Steve Besley's Education Eye: week ending 07 March 2025

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:

An important week in the education calendar with Colleges Week, National Careers Week and World Book Day among the big events of the week.

Elsewhere this week MPs discussed VAT on private schools, the government set out its stall on employment rights, and the Lords Committee on Home-Based Working issued a Call for Evidence for its inquiry into “the effects and future development of remote and hybrid working in the UK.” It will report back in November 2025.

In other news, the Chancellor addressed the big manufacturers’ conference and the build up to what’s now becoming an increasingly important financial statement on 26 March continued, with talk of ‘several billion in cuts to welfare and departmental spending’ in the offing as reported by many media outlets.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IfS) has been looking this week at just what options the Chancellor has and they’re not very palatable.

And to put things in context, the Adam Smith Institute published the results of its 2025 Business Confidence Survey this week concluding that “the message is clear. Jobs are at risk or already going, we are in a per-capita “personal recession.” Investment is down. “

So trying to stay positive, here’s a roundup of what’s been happening across education this week.

In schools, the week started with national offer day for secondary schools.

In the words of ASCL, ’an exciting but also an anxious time for many families.’

Data on how many families got their first, or one of their top three choice of schools isn’t published until the summer but last year, 82.9% were offered their first-choice secondary school and 94.6% one of their top three choices

Talking of pupils in school, the Education Policy Institute raised the issue of a potential mismatch between the number of pupils estimated to be in poverty and the number receiving free school meals.

In their words “the under-registration of eligible pupils is not equally distributed across areas and pupil groups” with the youngest primary children most likely to be missing out.

It called in a new report for better linked data and auto-enrolment where possible.

ASCL agreed. “We have long argued that free school meals should be extended to all families in receipt of universal credit rather than only those below a very low-income threshold, that all eligible children should be automatically enrolled so that no child misses out.”

In other school news, Ofsted claimed that the education inspection framework (EIF) was a useful tool for schools in helping raise curriculum quality.

“Many of the schools were already taking an evidence-informed approach to developing a high-quality curriculum. The inspection framework helped them to affirm and speed up the changes they were making,” it argued from recent research.

The NAHT highlighted the issue of abuse towards school staff with a new survey revealing “widespread reports of trolling on social media and in parent groups on Facebook and WhatsApp - as well as appalling instances of hate campaigns and harassment and intimidation.”

The union acknowledged that most parents are very supportive of schools but called on the government to conduct an urgent review of complaints procedures ‘to deter vexatious use of the existing system often before school processes have been exhausted.’

And FFT Education Datalab, an important source of valuable data to so many, welcomed its tenth birthday with a look back at how some education issues had fared over the past ten years and likely future issues for the next ten years.

It listed falling pupil numbers, Ofsted judgements and the future of BTECs as probable talking points in the coming months/years. For starters.

In FE, the emerging story this week has been about likely cuts to FE. The FT headlined the story on Thursday, see below.

As the Chancellor has been at pains to explain this week, the world has changed since she presented her autumn budget and she’s now having to look for cuts in unprotected areas of 20%, even 40% according to some. As The New Statesman put it ‘the axewoman cometh.’

In a nutshell it means colleges will only get two-thirds of the money promised last year for the extra numbers of young people they recruit. “We will provide approximately two-thirds of the funding expected based on arrangements published in August 2024.”

The AoC’s David Hughes summed it up. “While the announcements today included some growth in funding for next academic year, the increase will not cover what we expect to be another 25,000 extra young people wanting to start college in September, and I fear that without in-year funding, colleges will have to turn many away.”

As he went on to say, the picture for adult skills is ‘even more stark.’

And this for a sector that as the IfS have regularly pointed out has faced years of underinvestment.

If it’s any consolation, the EU is facing similar funding challenges as it looks to beef up its own skill and labour mobility levels.

Its Union of Skills Plan, launched this week, talks grandly of the importance of education and skills and of these being seen as an investment not a cost.

The Plan sets out three objectives: encouraging everyone to re/upskill, supporting companies to be more competitive, and “making skills and qualifications -regardless of where they are acquired in Europe – transparent, trusted and recognised.”

