Steve Besley's Education Eye: week ending 27 March 2026

What's happened this week?

Important stories across the board:

On to the Easter break with plenty of big headlines.

In schools, a Commission highlighted growing concerns about the spread of misinformation online for young people while a think tank reported on progress, or lack of, for white working-class boys five years on from a major report.

In FE, the government lauded apprenticeship progress and launched consultation on the merger of two Industry Training Boards.

In HE, the Office for Students (OfS) reported on how well prepared students felt for life post-graduation and announced further guidance on free speech and academic freedom for institutions working with foreign states. The University of Bradford, meanwhile, came out on top of the latest Social Mobility Index

And in a landmark week for social media platforms, the House of Lords again supported a social media ban for under-16s and the government announced some pilots to test out the impact of social media restrictions on families and young people as well as issuing new guidance on limiting screen time for under 5s.

Here’s some details behind these headlines.

Schools first and that report on white working-class boys.

‘A forgotten demographic,’ according to the Centre for Social Justice which this week looked at how far things had improved since the landmark Lord Sewell Report on the matter five years ago.

As they explained, “just 36 per cent of white British boys on free school meals reached the expected standard in GCSE maths and English last year.” That’s compared to 65% for all pupils.

‘We’ve not been listened to,’ said Lord Sewell.

Talking of progress reports, the Commission into Countering Online Conspiracies in Schools published a progress report this week on the second year of its research.

It made for some disturbing reading. “Across all groups,” it wrote, “the headline picture is one of growing concern.”

“School staff report that misinformation and conspiracy beliefs are appearing more frequently in classroom discussions, often leading to adversarial exchanges between staff and pupils.”

It saw the emergence of AI as another dark factor.

And called for dedicated media literacy education in schools to help counteract developments.

In other news, Ofqual continued its buildup of useful information ahead of this summer’s exams with a classroom resource pack for school leaders to explain how GCSE and A level marking and grading work.

The SEA (Socialist Education Association) reflected on last year’s Curriculum Review arguing that it was “shockingly complacent” in failing to tackle one aspect, namely post-16 reform and the continued dominance of the 3 A level diet.

It called for a modernised Diploma model. “A stage not age approach to assessing progress through a diploma which should recognise what students know and can do rather than penalise them for what they can’t.”

In fairness it wasn’t much more enamoured by V levels either calling them ‘a poor substitute.’

Still on curriculum reform, FFT Education Datalab reckoned that the proposed change to two new ‘breadth’ slots under Attainment 8 will see “increased entries in creative subjects and languages.”

The Sutton Trust reported on what it called a ‘Double Disadvantage’ with SEND pupils failing to get into high performing secondary schools. ‘I kept being told no,’ one parent explained.

And the government announced an increase in school-based nursery provision with local councils brought into the scheme from April and more schools granted funding to create places from this September.

In FE, the Secretary of State ran through recent developments around apprenticeships as he published the latest data on apprenticeship achievements “showing yet another year-on-year increase.’

In the words of AELP, ‘the priority now is to build on this momentum.’

The government also launched consultation on its plans to merge the ECITB and CITB into ‘one, single unified industry Training Board.’

The rationale is largely about meeting future skill needs more efficiently with the consultation explaining among other things that, “forecast demand for construction and engineering construction workers is outstripping the supply of new entrants, with too many experienced workers leaving.”

As for recent pronouncements on youth employment and NEETs, the Chair of the Social Mobility Commission took a restrained view this week, reckoning it doesn’t constitute much in the way of ‘heavy lifting.

This is partly because the sums involved are small beer when you add in NI and living wage costs for young people but also because as he pointed out, ‘no public agency owns NEETs.’ ’16–18-year-olds are monitored by their local authority, but 19-24-year-olds are managed by the Department for Work and Pensions.

All working together with local partners perhaps but is that really the most efficient delivery model?

In HE, amid sharpening global tensions, the OfS announced plans to issue further guidance on free speech and academic freedom for institutions that engage with foreign states.

