In a blog based on a speech he made earlier today, Policy Exchange’s Head of Education Jonathan Simons discusses the policy challenges facing schools after the election. Jonathan argues that the closeness of the election will make it difficult to enact significant education reforms.

Natasha Porter, Policy Exchange’s Deputy Head of Education, welcomes Labour’s ongoing commitment to new schools as part of overall school improvement in coastal and former mining areas, but urges Labour to allow new parent schools to be set up there even if there isn’t a shortage of places.

Jonathan Simons, Policy Exchange’s Head of Education, looks at the Labour claim that £9,000 a year tuition fees are putting prospective students off going to university. Jonathan argues that cutting tuition fees would have no appreciable effect on entrance rates, serving only to benefit mostly male higher earners decades from now.

Jonathan Simons, Policy Exchange’s Head of Education, sets out the three questions the government will need to answer in order to effectively implement today’s announcement from the Prime Minister that “coasting” schools will be forced to accept new leadership.

Jonathan Simons, Policy Exchange’s Head of Education, examines three questions raised by the recent debate on the new format school league tables: does it matter if well known public schools reside at the bottom of the table; does it matter if we can’t truly compare 2013 and 2014 results; and does it matter if league tables only give a partial picture of performance?

Natasha Porter, Policy Exchange’s Deputy Head of Education, argues that linear A-levels allow for time to teach skills that are no longer examined, giving pupils the space to explore subject areas that they’re interested in.