Over Christmas, we Madgwicks have been predicting what 2026 holds for the UK’s finances. To do so, I’ve taken stock of the winners and losers of the economy over the last year or so. Expect a bit of an education leaning here, given my work. 🧵

Over Christmas, we Madgwicks have been predicting what 2026 holds for the UK’s finances. To do so, I’ve taken stock of the winners and losers of the economy over the last year or so. Expect a bit of an education leaning here, given my work. 🧵

The cricket figures are crazy! As a kid, my U15 captain also captained England at that age group. But he came from a council estate in our Northern town. The talent is there. Rebalance the investment in these groups and we'll win more!

The story of Farage and Putin, told by British-Ukrainian soldier Shaun Pinner on a destroyed apartment block in Kyiv.

I wrote for @theobserveruk.bsky.social on the special needs problem highlighted by the budget and the big political battle over it coming next year. share.google/kTTENR1gX4Y4...

Secondary teachers would need a 13% avg salary increase to consider working in the most disadvantaged schools, according to @theeef.bsky.social Raising salaries was also found to be a more effective way of boosting teacher recruitment than other incentives: www.tes.com/magazine/new...

'If government decision-making at the time had been driven by the best available evidence and not politics, some of the negative impacts on some of our most vulnerable students could have been avoided.' Read the full quote below. @catscutt.bsky.social @alisonpeacock.bsky.social

Enjoyed learning of @oliver-kathryn.bsky.social's journey through pracademia this week, who we've learned so much from already in our work on evidence use at EEF. My takeaway? Get evidence into policy and practice, but 'look after your people' in the process.

Really interesting opportunity for research teams with MM or qual expertise, to help better understand early years practice ↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓

We're pleased to have launched a funding round that will test 'Research Evidence Mobilisation' approaches - methods for supporting leaders to engage with and apply evidence to classroom practice. This blog gives some context around why. Closing date 5th November.

Today’s essential read - @beckyfrancis.bsky.social reflects on the curriculum and assessment review ⤵️ www.tes.com/magazine/ana...

Come and hear me talk about myself! Amongst other things. October 22nd, John Snow Lecture Theatre, 5.15-6.15 www.lshtm.ac.uk/newsevents/e...

'Avoid generalisations by diagnosing the specific needs of your pupils — what’s true in one setting may not be in another.' Love this. National education discourse is rife with moral panics about national outcomes (attendance, R&R, belonging), but local needs are identified through proximity.

'Both Reed Jobs and Serco have publicly announced plans to bid for the contract.'

NEW: Start strong with UNITE Building shared understanding for new staff

Hope all those teaching their first lessons of the new year had smooth starts today! We've had a flood of early responses to our first EEF Exchange poll for 25/26. Find out more & sign up here educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/networks/eef...

What happens when a whole city commits to giving every child a better start to life? 🚀 Early Talk for York is transforming early years education—boosting speech & language skills, tackling inequality Full article by CarolineVollans in NurseryWorld - www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat...

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀❓ This blog & video about the ShREC approach by @flissj.bsky.social is one of the most popular resources from @theeef.bsky.social 🔗 Blog educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/early-years/... 🔗 Video m.youtube.com/watch?v=HJSf...

The Abu Dhabi-owned private provider of special schools and children’s homes boosted profits by nearly 30 per cent last year to over £44 million amid “strong demand” for places, financial records show schoolsweek.co.uk/abu-dhabi-ow...

Tune in or tune out? Which of these edu-podcasts would you most like to listen to? Respond to our fortnightly EEF Exchange pulse surveys, and get invites to focus groups and interviews by signing up here educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/networks/eef...

Interesting paper looking at the 'fuzzier' side of teacher professional development... their emotional responses. link.springer.com/article/10.1...

A train, two delayed ferries, and 120 miles on the bike... all for 30 seconds of a blurry peloton. Allez, allez, allez. #TDF2025

🚨NEW POST 🚨 'Reading every day matters' Reading every day builds the brain of a young child. Reading every day is vital to school success. Reading every day can help rehabilitate people in prison. alexquigley.co.uk/reading-ever...

