Evidence makes it clear that exposure to adversity and stress has vast potential to negatively influence the trajectory of a person’s health and wellbeing throughout their life. In this blog, Professor Pamela Qualter and Dr Anna Sanders present the key findings of a Child of the North report, co-authored with colleagues from Newcastle, Bradford, Sheffield, […]
Child of the North: Schools and education
COVID-19 exposed the disadvantage suffered by children and young people in our most deprived areas, disproportionately in the north of England. In this blog, Professor Caroline Bond and Professor Pamela Qualter discuss how these problems, and the accumulating evidence, demand a policy response. This is an adaptation of an article they co-authored for the Child […]
The Child of the North: Building a fairer future after COVID-19
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, growing evidence has shown the effects of the disease, and measures to contain it, have not been felt equally across the UK, with the North of England one of the hardest hit regions. Even before the pandemic, the North suffered from higher levels of poverty, poor health, and inequality compared to […]
Employability meets education: Why essays and exams are not enough
In an increasingly digital world, the skills that students require to succeed in employment are changing but assessments within education settings are not. In this blog, Dr Drew Whitworth discusses the potential pitfalls of traditional forms of assessment, such as essays and exams, which focus on information retention instead of application, and highlights how practice-based […]
Bridging the digital divide: Greater Manchester schools creating pathways to success
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority created the Pathways to Success strategy to support schools to deliver education to vulnerable children during lockdown. In this blog, Dr Paul Armstrong, Dr Stephen Rayner and Emeritus Professor Mel Ainscow reflect on the strategy and explore the opportunities for schools to implement aspects of it […]
Critical time to prevent cognitive decline in children and prevent neurodegenerative disease
Children and the elderly face a greater risk of negative health effects arising from exposure to air pollution. In this blog, Professor Martie van Tongeren explores the impacts of air pollutant exposure on children’s cognitive performance, working memory and attention control. He highlights policy interventions that can be implemented across schools, local authorities and the […]
Children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing: moving towards evidence-based, data-driven responses
As children and young people return to classroom education, schools have a vital role to play in assessing and supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing. Here, Professor Neil Humphrey from the Manchester Institute of Education argues that schools should routinely collect reliable mental health and wellbeing data, with which they can ‘build […]
Filling a youth-shaped gap in the FE White Paper: Reducing inequalities in post-16 progression
The new Further Education (FE) White Paper claims its proposals will transform post-16 education and training in England. It acknowledges that not enough people develop technical skills at Level 3 and above. Yet it has nothing to say about the thousands of young people who do not progress smoothly from GCSEs to Level 3 programmes. […]
Building back better: rethinking urban futures with children and young people
The global pandemic of 2020 has had a huge impact on the lives of millions of citizens around the world, with research showing that children and young people (CYP) have been the most severely affected. Here in the UK and beyond, governments and policymakers are expressing their determination to ‘build back better’ after COVID-19, while […]
Teenagers’ experiences of life in lockdown – and lessons for COVID-19 recovery plans
For older teenagers, the COVID-19 pandemic has come at a key moment in the transition to adulthood. In “normal” times, this age group are becoming more independent and are taking steps towards their futures – sitting exams, beginning new studies, and entering the workforce. In 2020, things have been rather different. In this blog Dr […]