Expert insight, analysis and comment on key public policy issues
By Neville Harris Filed Under: All posts Posted:
Parents of school-age children know all too well that family holiday prices have a tendency to sky rocket during school holiday periods. Most also know, or thought they did, that they could be fined if they took their children out of school without good reason. So there was huge public interest in the recent case […]
By Andy Westwood Filed Under: All posts, Whitehall Watch Posted:
The Government announced its higher education reform plans this week, publishing a white paper ‘Success as a Knowledge Economy’. But will it really deliver a better deal for students and is it making an already complex system even more so, asks Andy Westwood? Let’s begin with the title. Every part of it is contested in […]
By Nissa Finney Filed Under: All posts, Ethnicity Posted:
It’s not how mixed our social networks are that’s the key to reducing poverty, it’s broader issues of social isolation and inequality in education we should focus on, argues Nissa Finney. The people that we know – our social networks – have come to be seen as a resource, for social and economic support and […]
By Carl Emery Filed Under: Featured Posted:
Earlier this month the Universities Minister, Jo Johnson, mapped out his vision for the HE sector over the next 5 years. Here Carl Emery looks at the implications. Addressing the Universities UK (UUK) group the Minister set out 3 key manifesto pledges: lifting the cap on student numbers and widening participation “to remove barriers to […]
By Kitty Lymperopoulou Filed Under: Ethnicity, Featured Posted:
Despite the educational attainment gap between ethnic minority groups and the White British group narrowing, some ethnic minority groups continue to experience inequalities in education, explains Dr Kitty Lymperopoulou, who has contributed to a book on Ethnic identity and inequalities in Britain which has just been published. Education policy under successive governments in the UK has been […]
By Mel Ainscow and Alan Dyson Filed Under: All posts, Featured Posted:
New proposals for the reform of the English education system are outlined in a report written by Mel Ainscow CBE and Alan Dyson, Professors of Education and co-directors of the Centre for Equity in Education at The University of Manchester, and their colleagues Sue Goldrick and Dr Kirstin Kerr. The English school system is in […]
By Steve Courtney Filed Under: All posts, Featured Posted:
The academisation of the English state school system has arguably been the most significant structural reform since comprehensivisation hit its peak in the 1970s. The academies programme had its roots in the City Colleges programme, legislated in 1988 but with only 15 opening owing to considerable expectations of investment from the private sector. Its failure […]
By Ruth Lupton Filed Under: All posts, Featured, Westminster Watch Posted:
Last week’s topic in the pre-election debate was schools. The Conservative party announced that it would protect spending on schools in cash terms, but not keep pace with inflation. It would also convert more schools to Academies, including those adjudged ‘requiring improvement’ by Ofsted. Labour retaliated by accusing the Coalition of failing to tackle educational […]
By Andrew Howes Filed Under: Featured Posted:
Dr Andy Howes, of the Manchester Institute of Education at The University of Manchester, discusses possible changes to the exam system, as discussed at an Education Select Committee meeting earlier this month. The select committee is arguably a high point of democratic accountability within the Westminster system. The Education Select Committee earlier this month was […]
By Kirstin Kerr Filed Under: Featured Posted:
This year’s Manchester Policy Week witnessed a lively debate on how we can close the socio-economic attainment gap in education. Dr Kirstin Kerr heard some clear recommendations emerge. If there’s one thing the major political parties agree on, it is that the link between poverty and poor educational outcomes must be broken. Ever since Tony Blair set out his priorities […]