children under nine’ (Wednesday).
‘Call to replace GCSEs with digital SATs’ (Thursday).
‘Teachers in England stretched by pupils’ mental and family problems, MPs say’ (Friday).

General:

PM’s ‘crossroads’ speech. Rishi Sunak argued in a major speech that the country was ‘standing at the crossroads’ as it faced down global dangers, financial insecurity and the unknown impact of new technology on the one hand while ready to channel its inner strength, innovation and skills for a better future on the other, calling on the country to trust him to deliver ‘a more secure future.’
Labour pitch. Sir Keir Starmer reinforced Labour’s five core missions and set out six first steps an incoming Labour government would take to help deliver the missions such as recruiting 6,500 new teachers.
Graduate Route. Leading employers called on the PM not to make changes to the graduate visa routes without a full review given the importance of international talent and the UK’s leading position in global research.
Childcare plan. The government opened up applications for parents of children who’ll be nine months old by the 31 August to apply for their 15 hours of funded childcare a week as part of the next stage of the government’s proclaimed childcare support arrangements.
Project problems. The Public Accounts Committee published its report into the delivery of major projects, finding the government struggling to deliver partly because of a lack of project management and design but partly also because of ‘skills shortages in technical and engineering disciplines.’
Cyber security. The government announced two new codes of practice to help developers strengthen their products against cyber hacking and sabotage as the government pushed ahead with its claims of leading the world in AI safety.
Labour market picture. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) published the latest provisional figures on the UK labour market for the last quarter showing unemployment up, job vacancies down, economic inactivity remaining high but wages remaining ‘strong.’
Labour market analysis. The Institute for Employment Studies published its regular analysis of the latest labour market data concluding that the ‘the figures are very disappointing overall’ with not only continued contraction in the size of the labour force but also signs of ‘increasing polarisation’ between those in work and those out of work.
Economic inactivity. The TUC published new figures showing a big rise in economic inactivity among women due to long term sickness, arguing that much of this was down to poor work conditions and poor preventative health services, calling for ‘a proper plan’ to tackle the issues raised.
Staying put. The CIPD revealed in a new survey report that as the labour market slowed more employees were staying put in their jobs and equally fewer employers looking to recruit, calling as a result for a greater focus on upskilling to ensure skill levels remained high.
Green growth. The CBI urged the government to use tax incentives to help boost green growth and investment calling among other things for a Green Innovation Credit to unlock private sector R/D and for a reduction in corporation tax on profits derived from green technologies.
Green economy. The IPPR think tank hailed the UK’s strength in making three of the products (electric vehicles, wind turbines, and heat pumps) needed for the green economy, suggesting that delivering on these could help bring about a renaissance in UK manufacturing in the future.

More specifically ...

Schools:

Sex education. The government published updated guidance and consultation on Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) setting out what pupils should be expected to know by the end of primary and secondary education, making sure there was no teaching of ‘the contested theory of gender identity,’ confirming sex education should not start before Year 5 and encouraging the sharing of resources and close working with parents generally.
Pay and recruitment. The National Foundation for Educational research (NFER) examined the importance of pay on teacher recruitment and retention, applying various scenarios but concluding that ‘increasing teacher pay above that of average earnings would help’ but would come at a cost and could still leave shortages in some subjects.
Curriculum reform. The EDSK think tank examined the case for and against curriculum reform in a new, detailed report, arguing for a staged approach over a 10-year period leading to a reformulated primary, lower and upper secondary education system with a rebalanced curriculum and adaptive testing leading to a Baccalaureate to round things off.
Education Inequality. Teach First highlighted the challenges around educational inequality in a new report, calling for an ‘ambitious recruitment and retention strategy,’ an extension of free school meals and the setting up of a Cabinet Committee dedicated to eradicating child poverty as ways of overcoming the gap.
Save our Arts. Leading education and arts organisations, from the Musicians Union to Equity, called on the government to strengthen, invest and incorporate arts provision in schools as it pointed in an open letter to ‘a crisis in schools’ around arts education.
Music development. The government published a non-mandatory template for schools to use in publishing their Music Development Plan which as previously indicated by government, needs to be on school websites before the start of the new school year.
Mental health. The government reported on progress in its Transforming Children and Young People’s Mental Health Implementation Programme set up over five years ago, suggesting that some 34% of schools and colleges in England were participating in the programme and more to come with two further waves being implemented.
Single sex schools. FFT Education Datalab examined whether pupils in single sex schools get better grades concluding that they do, at least among females, but that some of this may be down to pupil characteristics and such schools often being selective.
Outstanding schools? The Education Policy Institute looked into just how far increasing numbers of schools are rated ‘Good’ or ’Outstanding’ finding that while indeed the numbers of such schools has increased over the last decade, those rated ‘Outstanding’ only has fallen, many haven’t been inspected for a number of years and more such schools are in the primary rather than the secondary sector.
New Network. BERA (the British Educational Research Association) announced the creation of a new Network for Teachers aimed at ‘facilitating research more effectively.’