But calls on “Member States and the private sector to invest more in education, training, upskilling and reskilling” to help with the financing of the Plan. Currently 0.1% of GDP (EU average) is spent on adult learning.

In HE, as the fifth anniversary of the first Covid lockdown beckons, the Times Higher reflected on the legacy for HE in an article this week.

For HE, key questions remain around the impact on the future of learning, on institutional management and resources, and on students wellbeing let alone the university experience many went through. As HEPI’s Nick Hillman explained, “I’m not totally convinced that the really vibrant student life has quite come back to how it was.”

Debate is likely to continue with, as the article notes, the High Court set to hear cases against UCL next year about the teaching received, or perhaps not received during the lockdown. It could be a landmark moment

More immediately this week, the UCU highlighted the growing financial crisis in UKHE suggesting over 5,000 jobs are currently at risk and calling for ‘an emergency fund to protect jobs and courses in the short term.’

“Labour should launch a root and branch review of the sector's governing structures while putting an end to university leaders being rewarded for failure with gigantic pay packets,” it said.

As to the future, both the Times Higher and Wonkhe had helpful summaries on what Edward Peck, the prospective Chair of the OfS, had to say on funding when grilled this week by Education Committee members.

‘Try and sort it out first, guys, before calling on the government,’ seemed to be the broad message.

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

The top headlines of the week:

‘Ministers plan major changes to SEND education in England’ (Monday)
‘Thousands more university jobs at risk, union warns’ (Tuesday)
‘Behaviour overtakes workload as top concern for primary teachers’ (Wednesday)
‘Colleges of further education in England will get less funding than promised’ (Thursday)
‘Regulator seeks more information on English university finances’ (Friday)

General:

Employment Rights. The government reported back on its various consultations around employment rights, confirming a series of amendments to its Employment Rights Bill that would see among other things, zero hours contract rights applied to agency workers, statutory sick pay extended to low earners, and improved rules over collective redundancy.
Work coaches. The government announced that it was deploying a thousand of its existing Work Coaches to work with eligible sick and disabled people, providing intensive support and career guidance to help them back into work as part of a planned move on reforming the welfare system and targeting economic inactivity.
Neighbourhood rebuilding. The government listed 75 areas which will each receive up to £20m over the next decade to help local neighbourhood boards come together to revive high streets and improve local services from health, education and employment to crime prevention and youth clubs.
Business Confidence. The Adam Smith Institute reported on its survey among business leaders pointing to ‘low levels of confidence in the UK business environment’ largely due to high taxes, regulation and high energy costs, with the resent NIC hike a particular bugbear.
Economic forecast. The British Chambers of Commerce published its latest Quarterly Economic Forecast (QEF) downgrading growth prospects for this year to 0.9% from 1.3% previously with unemployment likely to rise to 4.6%, ‘as cost pressures bite.’
Protecting children’s data. The Information Commissioner’s Office reported that it had opened an investigation into how Tik-Tok uses the personal information of 13–17-year-olds as it published an update on its progress in protecting children’s privacy online.
Tackling child poverty. The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) with Save the Children set out their thoughts on tackling child poverty as the government works up its own strategy, pointing to two key policy priorities that should form part of the national strategy, namely setting binding targets and investing in the social security system.
Teething issues. The government announced the launch of its programme with Colgate Palmolive to tackle tooth decay among young children with funding to support supervised toothbrushing for 3 – 5-year-olds along with free toothbrushes and toothpaste.

More specifically ...

