The reforms of Michael Gove represented a profound shift in England’s educational landscape, based upon the belief that outcomes improve when there is freedom with accountability. During his tenure as Education Secretary (2010-14), it became possible for all publicly funded schools to become academies, free schools could be created, and there were substantial reforms to […]
Schools do not exist in isolation from the economy. The number of young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) is, in large part, a function of the economic conditions in which they leave education. When growth is weak, entry-level opportunities are scarce, employers are cautious and the public finances that pay […]
After 17 months of drift following the Government’s January 2025 reset of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023, the free speech complaints scheme administered by the Office for Students (OfS) is at last going ahead. The Government has now signed the commencement regulations needed to bring the scheme into force. From 1 September […]
Almost buried under this week’s avalanche of news reports on war in Iran and who-said-what-to whom in the newly-released Mandelson files, was an announcement from the Treasury Select Committee launching an inquiry into ‘widespread dissatisfaction’ over student loan repayment terms. They can say that again. It may not be as urgent or compelling as drone […]
Students and parents deserve the truth about Britain’s education system. Successive governments have pushed generations along a single, well-worn track; through primary and secondary school, into college or sixth form and finally to university. The underlying promise appeared straightforward: if students followed this route and graduated with a degree, higher pay would follow. Politicians of […]
More class war in the classroom. The Times reports the Government is determined ‘to end middle-class domination of top schools’. It says: The education secretary Bridget Phillipson’s reforms will make it easier for poorer children and those with special needs to get a place at popular schools. The education White Paper declares: The school admissions […]
The rules of growing up in modern Britain appeared to be simple for decades: if you work hard at school, go to university and graduate with a degree, you will come out with a well-paid job that sets you up for life. The argument seemed straightforward: since graduates earned considerably more than non-graduates, the way […]
This article is the latest in a fortnightly series of policy proposals from John Penrose and the Centre for Small State Conservatives. You can read the previous instalments here. This week, the Government announced a multi-million-pound boost for apprenticeships in an attempt to improve young people’s life chances with a smoother transition from school into education, work […]
For my last column of the year, the editor of this fine publication asked that I try to inject a spot of early Christmas cheer, and offer some reasons to be positive and hopeful as we lurch into 2026. Amid the doom and gloom of Labour’s Britain, I thought initially that the task might be […]
For all the heat around education policy, there is one cooling consensus: England’s schools are performing better than they were 15 years ago. The knowledge-rich reforms since 2010, combined with more disciplined pedagogy, have raised expectations and improved outcomes. According to the OECD’s latest figures, English teenagers now outperform almost every other Western country in […]
The UK Government is proposing a 6% levy on international student fees to finance the re-introduction of maintenance grants for some students. The idea was trailed in its migration White Paper of June 2025. It has been reaffirmed more recently. The higher education sector is not always admired by politicians. It is also not well […]
Academic standards across Britain’s universities are in worrying decline. Even at Oxbridge, the highest reach of British academia, the foundations of rigour are crumbling. Classifications have inflated, and ‘special conditions’ have exploded: today, one in five students at the ancient universities sit exams under adjusted rules. If even Oxbridge no longer trusts its own exams […]
‘You had 14 years in power,’ runs the refrain. ‘What did the Conservatives achieve?’ Often it is those with a Conservative outlook who are the most exasperated. After all, it wasn’t just that the Conservatives failed in their promise to reverse Gordon Brown’s legacy of high spending, tax and borrowing. They presided as all those […]
On a wintry afternoon in February 1988, two large human columns, both several hundred strong, merged at the intersection of Kirov Avenue and Teryan Street in downtown Yerevan, Soviet Armenia’s capital. Their march continued down the wide, winding Kirov Avenue, joining a larger demonstration already taking place in Opera Square. I was one of those […]
Today is primary school offer day, and it is a proud milestone for families across the country. But behind the joyful social media posts and offer letters lies a growing challenge: too many children are starting school without the basic skills needed to thrive. Recognising this, the Government has set an ambitious target for 75% […]
As Frederic Bastiat famously wrote: There is only one difference between a bad economist and a good one: the bad economist confines himself to the visible effect; the good economist takes into account both the effect that can be seen and those effects that must be foreseen. Regarding Labour’s education tax, economists ‘confined themselves to […]
What do we look for in an ideal member of the House of Lords? They should bring with them a range of personal and professional experiences, which they can draw upon as they interrogate ministers, contribute to debates and examine legislation. Being able to consider issues from a number of different perspectives means laws that […]
The latest revelations about endemic tuition fee fraud have drawn attention once again to a truth policymakers do not want to face: that our current model for higher education is completely unsustainable, and by this means or that the system is heading for collapse. Unfortunately for Conservatives, this isn’t one we can simply blame on […]
Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is an area of public policy that is eye-wateringly expensive for local government. It is also, like adult and children’s services, failing to deliver on a spectacular scale. We are racking up an £11 billion bill, without getting the quality of service required, and without driving improvements in outcomes […]
Labour’s recent decisions to dilute plans to restrict social media access for under-16s and to put smartphone bans in schools on a statutory footing are misguided. It also comes on top of Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson’s plan for schools to ‘narrow the digital divide’ and enter a ‘new technological era’ by boosting the uptake of education […]
Free speech and peaceful assembly aren’t – or at least shouldn’t be – too difficult to understand. You need to be allowed to write or say what you like, and meet who you like, without worrying who you offend. However, this must stop short of assaulting people, deliberately and forcibly stopping them going about their […]
Labour’s Education Bill is making waves, and not in a good way. From angry politicians to disgruntled parents, education is once again a topic of furious discussion. At first glance, some of its provisions seem innocuous. No one is debating the need for increased SEND provisions for vulnerable children. But the problem lies about halfway […]
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