FE/Skills:

Funding rules. The government issued its summary of changes to the funding rules for apprenticeships for 2024/25, all intended to make the system easier to operate and including extending the English and maths flexibilities for apprentices with leaning difficulties and reducing the admin requirements for learning support.
L3 qualifications. The government published a listing of technical and non-technical L3 qualifications approved under cycle 1 for funding in England from 2025 along with those not approved as part of its long-term simplification process.
Learning at Work. The Campaign for Learning reported on the hosting of its latest annual Learning at Work Week showing how many companies are using the Week to focus on skills gaps with digital skills and leadership development among the top areas for development.
Business Plan. The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) published its Business Plan for 2024/25 with a focus on the three elements of funding certainty, funding guidance and funding assurance, accompanied in each case by headline measures and delivery targets.
Devolution. The manufacturer’s organisation, Make UK, published a new survey report showing majority manufacturer support for greater devolution and recommending among other things policies to unlock funding for local infrastructure projects and closer collaboration with colleges to help tackle the talent pipeline.
Skills Shortages. Edge published the latest in its series of Skills Bulletins covering on this occasion recent skill surveys, local skills needs, degree apprenticeships, and the impact of AI on the workplace.

HE:

University finances. The Office for Students (OfS) reported on the financial sustainability of HE providers in England finding a ‘deteriorating’ situation in the short to medium term with concerns about a decline in the real value of fees, a drop in international students as well as domestic applications and general cost-of-living pressures, pointing to ways in which some institutions were navigating the challenges but with a sense of concern evident.
Graduate Route. The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) published the results of its rapid review into the Graduate Route commissioned by the Home Secretary, finding ‘no evidence of significant abuse’ of the Route and recommending that it remains in place but with some changes to data monitoring and collection, and to the system of recruitment agents.
International students context. Public First’s Jonathan Simons put the debate around international students in a wider policy context ahead of the MAC report, arguing that the sector needs to make the case for quality provision and skills returns as much as revenues.
Impact on creative industries. Universities UK and Creative UK wrote to the government ahead of the MAC report, pointing to the importance of the Graduate Route to the creative industries in the UK, and arguing that scrapping the visa would deny the industry access to the global talent it needs to thrive.
Campus protests. The Office for Students (OfS) published an open letter from its Director of Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom setting out a number of broad principles institutions should consider in relation to the current wave of campus protests.
Freedom of Speech. Advance HE published useful guidance documents on Protected Beliefs and Freedom of Speech in HE, setting out the issues within a legal context and coupling it all with a checklist of relevant case law, key questions and mitigating actions for institutions to consider.
Student Manifesto. Russell Group Students’ Unions issued their Manifesto for an incoming government highlighting the impact of the cost-of-living in particular on many students and calling among other things for improved maintenance support, more affordable housing, and ‘a full review and reform of UKHE.’
Funding crisis. The FT examined the financial pressures facing UK universities where the value of the tuition fee has ‘collapsed’ and the reliance on income from overseas students has become more precarious, suggesting crisis point for some institutions may not be too far away.
Adjudicator’s Report. The Office of the Independent Adjudicator for HE issued its latest Annual Report showing that last year it had received the highest number of complaints ever, largely from postgrad and non-EU students with academic appeals and service issues the main areas of complaint.
AI perceptions. JISC published a further report on student perceptions of generative AI, picking up on changes since its previous report last year, finding students now increasingly seeing AI as a digital assistant and coaching tool rather than a provider of answers and keen to develop the skills needed for future employment.
Fees and loans. The Student Loans Company urged prospective students to apply for their tuition fee and/or maintenance loans by today whether they had a place for next year confirmed or not, to ensure everything was approved on time.

