Steve Besley's Education Eye: week ending 19 December 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:

The countdown to Christmas has brought a mixed bag of headlines.

Its included a new survey of parents which found them supportive of the pressures schools and teachers are under but concerned about funding, behaviour and phones. The launch of a review into NEETs as the latest labour market figures underlined concerns about ‘a lost generation of young people.’ An announcement heralding UK participation in the latest EU youth exchange programme although critics pointed to the costs. A call from university leaders for a more positive vibe around universities because “they are one of the things that Great Britain and Northern Ireland are best at.”

And its also seen the government finally launch its strategy to tackle violence against women and girls, with schools given a key role.

“By the end of this parliament in 2029, every secondary school in England will have a credible offer for educating students about healthy and respectful relationships, with every child able to access support.”

Details on these and other stories below as part of the roundup of the latest week in education.

This starts with schools and that survey of parents’ views on education.

This came from the consultancy Public First with the first of what’s intended to be three key reports looking into how parents view the school system in England.

Findings from this first report suggest that parents generally understand many of the current issues schools face and recognise the pressures many schools and teachers are under and are keen to work with them.

Yes, as parents, they may have concerns about funding, phones, and so on but “what emerges is a picture of quiet confidence mixed with realism.” They’re keen to see their children, and thus the school, do well.

The report lists twelve findings from its survey including interestingly, that ‘parents see school’s main purposes as building life skills and broadening horizons, not just exam success,’ and that “when choosing a school, location matters most; Ofsted ratings rank lower.”

The next report in the spring will look at how schools work with every child and the one after, in the summer, on how parents connect with schools. An important consideration given the reported rise in ‘AI-generated parental complaints.’

A set of recommendations will follow at the end.

Also promising a series of further reports this week was the Centre for Social Justice as it set out plans to ‘rewire technical education.’

In its view we’ve been left with “a profoundly unbalanced education system” with technical education the poor relation.

It’s not a new concern of course but it’s one that the think tank has been championing for some time and is promising to tackle by examining ‘best’ practice in technical education, from both here and abroad in the coming months.

It kicked things off this week with a report, welcomed by former minister David Willetts, listing five principles that should form the basis of any new such system.

They included a system being shaped by industry and building on what works.

“We must rebalance our education system, and create a genuine technical pathway, valued by young people, employers, and the public on its own terms,” they stated firmly.

To round things off in schools this week, it seems that not everyone is enamoured by last week’s news about proposals to look into onscreen assessments.

The Independent reported that actor Hugh Grant reckoned that “such a move could stuff our poor addicted children even further down the internet at great cost to their education, mental health, and safety."

In FE, NEETs has been a big talking point this week.

The Work and Pensions Secretary called it ‘a crisis we can’t ignore’

He was referring to ‘the lost generation of young people not earning or learning’ which saw a further increase in numbers reported this week.

The government has called on former minister Alan Milburn to lead a review into the whole area which this week was formally launched with an Advisory Panel and a call for evidence.

Alan Milburn has called for ‘a coalition of the concerned.’

Claiming to take “a radical, system-wide approach that matches the urgency of the task at hand,” the review will operate in two stages, first taking evidence as announced this week and then coming up with solutions.

An interim report is set for next spring and as the Learning and Work Institute said, it must build on recent evidence.

We already have a Skills White Paper and the Mayfield ‘Keep Britain Working’ Report, let alone a Skills Commission Inquiry. What many people will be looking for is some urgent solutions.

Elsewhere, the government invited applications for a further 19 Technical Excellence Colleges (TECs) covering four sectors.

As the AoC indicated, some of the eligibility rules are a bit complex for this second wave of TECs but they are an important component of the government’s industrial strategy, come with a chunk of funding and help provide a focal point for much of the FE sector’s work.

“We’re making sure every young person who wants to become a builder, engineer or technician can get that opportunity,” the minister said as she went on to confirm capital funding for 16-18 yr olds and for T levels.

The AELP called for this capital funding to include high-quality independent providers.

On 16-19 learning, New City College in London launched a new partnership with the Education Endowment Foundation to build evidence and share expertise around best practice for this stage of learning.

And finally, as Skills England published its interim guidance on Apprenticeship Assessment, the Gatsby Foundation published a commissioned report into the latest end-point assessment reforms arguing that they’re a bit well, top heavy, and could make things worse.

“Undoubtedly there are aspects of it (EPA) that could be amended; individual assessment plans with overegged requirements that could be streamlined; provider and employer behaviours that could shift to help each other operate more smoothly. But the current reforms seem a heavy-handed overcorrection in this context,” it argued.

In HE, the year has drawn to a close on a more hopeful note for some with the government confirming agreement to rejoin the EU student exchange programme known as Erasmus+.

UK participation will start in 2027 at an initial cost of £570m.

As the minister explained “joining Erasmus+ is a huge win for our young people, breaking down barriers and widening horizons to ensure everyone, from every background, has the opportunity to study and train abroad.”

It includes vocational programmes and sports training.