Schools:

Progress on the Bill. The House of Commons Library Service reported on the progress of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, running through the main measures in the Bill and amendments considered, as well as those on care leavers and academy teachers agreed at the Bill’s Second Reading last month.
Facing abuse. The NAHT reported that over 80% of school leaders surveyed had received abuse from parents over the past year as it published the results of a survey revealing ‘shocking examples’ of physical and verbal abuse by parents of school leaders, calling on the government to conduct a review of complaints procedures.
EIF effect. Ofsted reported on its research into curriculum quality in schools, arguing that while this tended to be driven by schools themselves, the Education Inspection Framework (EIF) had been a useful contributor to institutional thinking.
Disadvantage funding. The Public Accounts Committee argued in a new report, that the government needs better grip on how disadvantage funding is being spent with, for example, indications that pupil premium funding is being used to plug budget gaps rather than support disadvantaged children.
Missing out. The Education Policy Institute called for better data and auto-enrolment for free school meals as it published a new report showing that the number of pupils registered for free school meals or receiving the pupil premium was lower than the number estimated to be in poverty.
Maladministration report. The Standards and Testing Agency reported on issues of maladministration in assessment reported to it over the last year, showing that over 670 cases were investigated, largely at KS2 and largely to do with ‘incorrect completion of transcripts.’
Special school workforce. The NFER followed up its blog last week looking at the workforce in special schools by examining teacher recruitment and retention in both special schools and alternative provision, highlighting the issue of a lack of a dedicated training route in such cases.
Happy birthday. FFT Education Datalab toasted its 10^th birthday by looking back at some features from its first report ten years ago such as the KS4 attainment gap which has actually got worse, as well as some of the top issues ten years on including exclusions and SEND, both of which have become more challenging concerns.

FE/Skills:

Funding. The FT reported on the impact of a likely funding squeeze on FE with colleges set to get only two-thirds of the money promised last year for additional 16-19 numbers, given ‘exceptional growth in numbers.’
More on funding. The government also pointed to ‘exceptional growth in numbers’ as it set out calculations for scaling back the 2024/25 growth funding originally identified for most 16–19-year-olds in colleges this year.
AI in Voc Ed. The AoC announced a new partnership with Ufi VocTech Trust aimed at helping support the development and use of digital tools and innovation in FE with an Insight survey on current use kicking off the initial work.
Union of Skills. The EU pledged to create a European Skills High-Level Board, a Skills Guarantee and a new European Vocational Education and Training (VET) Strategy as it set out its plans to increase levels and portability of skills across the EU as part of a major new Skills Plan.
SME Manufacturers Blueprint. Make UK/Civitas called for improved access to skills and growth funding, along with shared data with the education sector on skills needs, as they published a new ‘Blueprint for Scaling Up SME Manufacturers.’
16/17 yr olds in colleges. The AoC published its annual paper on where publicly funded 16- and 17-year-olds study, showing the number in colleges in England last year rose 2% as the numbers of young people continue to rise.

HE:

Jobs crisis. The UCU pointed to a growing jobs crisis in UKHE with over 5,000 jobs at risk across a range of universities, as it launched a campaign to support funding for HE and an end to staff cuts.
Financial return. The OfS called on institutions to submit an interim financial return for the financial year ending 2025 as it sought to get a better handle on any ‘material movements’ in core finances and a ‘refreshed understanding’ of the financial picture for both institutions and the sector overall.
Pandemic impact. The Times Higher reflected on the impact of the pandemic on HE five years on, with issues around the role of lectures v online teaching, the increase in the number of students reporting mental health worries, and the subsequent pressure on both national and institutional resources, continuing to provoke debate.
Students from conflict regions. The British Council pointed to ‘a significant rise’ (38%) in the number of students from conflict-affected regions between 2018 – 2023 participating in UK institutions through transnational education with the OU, Liverpool John Moores and Suffolk Universities the most involved and with Nigeria and the Lebanon showing the highest numbers.
Swing to science. The HE Policy Institute (HEPI) published a new paper looking at what’s fuelled a drive by UK students to take up STEM subjects over recent years, suggesting that rather than government persuasion it was more a case of more A level students taking maths and sciences, concerns about future employment prospects, and a growing ethnic intake favouring such subjects.
Regulation. Universities UK reported on its recent series of workshops on ‘regulation in the interests of students’ ahead of a new strategy from the OfS on the matter, with five key themes emerging from quality and transparency to employability and conditions of learning.

