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Re-skilling places: A new approach for reducing regional inequalities

Headshot of Eric Lybeck By Filed Under: All posts, British Politics, Devo, Education, Growth and Inclusion, Inclusive Growth, Levelling up Posted:

Current models of education and social mobility take an individualist approach that encourage young people from rural areas and small towns to move to city centres to obtain qualifications and skills. But this approach worsens regional inequalities, as places outside of urban centres are left behind. In this article, from our Power in Place publication, […]

A photograph of school children in a classroom with their teacher.

The place of area based education partnerships

Paul Armstrong By and Filed Under: All posts, Devo, Education Posted:

Despite successive government initiatives with the declared intent of addressing equity and inclusion within the English education system, significant numbers of children and young people remain marginalized within, or excluded from, schools. This indicates a need for locally coordinated efforts to promote equity in education. One response to these issues is Area-based Partnerships (ABPs) which […]

Maths education article image

Calculating the benefits – maths to 18

Laura Black author headshotJulian Williams By , and Filed Under: All posts, Education Posted:

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently announced a proposal to ensure that all students continue to study maths to 18, a plan aiming to ‘boost low numeracy rates’, and to leave future school-leavers better equipped for ‘data-intensive jobs’ and managing their finances as adults. In this article, Professor Maria Pampaka, Professor Laura Black and Professor Julian […]

Why do teachers need to think about student experiences of loneliness?

By , and Filed Under: Education, Health and Care, Health and Social Care Posted:

Globally, many governments have set an objective to reduce loneliness, including among adolescents. So far, however, the focus has been on individuals, and is most often out of school time. In this article, Professor Pamela Qualter, Dr Rebecca Jefferson, and Dr Lily Verity discuss their work in the UK, and internationally, and argue whole school […]

children in school library

Starting a new chapter – childhood literacy education

author headshot By Filed Under: All posts, Education Posted:

In 2022, the government announced a commitment to improve literacy education as part of its levelling up agenda. The ambition to eradicate issues by 2030 has seen a tight focus on literacy skills and mandated curriculums – which neglect to acknowledge the local and individualised contexts in which teachers teach. A lack of resources, funding […]

Child of the North: Child mental wellbeing

By , , , and Filed Under: Education, Health and Care, Health and Social Care Posted:

Children’s mental health and wellbeing was deteriorating prior to COVID-19, but there was significant decline during the pandemic, particularly in the North of England. This blog post covers the collaboration between Professor Pamela Qualter, Professor Matt Sutton, Stephanie Gillibrand, Professor Neil Humphrey and Dr Ola Demkowicz in their study of children’s mental health, originally published […]

women in the workplace

Gender equality and the productivity agenda

Jill Rubery By Filed Under: Education, Growth and Inclusion, OnProductivity, UK economy Posted:

The implications for gender equality are rarely discussed in the new productivity and levelling up agenda. It is key for productivity and levelling up policy agendas to address the underutilisation of women’s potential and the undervaluation of women’s work. In this blog, Professor Jill Rubery from the Work Equalities Institute investigates the underutilisation of women […]

A school corridor with schools bags hanging from pegs on either side

Child of the North: Schools and education

By and Filed Under: All posts, Education, Health and Care, Health and Social Care Posted:

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

By , and Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Education, Growth and Inclusion, Health and Care, Health and Social Care, Urban Posted:

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

Drew Whitworth By Filed Under: All posts, Digital Futures, Education Posted:

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 […]

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