Interesting paper identifying link between teacher self-efficacy and pupil outcomes. Unsurprising, but implication is teacher perception of their mastery of teaching strategies is important alongside the actual improvements in practice. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

A big thank you to everyone who has applied for 25/26 EMC Associate Teacher posts. As ever we're hugely impressed by the quality of teaching expertise out there + are only sorry we can't work with all of you. Deadline is 9am tomorrow morning www.englishandmedia.co.uk/projects/emc...

A quote from Vygotsky, 1978, that's aged very well. home.fau.edu/musgrove/web...

📢 State primary headteachers and MAT CEOs Help us explore the future of offsite PPA ▫️ 10-minute survey ▫️ Prize draw for £50 voucher https://surveymonkey.pulse.ly/dezgw1inkt #FlexibleWorking #TeacherRetention #Leadership

Teaching assistants need to promote independence, not dependence, writes @alexjquigley.bsky.social – and consistent use of scaffolding strategies is the key

Such a crucial finding! We reviewed the evidence on teacher experience some years ago and surprise surprise, it matters! Lots of talk about 'inclusion' at the school level currently, but essential to consider segregation across the system. educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/news/eef-blo...

In this week's EEF Exchange poll, we cite the @edupolicyinst.bsky.social report and ask... what do you believe to be the most common cause of educational absences? Teachers, leaders, and others working in education can join the Exchange here educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/networks/eef...

And it obscures the real scandal - which is the totally inadequate child services support for kids post exclusion, the disaster of CAMHS, and the shocking lack of AP places (and in many places AP quality). Schools have a right to exclude - but excluded kids still have a right to an education.

'taken from people on the frontline. I genuinely believe if you want to know what a problem is, ask those that are doing it... I used to ask my staff what's your workaround?' Perhaps just rhetorical justification for NHSE cut, but helpful acknowledgement in this interview that...

Thoroughly enjoyed making this three part podcast series on whether teaching can be classed an 'art' or a 'science'. Note: Image below is merely meant to rile up neuroscience enthusiasts, and is in no way drawn from an EEF research study! Tune in: eef.li/PqqrKl 1/3

What Alex said ⏬⏬⏬ I've yet to speak to a teacher or school leader who hasn't had thoughts or opinions about how the system they work within could be improved. If this describes you, please join our community of engaged educators. educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/networks/eef...

Participants needed for short survey - Headteachers/MAT CEOs/Board Chairs (English state edu system) Please help by completing short survey for doctoral research. Focus 'The relationship between Chair and exec leader' #UKEd #UKEdGovs #EduSky #Governance app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/lincoln/a-...

My latest column for @tesmagazine.bsky.social is all about meeting the needs of left-handed children in early years. Really pleased to see how much it’s being shared and discussed. Read on ⤵️ www.tes.com/magazine/tea...

Recent analysis by @nestauk.bsky.social shows that there is unequal access to high quality early education and childcare in England. Disadvantaged areas much less likely to have a setting or childminder rated Outstanding by Ofsted. Featured in my free newsletter ⤵️ www.linkedin.com/newsletters/...

Three recommendations for effective implementation of research evidence in schools New blog and animation from @theeef.bsky.social #edusky educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/news/impleme...

👋 We're pleased to be a member of the Bluesky community. We’re an independent charity dedicated to breaking the link between family income and educational achievement. (1/3)

Sorry if this is weird, but if you're heading back from mat leave and you're a bit nervous about it, please feel free to message me. I went back to work when my little boy was five months old and moved into SLT. It was a really lonely time, so I'd like to help if you're in the same boat! #UKEd

'Partnerships between researchers and practitioners require participants to navigate multiple cultural, professionals, and organizational differences.' Great paper on crossing evidence-practice boundaries pertinent to the current UK context. doi.org/10.1080/1082...