Education
Latest Education Publications

Rethinking social mobility for the levelling up era
Alun FrancisIt is time for a new approach to social mobility. For the past 20 years it has focused too much on the “long” mobility of sending people from disadvantaged backgrounds to elite universities and into the higher professions. That is a desirable goal but for social mobility to be fit for the levelling up era it needs to be relevant to a much more broader group of people, and needs to focus on the supply of decent jobs for a range of talents and aptitudes and not just reorder the queue for entry into the professional elite.

Academic freedom in the UK
Remi Adekoya, Eric Kaufmann and Tom SimpsonBritain’s universities are world-leading. Yet there is growing concern that academic freedom in these institutions is being undermined in a way that departs from the liberal traditions and democratic norms of British society. This paper uses one of the largest representative samples of UK- based academics carried out in recent years to explore the concern that strongly-held political attitudes are restricting the freedom of those who disagree to research and teach on contested subjects. The report sets out what might be done, in the form of legislation—specifically an Academic Freedom Bill—and other measures to ensure that a) universities support intellectual dissent, which drives progress and innovation and b) all lawful speech is protected on campus.

The Training We Need Now
David GoodhartVocational education and training, especially for those not heading to university, has been one of the biggest public policy failures of the last 25 years. The Covid-19 economic crisis, and how we emerge from it, is an opportunity to do something about it.
The essays in this collection focus on several different aspects of the problem: the lack of decent apprenticeships for school-leavers, the loss of higher manual and technical skills and the decline
Latest Education Blogs

The skills White Paper will make Further Education more resilient
Education has recently been at the centre of so many Covid-related controversies that it is easy to forget the Government’s commitment to radical reform. So the publication of the Skills for Jobs White Paper is to be warmly welcomed. It focusses on the realignment of the education system with the world of work, by combining short term measures with a long term vision, starting in absolutely the right place : the revival of further education.

Waiting for the FE White Paper – Skills Reform and “Levelling Up”
The promised ‘radical’ White Paper for Further Education (FE) is due imminently. How will it balance the need to respond quickly to improve employment without losing focus on the more complex, and slower process of transforming post-school learning? How will it link this to growth and productivity, acknowledge the importance of place, and ‘level up’ local and regional inequality? And what does this mean for devolution, in places such as Greater Manchester, where the conflict between local and central government has been so evident in recent months, where Covid has impacted hard and the hopes for new powers and resources to shape a more productive, wealthier economy, remain high?

Why universities had to be challenged
It is now official. The helter skelter expansion of UK higher education ushered in 21 years ago by Tony Blair’s pledge to send half of school leavers to university is now at an end.
And the announcement by the education secretary, Gavin Williamson, came not a moment too soon. The headlong rush into mass academic higher education, leapfrogging even the US, happened faster in the UK than in most other comparable countries and it seemed to happen on automatic pilot, with remarkably little thought given to the economic or social consequences. The only serious debate we ever had was on tuition fees.
Latest Education News

Brightest minds in education speak at Policy Exchange
Policy Exchange“It’s difficult to think of anyone other than Policy Exchange who has had such an impact on education in this country – apart from E.D. Hirsch,” said Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP, Minister of State for Education, in a vote of thanks after Professor Hirsch’s keynote speech, which argued for “a definite knowledge-based curriculum” for all children.

Policy Exchange announces new Education and Skills team
Tom Richmond and Dr Joanna WilliamsPolicy Exchange is delighted to announce the appointment of a new Education and Skills team, which will continue our agenda-setting work in this key area of domestic policy.

Schools Minster endorses Policy Exchange plan to raise standards while reducing teacher workload
John BlakeRt Hon Nick Gibb MP has publically backed the latest education report by Policy Exchange, setting out how standards can continue to be raised in state schools. Completing the Revolution set out how using textbooks produced by respected third-parties like the British Museum can improve the quality of teaching while reducing the time teachers have to spend preparing for lessons. The idea builds upon other school reforms pioneered by Policy Exchange, including free schools and the pupil premium.
Latest Education Events
Upcoming Events
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Thursday, 5 November, 2020
15:00 - 16:30
The discussion was chaired by David Goodhart. Rt Hon Gavin Williamson MP, Secretary of State for Education, delivered some opening remarks. Edward Peck delivered a brief overview of his paper on the future delivery of level 4/5 qualifications, outlining his view that Universities like Nottingham Trent should be largely responsible for that delivery. Alun Francis, (more…)
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Wednesday, 19 June, 2019
18:00 - 19:00
with Katharine Birbalsingh, Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP, Lucy Heller, Sir Anthony Seldon, Luke Tryl
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Thursday, 30 May, 2019
9:00 - 10:00
“For too long, further education has been allowed to stagnate,” said the Prime Minister in a keynote speech at Policy Exchange marking the launch of the Augar Report, a review of Post-18 Education and Funding which she described as a “major landmark” for education policy. She appeared with Rt Hon Damian Hinds MP, the Education Secretary, and Philip Augar, who thanked the Government for ““asking the right question” on tertiary education and commissioning his report.
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Wednesday, 21 November, 2018
18:00 - 19:30
E. D. Hirsch (Founder, Core Knowledge Foundation and Professor Emeritus, University of Virginia) spoke at Policy Exchange on Forging A Common Language Community in Education: towards smarter, fairer and more unified countries. The event included a Vote of Thanks by Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP, Minister of State for School Standards. Download text. About E. D. Hirsch E. D. Hirsch is (more…)
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Monday, 9 July, 2018
18:00 - 19:30
Amanda Spielman, HM Chief Inspector for Education, Children’s Services and Skills, spoke at Policy Exchange on “Ties that Bind: British Values, citizenship and the role of education as social glue”.
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Thursday, 30 November, 2017
18:00 - 19:30
A discussion of the role and importance of working teachers in the era of knowledge-based education. We will be joined by our Guest of Honour, Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP, Minister for School Standards—who will deliver a Keynote Address on the value and importance of textbooks in ensuring all young people receive the high-quality education they deserve.
Venue: Policy Exchange
Address:
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Monday, 18 September, 2017
18:00 - 19:30
Policy Exchange was delighted to host the launch of Rt Hon Nicky Morgan MP’s new book ‘Taught Not Caught: Educating for 21st Century Character’. As Education Secretary from 2014-16, Nicky Morgan announced a GBP3.5m programme promoting classes and extra-curricular activities that build “grit” and “resilience” in a generation of schoolchildren. In her new book, she reveals why she believes that building characterful children has a positive impact on academic attainment and argues that public awareness of character education needs to be raised, so it is clear to those in the education system that this is a priority and they will support it.
Venue: Policy Exchange
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Monday, 25 September, 2017
8:30 - 9:30
Speakers: Lucy Powell MP, Former Shadow Secretary of State for Education, Dr Christopher McCormick, Executive Vice President, Academic Affairs, EF Education First, Sarah Cooper, Chief Executive, English UK, Iain Dale, broadcaster, publisher and commentator, John Blake, Head of Education and Social Reform, Policy Exchange
Venue: Labour Party Conference
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Wednesday, 13 September, 2017
18:00 - 19:30
Education improvement is a key objective of policy makers and educationalists around the world. To address this need Tim Oates CBE, Cambridge Assessment’s Director of Assessment Research and Development, has led research into and now written A Cambridge Approach to Improving Education – using international insights to manage complexity where he sets out his findings and guiding principles for policy makers. He addressed Policy Exchange, the UK’s most influential think tank on education in the past 15 years, to outline his findings and further the debate on how best to improve education here, and around the world. His talk was followed by a response from UCL’s Dr John Jerrim.
Venue: Policy Exchange
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