Author: Martin Allen

Young people and wellbeing : does education damage your health?

Despite the economy being in ‘technical’ recession (though this is increasingly expected to be ‘mild’) the labour market continues to boom. With the jobless rate at under 4%, some Tories are pointing to ‘full-employment’ – a term used to describe the prosperous years of the post-war period. Indeed, labour shortages have pushed up wage levels … Continue reading Young people and wellbeing : does education damage your health? →

The post-war educational project comes off the rails (version 2 and policy critique)

Rab Butler - instigator? 2024 marks the eightieth anniversary of the momentous 1944 Butler Act, considered a triumph for progressive reform.   Though times may have changed, post-war assumptions about education remain. First, that for economic growth to continue and to keep pace with other countries, there is a need for greater levels of ‘human capital’ … Continue reading The post-war educational project comes off the rails (version 2 and policy critique) →

Eighty years on, the post-war education project has come off the rails.

2024 is just around the corner.  It will mark the eightieth anniversary of the momentous 1944 Butler Act, considered a ‘triumph for progressive reform’.  Yet, even though times have changed, in many respects education continues to operate around the social and economic assumptions growing out of the post-war reconstruction. 'One Nation Tory' Rab Butler First … Continue reading Eighty years on, the post-war education project has come off the rails. →

‘Work or we’ll cut your benefits’ Hunt seeks to rebuild the ‘reserve army’.

Compared to many others, the UK economy is labour intensive and low-skill. In recent years the limited amount of growth that has been achieved has come by adding to the labour force, rather than increasing productivity through investment in technology. Hunt’s Autumn Statement will do little to change this. His 'tax break' investment incentives are … Continue reading ‘Work or we’ll cut your benefits’ Hunt seeks to rebuild the ‘reserve army’. →

Dave might be back…. but what’s happened to his apprenticeship promises?

As the sitting Prime Minister, David Cameron put a promise to create another 3 million high quality apprenticeships for young people at the centre of his 2015 election campaign. Yet apprenticeships have provided few alternatives to continuing to higher education for young people – key to Cameron’s intentions. In fact apprenticeship starts had already peaked … Continue reading Dave might be back…. but what’s happened to his apprenticeship promises? →

The Department for Education gives a thumbs down to AI.

While prime minister Sunak was snuggling up to the tech giants in a pretence about AI security, the Department for Education had already published bland guidelines about some of the implications for education. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/generative-artificial-intelligence-in-education While accepting that AI is an important tool:  Generative AI tools are good at quickly: analysing, structuring, and writing text turning … Continue reading The Department for Education gives a thumbs down to AI. →

Education spending if Labour wins next time.

‘Education, education, education’ was a priority for the previous Labour government. Under Blair, spending neared record levels.  Reaching almost £120 billion by 2010 - up from £70 billion in 1997, education spending constituted 5.4% of GDP, its highest since the mid-1970s. The ‘austerity’ programme imposed by the Tories lead to a sharp decline. Expressed as … Continue reading Education spending if Labour wins next time. →

A step forward or a step Bacc? Sunak’s proposals for abolishing A-levels

At first glance, the proposals in A World-Class Education System. The Advanced British (distinctly English!) Standard, (ABS) being presented to Parliament next week, represent a complete turnaround in government plans for post-16 education – from separate academic and vocational ‘pathways’ to a new baccalaureate-style qualification, which according to Secretary of State Gillian Keegan will draw … Continue reading A step forward or a step Bacc? Sunak’s proposals for abolishing A-levels →

Results day. How low can it get?

Not so long ago, ‘results day’ in England would see leading figures in education, from Tory ministers to National Union of Teachers General Secretaries line up to unequivocally congratulate young people on their achievements and celebrate rising standards. But with education increasingly like running up a downwards escalator, where you have to run faster simply … Continue reading Results day. How low can it get? →