The Russell Group said it was ‘delighted.’ School leaders hoped it would also ‘incentivise language learning in schools’ but some are unhappy at the overall costs.

A wider youth mobility scheme is under discussion.

Staying on the positive, Universities UK’s Chief Exec outlined a new, more optimistic strategy that they were hoping to run with next year.

“We intend to position universities as a reason to be optimistic about this country’s future, the source of both historic and future success.”

As for how it’s been this year, most of the leading commentators have been offering their thoughts of this latest year.

The Times Higher published its regular listing of top change makers this year.

These included Bill Shorten, Canberra’s VC who ‘guided the institution out of a financial crisis,’ Dharmendra Pradhan, the enterprising education minister of India, and more locally, Jane Harrington, VC at Greenwich which announced a merger with Kent creating a new ‘superuniversity.’

Wonkhe looked at the year through twelve charts covering among other things funding, workforce numbers and subcontracted provision.

While HEPI Director Nick Hillman suggested five main themes for the year in a recent speech. These included personnel churn at the top, funding ups and downs and the steady march of AI.

As ever, other summaries are available.

Elsewhere, the OfS confirmed that it had referred some providers, who may have fallen foul of student expectations during industrial action, to Trading Standards

“We encourage all universities and colleges to reflect upon our guidance and make sure the contracts they use are fair and protect students’ consumer rights,” they said.

And finally, the Russell Group ran through some of the things that universities in their group were doing for students remaining on campus during the festive period.

Nottingham University, for instance, is doing ‘a meet and greet with a reindeer’ and free ice skating.

Let’s hope all this and other news over the festive period bring both joy and hope.

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

The top headlines of the week:

’No extra funding for teacher pay, Treasury confirms’ (Monday)
‘University students facing course ‘cold spots’ as enrolments fall’ (Tuesday)
‘UK to rejoin EU’s Erasmus student exchange programme’ (Wednesday)
‘Boys to be sent on courses to tackle misogyny in schools’ (Thursday)
‘‘Teacher training is ‘huge issue’ in SEND reform talks’ (Friday)

General:

Violence against women and girls. The government published its long-awaited strategy for preventing violence and abuse of women and girls, proposing a 10-yr plan built around the three objectives of prevention and early intervention, pursuit of perpetrators, and support for those in need, with schools given a key role.
Labour market data. The ONS pointed to ‘a weakening labour market’ as it published latest data showing a further slight rise in unemployment for the period to October 2025 but with young people particularly badly hit amid an overall drop in workforce jobs.
Labour market outlook. The Resolution Foundation published its Labour Market Outlook for the last quarter of the year indicating that despite some mixed trends ‘the share of people actually in work has been falling’ with young people notably exposed, calling on the government to extend the youth guarantee and job support.
Social Mobility. The Social Mobility Commission published its latest ‘State of the Nation’ Report indicating that ‘extreme regional disparities exist’ notably in many old industrial and mining areas but that growth ‘hubs’ are emerging across the UK and more young people are in professional occupations now.

More specifically ...

Schools:

Parent Voice. The consultancy Public First published the first of three intended reports looking into how parents view the education system in England, with this first survey finding parents generally supportive of the work of schools but concerned about funding, behaviour, phones and mental health.
Teachers’ pay. The NFER set out some thoughts about the prospects for this year’s pay award for teachers indicating that despite recent awards, teachers’ pay has become less competitive, suggesting that the Pay Review Body should consider a 7.4% award over the proposed three-year period rather than the 6.5% put forward by government.
Reforming technical education. The Centre for Social Justice called in a new report for a re-balancing of the education system by creating a technical pathway to match the academic one, using the model of the Manchester Bacc to propose a series of principles for a future ‘rewiring’ of the system.
Phones in school. The Shadow Education Secretary outlined her reasoning behind an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill that would see current guidance on banning smartphones during the school day enforced in law.

FE/Skills:

NEET Review. The Milburn NEETs Review formally launched its investigation into the root causes of youth inactivity, with a call for evidence and the backing of a new Advisory Panel as it looked to produce an interim report in the spring.
Earning or Learning. Policy Connect issued an interim Report from its ongoing inquiry, led by the Skills Commission, into earning or learning for young people, pointing to emerging evidence around the importance of early identification and prevention, flexible pathways and local coordination.
TECs. The government opened up applications from eligible colleges for a 2^nd Wave of Technical Excellence Colleges (TECs,) proposing 19 in all covering Defence, Digital and Technologies, Clean Energy and Advanced Manufacturing.
Apprenticeship assessment. The Gatsby Foundation published a commissioned report on the latest reforms for end-point assessments of apprenticeships, acknowledging that while some changes were needed, the latest proposals seem heavy-handed, calling for a full evaluation of the impact of the reforms before progressing.
Commissioner’s Report. The FE Commissioner published her summary and valedictory report for the last year, showing a range of ‘active support’ activity over the year, including college health checks, structural reports and effective practice guides, with just 8 colleges now subject to intervention.
Workforce cuts. The Guardian reported that the new owners of the City and Guilds training and awarding business were looking to reduce the size of the workforce over the next two years with much of it coming through ‘natural attrition.’