Tweets and posts of note:

“Schools should ensure they have a ‘strong’ Friday curriculum and extracurricular offer to help reduce absence, says @educationgovuk minister @dianabarran” -@tes.
“ECTs…. Don’t wear trainers on a look round a school. They might be a laid back school with no staff dress code but you won’t know that til you go there. Play it safe, dress smart” - @kateowbridge.
“Today in Jigsaw we have been talking about the impact of unkind words. We likened them to squirty cream. Once they are out you can’t put them back in. #PSHE” - @SPS_Year_Recep.
“I’d rather high five a cactus with my face than go through another curriculum change TBH” - @ScottPughsley.
“Karma is when the in-tray exercises you used to mock after interviews as being far-fetched become a normal school day” -@dsheadexec.
“Anyone else have a teenager like mine? When you don’t get the full details of something they are attending (which is standard with teenagers) and other friends who are going are literally on his headset but he won’t ask them if they know the details!” - @DeputyGrocott.

A selection of quotes that merit attention:

“I’m convinced that the next few years will be some of the most dangerous yet the most transformational our country has ever known” – the PM claims a more secure future with him in a speech widely interpreted as an election pitch.
“This plan is working” – the government invites families to apply for the next stage of its funded childcare programme launching this September.
“Employers across the UK will welcome further signs that the labour market is cooling, but more must be done to ensure they can access the skills they need” – the British Chambers of Commerce responds to the latest labour market figures.
“Effective devolution cannot rely on empowered individuals, however charismatic and able” – former minister John Denham on wrinkles in the current mayoral system.
“Our modelling suggests that no growth across the sector could leave nearly two-thirds of institutions in deficit by 2026-27” the OfS reports on HE finances in England.
“Simply shouting louder and louder about the net economic benefit, and the way in which this supports universities, is likely to be of marginal use” – Jonathan Simons on seeing the bigger picture around international students.
“What is needed now is stability - we need the Government to provide much needed reassurance to both universities and international students that the Graduate route is here to stay” – Universities UK responds to the report from the Migration Advisory Committee with its affirmation of the Graduate Route.
“Colleges are extremely concerned about the high number of students who may not be able to find a course because T Levels are not suitable or accessible for them and the existing qualification is being defunded” – the AoC reacts to the latest listing of L3 qualifications in line for defunding next year.
“It should be obvious that you cannot run an education system without enough teachers” – ASCL reacts to NFER’s research on teacher pay and recruitment.
“Many schools have become miniature welfare states, stepping in to support their pupils and families with a huge range of issues including feeding hungry children, accessing social and mental health services, and providing financial support” – Teach First reports on the challenges involved in tackling educational inequality.
“I carried out a research study with colleagues on available criteria to assess the effectiveness and efficacy of edtech produced specifically for schools. We found 65 different frameworks for evaluating whether these school-specific offerings work” – an OU Professor worries about whether money spent on edtech is well spent.

Important numbers

Not-to-be-missed numbers of the week:

4.3%. The estimated UK unemployment rate for the last quarter to March 2024, up 0.5% on the previous quarter, according to the ONS.
30%. The number of employers surveyed looking to take on more workers over the next three months, down from 37% previously as the labour market slows according to CIPD.
4,000. The number of Graduate Route visas issued to main applicants last year with a further 30,000 to dependants, according to the Migration Advisory Committee report.
40%. The percentage of HE providers potentially facing deficit in the short to medium term, according to the OFS.
3,137. The number of complaints received by the independent HE Adjudicator’s Office last year, up 10%, according to the latest report from the Office.
50.1%. The percentage of schools participating in the National Tutoring Programme (NTP) as of this January, down on 2022/23 but up on the figure from last autumn according to latest government figures.
19.4%. The percentage of pupils persistently absent last term (missed 10% or more sessions,) down from the previous autumn term according to latest government figures.
7.2%. The overall pupil absence rate for the last week of April, according to latest government figures.
56,000. The drop in the number of early education and childcare places in England between 2019 and August 2023, according to research quoted by the Early Years Alliance.
£10. The going rate for the tooth fairy, according to the i newspaper.
3.1m. The number of food parcels provided between April 2023 and March 2024 for people in need, according to the food charity the Trussell Trust.

Everything else you need to know ...

What to look out for next week:

Education Committee witness session on Music Hubs (Tuesday 21 May).
Lords Industry and Regulators Committee witness session on apprenticeships and skills for the future (Tuesday 21 May).
HEPI Webinar on non-continuation in UK universities (Tuesday 21 May).
National Numeracy Day (Wednesday 22 May).

Steve Besley

Disclaimer: Education Eye is intended to help colleagues keep up to date with national developments in the education sector. Information is correct at the time of writing and is offered in good faith. No liability is accepted by Steve Besley or EdCentral for decisions made on the basis of any information provided.