“A new statement of expectations will further build on this (current) guidance, helping universities and colleges should they decide to enter agreements with foreign states and institutions.”

The ‘statement of expectations’ is intended to be ready for the start of the new academic year.

Elsewhere, with worries about the youth labour market also an ongoing concern, the OfS published a timely report into how well graduates felt they had been prepared for life after graduation.

Interestingly those who had completed their HE studies at an FE college felt better prepared, perhaps because as the report suggested, “such colleges are particularly effective in preparing students for the next steps after their studies.”

Most felt their university or college had helped prepare them generally for their next steps though few used their institution’s careers services, preferring to turn to family or friends instead for advice.

Reinforcing the point about aligning with local labour markets, Russell Group universities issued this week what it called ‘a landmark commitment’ to work with the NHS and other local partners to increase access, training and investment in the healthcare sector.

The aim is to train up over 180,000 graduates from all walks by 2030

In other news, the University of Bradford topped the chart in HEPI and London South Bank’s latest Social Mobility Index, which uses measures such as access, continuation and graduate outcomes to assess how far English universities have contributed to social mobility.

Aston, Wolverhampton, Birmingham Newman and Salford came in next making it a big whammy for the West Midlands.

And talking of social mobility, the Resolution Foundation reported that despite the benefit of gaining a degree, English graduates from very poor backgrounds still earned less than their counterparts in the decade after.

“Going to university substantially boosts earnings, but a decade after graduation, those who grew up in deep poverty earn around 13 per cent less than graduates who did not.”

Finally, student loans again and this week Barclays Bank joined in the angst felt by many as it highlighted the impact on those saving for a house deposit.

“For those actively building up a house deposit, there is a savings gap between those with student loans and those without. Individuals who have outstanding student debt report putting away £310.00 per month towards a deposit, whereas those without a loan say they save £473.70 per month, an extra £163.70.”

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

The top headlines of the week:

• ’White working-class boys being left behind, says MP’ (Monday)
• ‘Top English schools take in half as many SEND pupils as average comprehensive’ (Tuesday)
• ‘Primary schools to get £14k inclusion funding on average’ (Wednesday)
• ‘Severe absence in schools reaches record high’ (Thursday)
• ‘Quarter of students without A levels fail to complete degree’ (Friday)

General:

• Social media bans. Ahead of the conclusion of its digital wellbeing consultation, the government announced a series of short pilots to test out with families various restrictions on social media use, including what impact these may have on family life and the challenges families face in introducing them.
• Screen time. The government issued new ‘clear and trusted’ guidance on screen time use for families with young children, which based on Advisory Group recommendations suggested a limit of an hour a day for 2-5 yr olds and avoiding it altogether and sticking to shared activities for under 2s.
• Digital Inclusion. The government reported on progress made in the first year of its Digital Inclusion Action Plan pointing to the launch of an Inclusion Fund, Essential Digital Skills Framework, a pilot scheme to refurbish old devices and the setting up of an overseeing Ministerial Group among actions completed.
• Economic Outlook. The OECD published its latest Interim Economic Outlook pointing to a context of ‘high uncertainty’ arising out of the current global conflicts with higher energy and other commodity prices ‘weighing’ in to create to a downward revision for global growth next year to 3%, with the UK the hardest hit at 1.3%.
• GEMs Report. UNESCO published the first of what’s intended to be three major Global Education Monitoring (GEM) reports over the coming years, focusing here on access and equity and indicating increasing levels of school enrolment globally (1bn in 2024) and of levels of investment in education but a worrying rise in out-of-school rates (1 in 6 young people) across all regions
• Global Education. The British Council announced a further expansion for two years of its Learning Sectors programme with Formula 1® which aims to encourage more young people globally to get involved in STEM learning.