HE:

Erasmus back. The government announced that it had agreed terms to join the EU Erasmus+ programme in 2027, enabling young people, including apprentices and FE students, to study and train abroad, with further guidance and details to come nearer the time.
Consumer protection. The OfS confirmed that it had referred a number of providers to National Trading Standards over concerns that during industrial action, obligations under some student contracts may not have been met.
Future Universities. Universities UK’s Chief Exec, Vivienne Stern, outlined in a blog on the Wonkhe site, the priorities of a new strategy the organisation has been developing for next year, positioning universities as a source of strength and positivity for the future, responsive to needs and aligned to the country’s future success.

Tweets and posts of note:

“Nativity was going well until the Shepherds started fighting” -@RosaryMum.
“The five-year-old cried throughout her nativity in Nursery. Today in Reception she blasted out the songs and nailed all her lines. Tears of joy!” -@LeeBraganza.
“Nearly half of parents plan to allow smartphones at Christmas dinner table | STV News” -@FEontap.
“Hugh Grant says moving GCSE and A-Level exams online would be a 'catastrophe' | Independent” -@FEontap.
“The Treasury has been accused of 'picking a fight with the teaching profession' by refusing to provide additional funding for teacher pay” -@tes.
“The complaints culture in schools is now out of control. The threshold is way too low for firing in emails or calls and expecting affirmative responses. It seems it has become the main pastime in some people’s lives. I don’t know how school leadership teams with it tbh” -@RogersHistory.
“Today, 16 years after finishing university and 15 years after entering full-time work, I have finally paid off my student loan. And I was (relatively) fortunate enough to go when tuition fees were £3,000 a year. Feel so much for all post-2012 fee rise graduates” -@whazell.
“Back in my day when you saved a document it would go a main folder called documents and you knew where it was because it was in the folder called documents” -@EpicMasterChief.

A selection of quotes that merit attention:

“A landmark day for millions of workers” – the TUC welcomes the Employment Rights Act becoming law.
“It is the first step in a truly national endeavour that prioritises prevention, tackling the root causes of this violence, while relentlessly pursuing its perpetrators and supporting its victims and survivors” – the PM introduces the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy.
“Young people again find themselves at the heart of this downturn, just as they were in the wake of the financial crisis and Covid. Policy makers and employers need to redouble efforts to support them” – the Resolution Foundation reflects on the latest labour market picture.
“The widening educational attainment gap during compulsory schooling years, which took hold during the COVID-19 pandemic, continues” – the Social Mobility Commission issues its latest State of the Nation Report.
“It will represent a huge win for the student movement.” – the NUS welcomes the UK rejoining the Erasmus+ young people’s exchange programme.
“Over the course of the next year, Universities UK will start to unfold our own strategy under the banner of Future Universities” – Universities UK works up a new strategy for 2026.
“We need to act fast and reach the young people who are missing out on help” – the Learning and Work Institute call on the Milburn NEETs Review to get stuck in.
“Whilst the previous EPA system presented challenges and areas that could have been simplified 31 and strengthened, we continue to consider that these could have been resolved by addressing weaknesses in individual EPA plans whilst preserving the overall approach” – the Gatsby Foundation considers the latest EPA apprenticeship reforms.
“Parents are clear-eyed about the challenges schools face” – Public First surveys the views of parents in the first of three major reports.
“I’ll be spending about £100 each on my children,” one primary school teacher parent tells The Independent how much she’ll be spending on her own children this year.
“Whether you are teaching, supporting learning, leading settings and schools, or keeping them running behind the scenes, your work makes an enormous difference to lives and to communities” -the Education Secretary thanks teachers in her Christmas message.

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

39%. The number of teenagers aged 13-17 who have been in a relationship in the past year and who have experienced ‘emotional or physical abuse from a partner,’ according to the government’s latest strategy on tackling violence against women and girls.
5.1%. The UK unemployment rate for the three months to October, up slightly from the previous three months according to latest figures from the ONS.
3.2%. The UK inflation rate for last month, down from 3.6% previously according to latest figures from the ONS.
48.2%. The number of young people in professional occupations in recent years, up 12.1% from the previous decade according to the Social Mobility Commission.
6%. The increase in the number of undergraduate students this year reported to the Student Loans Co as withdrawing from their course, according to SLC data.
£175m. The amount of funding the government is pledging to help set up 19 new TECs over the next four years, according to the DfE.
8.03%. The pupil absence rate in schools in England for the first week of December, up on the comparable period last year according to latest government figures.
£9.5bn. Government investment in the early years sector next year, up £1bn on last year according to the DfE.

Everything else you need to know ...

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

A jolly red figure coming down the chimney with a sack of presents (Thursday 25 December)
Parliamentary Recess (Friday 18 December – Monday 5 January 2026)

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.