
Jonathan Simons
Director of Policy and Advocacy, Varkey Foundation
Jonathan is the newly appointed Director at the not-for-profit organisation established to improve the standards of education for underprivileged children throughout the world. He was formerly Head of the Education Unit at Policy Exchange, where he directed research on all aspects of education including Early Years, schools, skills and HE. Previously Jonathan worked at Serco Group, where he was Director of Strategy in the company’s specialist education practice. Prior to that, he was Head of Open Public Services in the Cabinet Office, and Head of Education in the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit in the administrations of both Gordon Brown and David Cameron. Outside of work Jonathan is the Chair of Governors and Co-Founder of Greenwich Free School, and a Trustee of Reach4 Multi Academy Trust. He writes a weekly column for the TES newspaper on politics and education policy.

Related Posts & Publications


How to solve the ‘teacher recruitment crisis’
by Jonathan Simons | Mar 4, 2016
This week, half a million families discovered the secondary school place their child has secured for next year. Ensuring each of those children get a great education, no matter their background, relies day in and day out on the efforts of around 450,000 teachers...
Fair school admissions: are lotteries the answer?
by Jonathan Simons | Feb 12, 2016
Thanks for inviting me tonight. It’s always cheery to realise that you’re too old to be a Young anything, but as I am now over the age of 31 I realise this is one of at least two reasons why I will never be a Young Fabian… I want to make three points tonight about the...
What pupil factors should a new national funding formula include?
by Jonathan Simons | Feb 1, 2016
The NFF should be designed in the expectation that from 2020, or shortly afterwards, every (at least) mainstream school will be an Academy. This means a formula should be almost entirely pupil led. There will still be scope for reallocation at a local level, but...
Apprenticeship requirement means a challenge for large schools and chains
by Jonathan Simons | Jan 27, 2016
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but times are tough for school leaders now. The much discussed 8% budget cut by the end of the Parliament is coming down the line (and more on top, if you’re in a school that has been over funded compared to what a national formula...Support Us
Policy Projects
Policy Areas
Latest Tweets
RT @BenMcAleenan On Tuesday we're hosting these highly distinguished folks to explore the Energy White Paper, as well as our own recent paper on the future of energy markets. Register below and tune in! policyexchange.org.u…
"President @JoeBiden's new Asia tsar understands the China challenge" Read our latest blog from @AlexanderDowner 👇 policyexchange.org.u…
REGISTER: Join us on Tuesday 26th January at 10.30 for: Powering Net Zero - How far does the Energy White Paper take us to a Net Zero energy system? Great panel includes Shadow Energy Minister @alanwhiteheadmp, @Laura_Sandys, @ClemCowton, @jbuckland13 and chaired by @ed_birkett
RT @ed_birkett 📢 New Event: Powering Net Zero - How far does the Energy White Paper take us? Join @Policy_Exchange on Tuesday 26th January 10.30 GMT We have a cracking panel to discuss the Energy White Paper and where next for UK energy policy Register here 👇 1/2 policyexchange.org.u…
NEW REPORT by Richard Ekins and John Larkin QC sets out ten ways in which the Overseas Operations Bill could be amended to improve its effectiveness and to minimise the risk of unintended consequences. policyexchange.org.u…