HE:

• Free speech. The OfS announced it had set up a working group to help provide further guidance on free speech and academic freedom for institutions that work with overseas states.
• Social mobility. HEPI and London South Bank published their latest Social Mobility Index which based on undergraduate access, continuation and outcome measures, reports on the social mobility of graduates, placing Bradford, Aston and Wolverhampton this year as the top three.
• Afterlife. The OfS published commissioned research looking into how well prepared students felt for life after university or college, finding most reasonably confident, particularly those who had studied in college, with most relying on family and friends rather than provider careers services.
• Graduate Gap. The Resolution Foundation examined the education and tax records of English graduates born in the mid-1980s on, finding that despite the boost in earnings accrued from gaining a degree, those from very poor backgrounds still earned less than their better off counterparts decades later.
• Building healthier communities. The Russell Group set out a commitment to open up access, and to train and upskill over 180k medical and healthcare graduates by 2030, as part of a major response to creating healthier communities in future.
• Learning in an AI world. Wonkhe reported on its survey among students about what AI means for their learning, finding a mix of tensions about its value, role and longer-term implications, calling for clearer guidance and focused assessment and accountability that could help determine the authenticity and value of AI’s impact. 
• Student loans. Barclays Bank highlighted the challenges facing those with student loans trying to enter the housing market with those with a loan putting away almost 2k less a year in savings compared to those without such a loan.

Tweets and posts of note:

• “My daughter told me today on friday in school she's been told she'll get to do an easter egg hunt, watch a movie and play boardgames. All before finishing early. If there ever was a time to feel miserable about being an adult its end of term” -@stellacreasy.
• “I’ve had a perfect storm for a teacher today - Ofsted, wet play and wasp in classroom!” -@keith_campion.
• “Will AI deskill teachers - and if it does, is that a problem? If AI means teachers never have to create another resource, I think that's great. If it means teachers never read another essay, I think that's terrible” -@daisychristo.
• “Many teachers are facing an ‘unmanageable’ volume of contact from parents, research shows, with one union warning that schools should not be ‘call centres’”-@tes.
• “Being on ‘the other side’ as parents at our own children’s parents evening always makes me realise how important it is to say that you appreciate the things they do as teachers. Thinking it is one thing, but saying it is so important. Even a simple thank you. Means a lot” -@DeputyGrocott.
• “Rachel Reeves: "the most wealthiest". The Education Secretary should give her detention. #PedantsCorner” -@BriefcaseMike.
• “Just had a long discussion with my daughter about which tool was best for measuring angles for her maths homework. It was a very protracted discussion” -@MartinSLewis.
• “The Easter eggs have been successfully filtered out of the shopping delivery without little madam noticing. Result” –@JustAndy4849.

A selection of quotes that merit attention:

• “I’m spending 10k a year supporting my son” – one reader tells The Guardian about how much she’s forking out to support her son through university.
• “The most recent defunding of management and leadership apprenticeships will be a blow to many higher education providers” – the Russell Group remains unhappy about the recent decision to remove funding from some high-level apprenticeships.
• “There is also a very important issue that is hindering progress.  No public agency “owns” NEETs, and there appears to be no consensus as to who should be the lead” – the Chair of the Social Mobility Commission on a big NEET problem.
• “Students look to their school or college for information about exam grading more than anywhere else, but it can be hard to explain clearly – or find the time to even try” – Ofqual issues resource materials to help school leaders explain marking and grading.
• “The use of the line by some schools of 'the school down the road can meet your child's needs better than us' has been an issue for years” – the NEU respond to research from the Sutton Trust suggesting that some schools are actively discouraging SEND Pupils.
• “Young people, parents and school staff increasingly recognise not only that misleading content is prevalent online, but that it is becoming harder to identify what is true and what is false” – the Commission into Countering Online Conspiracies in Schools highlight a disturbing trend.
• “My work shows a hidden crisis, as services do not definitively know how many children are stuck, waiting to be discharged, how long they wait, or how many days’ worth of beds could be saved and offered to children who truly need to be there” – the children’s commissioner reports on children stuck in hospital because of a lack of housing or care packages to help them move on.
• "Maybe now we are a little bit more in the moment. In the break no one is really on their phones" – the BBC reports student views on the ban on mobile phones in Dutch schools.

Everything else you need to know ...

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