Insights
by Alexander Shea
Policy Update 18.09.20
No 10 considers two-week October half term, as home schooling numbers double in a week As the north-east of England became the latest area of the UK to have a local lockdown imposed on it on Thursday evening, ministers have begun to draw up plans for a two-week national lockdown in October that will coincide with schools’ scheduled half-term dates. The move comes amid concerns that local lockdowns, the first of where … Continued
Read MorePolicy Update 18.10.2019
Four months ago this week, Boris Johnson sat down for an interview with the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg and declared Theresa May’s Withdrawal Agreement to be “dead.” Four months on, it appears things have somewhat changed. At 11.04 am on Thursday morning, the UK and EU announced a revised Brexit agreement that has copied and pasted all 585 pages of May’s deal, with the exception of amendments that have been made to eight paragraphs.
Read MorePolicy Update 19.06.20
Government announces £1 billion “catch-up” package for pupils, but critics fear it is not enough From September, schools in England will receive £1 billion in additional funding to help pupils recoup learning lost as a result of school closures. The government package includes £650 million in one-off grants for state primary and secondary schools in England, as well as a £350 … Continued
Read MorePolicy Update 2.10.20
DfE publishes remote education guidance, and insists A levels will go ahead As The Economist reported this week, 18 of September’s top 20 performing investment funds were situated in Japan, Korea or emerging markets. In August, 15 of the top 20 had been in Europe. Financial markets have long served as reliable compasses through which to navigate political risks- indeed, … Continued
Read MorePolicy Update 20.07.20
As Nick Gibb hires new policy adviser with interest in EdTech, what does this mean for Oak? It’s been a quiet yet busy week in Whitehall education policymaking circles. Monday night brought the surprise announcement that Elena Narozanski, the Head of Education in No. 10’s influential Public Policy Unit (PPU), had left her position to “pursue another opportunity in government.” Narozanski, who as … Continued
Read MorePolicy Update 20.09.2019
In its new Education Curriculum, published in July, the Welsh government placed Education Technology front and centre of its policy agenda. Crafted in conjunction with 65 learning providers, the Education Curriculum stresses the vital role that EdTech will play in reskilling the Welsh workforce to cope with advances in artificial intelligence and robotics.
Read MorePolicy Update 20.11.20
As school closures move Southward, DfE finds itself under renewed pressure Trying to reduce coronavirus risk by closing schools is like trying to save money by cancelling your electricity service: modestly effective in some cases, maybe, but not exactly the first expense to cut. Well that’s at least how many in Downing Street have been attempting … Continued
Read MorePolicy Update 20.12.2019
Resource our Schools: BESA analysis suggests investment in learning resources raises educational attainment. In the run up to last week’s General Election, BESA revealed that 266 of England’s 533 parliamentary constituencies are a decade behind their peers when it comes to their learning resource spend. If schools in these constituencies are yet to meet the 2009 national average of £289 per pupil expenditure on learning resources, schools in other constituencies remain much further behind.
Read MorePolicy Update 21.02.2020
“My government will be governed by science and not by mumbo jumbo,” an ebullient Boris Johnson noted during a speech at Greenwich Naval Academy earlier this month.
Read MorePolicy Update 21.08.20
In a world in which success has many parents and defeat is an orphan, AI risks taking the blame for A level fiasco The lovely Georgian estate known as Ditchley Park is situated 14 miles from Oxford, on the outskirts of Enstone, in the rolling foothills of the Cotswolds. Home to Winston Churchill on 13 … Continued
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