Tweets and posts of note:

“Kid 1 working hard to prep a “detective” outfit for World Book day - making a cardboard magnifying glass Me to Kid 2: So what are you going as? Kid 2: (completely chilled) Meh, just my uniform Me: It has to be a character from a book Kid 2: It is. The school prospectus” -@DrNeenaJha.
“If you’re looking for optimism and joy, go work in a school. You will find laughter, determined ambition, mix with cultures you were previously ignorant about and scaffold the dreams of generations of children. Quit doom scrolling and reach forward to a brighter future. Teach” -@EldonPrincipal.
“I’ve just been into my old primary school to give a talk. They asked me who the headteacher was then, I said Mrs McClusky, they couldn’t remember her & looked through the archive to no avail. Got home to Google & realised she wasn’t my teacher at all, she was off Grange Hill” -@JayneMoobs.
“Pancake day already? That crepe’d up quick” -@scantmire.
“I just received my electricity bill. I think they billed me for sunlight, divine light, and the light at the end of the tunnel” -@dnkariuki.

A selection of quotes that merit attention:

“Cuts university bosses are trying to force through threaten provision across the country, and with it the sector's world-leading position” – the UCU highlights the jobs crisis in UKHE.
“Higher education would probably be in a slightly better place…if Covid had never happened” – Nick Hillman adds his thoughts to a Times Higher article on the impact of the pandemic on HE.
“We are seeking candidates with an exceptional understanding of the FE sector, a proven track record of leadership, delivery, and achievement, outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability to drive initiatives with enthusiasm, dedication, and expertise” – the government advertises for a new FE Commissioner.
“We will provide approximately two- thirds of the funding expected based on arrangements published in August 2024” – the government scales back its committed funding for 16–19-year-olds in colleges.
“I think there’s a difference between exams, so that children can progress to the next stage of their academic tree, and actually having the numeracy skills so you can function and be confident and competent in using maths and numeracy in day-to-day life” – Bobby Seagull explains the difference between maths GCSE and numeracy to the Lords Select Committee.
“As you’ll appreciate, we are undertaking this review of our pricing structure while also addressing rising costs and the impact of external changes, such as employer National Insurance contributions” – City and Guilds reviews its fees for the year ahead.
“This Bill is nothing short of education vandalism” – the shadow education secretary on the current Schools Bill.
“World Book Day isn’t just about putting together a great costume idea, it’s about showing children the power of reading” – the DfE kicks off World Book Day.
“I think the Government thought the measure could be sold quite easily to the British public” – Opposition MPs take the government to task over its introduction of VAT on private school fees.
“This can be an anxious time for families. Choosing the right school and securing a place there is a huge moment in a child’s life and not everyone will get their first choice” – the NAHT responds on secondary school offer day.
“"It is short-sighted, it is wrong, and teachers will not stand for it” the NEU considers strike action in light of this year’s pay award.

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

-23%. The expected fall in business volumes in the services sector over the latest quarter, according to the CBI.
77%. The number of business leaders surveyed with low or very low confidence in the UK’s business environment, according to the Adam Smith Institute.
£12.60. the new hourly rate of pay from April for in-store shop assistants in M/S, up from £12 previously according to
35%. The number of school leaders surveyed who say they typically experience abuse from parents every month, according to a poll by the NAHT.
7.6%. The pupil absence rate across schools in England for w/beginning 10 February, 0.5% lower than the same week last year according to latest government figures.
77. The number of private and independent specialist schools that have closed down following Labour’s announcement about VAT on fees, according to the Daily Telegraph.
42%. The number of British parents reported as saying they have little or no control over the information about their children being collected by social media platforms, according to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

What to look out for next week

MPs Education Questions (Monday 10 March)
Education Committee evidence session on SEND (Tuesday 11 March)
AELP Apprenticeships and Training Conference (Monday 10 – Tuesday 11 March)
JISC Digifest 2025 (Tuesday 11 – Wednesday 13 March)
World Economic Forum ‘2025 Global Risks Report’ (Thursday 13 March)
Second Reading of the Free School Meals (Automatic Registration of Eligible Children) Bill (Friday 14 March)
ASCL Annual Conference (Friday 14 – Saturday 15 March)

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.