Earlier this week, we discussed findings from our recent report on family food insecurity and childhood hunger - 'Growing up hungry: Measuring UK child food insecurity in 2026' A big thank you to our speakers, including @chriswebbmp.bsky.social and Sumi Rabindrakumar from @trusselluk.bsky.social.

Education and social mobility is a key part of our work. Take a look at some of the findings from our research below ⬇️ #socialmobilityday

Our Head of Education and Social Mobility @danihpayne.bsky.social on today's NEET news -

Too much of the conversation on student loans focuses on interest rates - but that isn't what will move the dial for the grads who need support most. So what should government do? @danihpayne.bsky.social and I look at the options ⬇️ danihpayne.substack.com/p/how-do-you...

A perfect bit of weekend reading for the education policy nerds out there, @danihpayne.bsky.social and I look at options for student loan reform, and the key issues policymakers need...

📝 NEW - How do you fix a problem like student loans? Head of Education and Social Mobility @danihpayne.bsky.social and Research Director @beckymontacute.bsky.social on the ongoing Plan 2 student loan controversy, and what government should do about it ➡️ open.substack.com/pub/danihpay...

Myself and @danihpayne.bsky.social's assessment of today's SEND reforms and the potential political battle ahead to pass them - www.smf.co.uk/commentary_p...

Brilliant to see the White Paper today highlight what our previous research found: that there is no inherent trade off between wellbeing and attainment and, in fact, they are often mutually reinforcing. www.smf.co.uk/publications... @smfthinktank.bsky.social

Why does the government have to reform the SEND system? Because the current set up is completely broken - from our recent report, fewer than half (just 38%) of SENCOs report they are able to provide all or almost all of those with EHCPs in their school with the full support set out in their plan -

Lots of overlap between this post and my @smfthinktank.bsky.social paper from 2021 on how policymakers should respond to the problem of signalling in education. Specifically on the need for better measures of direct "learning gain" from university

A huge thank you to @danfrancis02.bsky.social, @charleyo.bsky.social, @anyasizer.bsky.social and @danihpayne.bsky.social for a thoughtful and wide ranging discussion at today's @smfthinktank.bsky.social panel event on SEND reform.

Super event at the SMF, exploring the huge topic of ‘fixing SEND’ Thought provoking discussion and strong focus on realistic possibilities. @smfthinktank.bsky.social @beckymontacute.bsky.social @danfrancis02.bsky.social @charleyo.bsky.social @anyasizer.bsky.social @danihpayne.bsky.social

The only way SEND reform will actually happen is if existing support is retained, as @danihpayne.bsky.social and I argued in our briefing last week - without that it risks being too controversial, with reforms kicked into the long grass. Good to see from govt - www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Really looking forward to speaking on this panel this week (what a great line up!). Join us on Wed 14:30 (London) to discuss how we can make the SEND system work better for schools, councils, pupils & families. Remember to register via [email protected] (location shared upon registration)

🚨 New research 🚨 We wanted to look at the realistic options for SEND reform, asking teachers where they would focus if there was no additional funding. Given the debate so far on limiting EHCPs and moving focus has been very negative, we were surprised to find over half of teachers back it ⤵️

As we await the government's upcoming announcement on SEND reform, we're hosting a panel next week to discuss what the options actually are on reform. Also keep an eye out later this week for a paper on the topic from @danihpayne.bsky.social and I, including new data via @teachertapp.bsky.social

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us earlier this week for our event on social mobility, regional inequalities and young people not in employment, education or training (NEET)

🗓️ Also next week - join the @smfthinktank.bsky.social for an afternoon of discussions on social mobility, regional inequalities and the NEET challenge

Looking forward to this event next week discussing NEET & regional inequalities. We'll hear from Rt Hon Alan Milburn alongside a range of brilliant speakers inc @suttontrust.bsky.social, Recruitment & Employment Confederation, @impetus.org.uk, @cepeo-ucl.bsky.social & Cambridgeshire Regional College

Higher education is often lauded as education’s ‘jewel in the crown’ – but there are no shortage of criticisms about the sector. Nicola Dandridge writes for the SMF about the role of evaluation, and how best to encourage long-term, evidence-based policy. Read the full briefing: buff.ly/Ak4THUm

We're looking for case studies! 📢 The @suttontrust.bsky.social and @smfthinktank.bsky.social are researching school based nurseries - and we're looking far and wide for schools and early years settings with strong partnerships....

If you're attending, pleasingly it'll be relatively hard to avoid the @smfthinktank.bsky.social - our Head of Education and Social Mobility @danihpayne.bsky.social will be on this panel on the future of access and participation ⤵️

Ahead of tonight's Smart Thinking Awards, we're delighted that @danihpayne.bsky.social has been nominated for Think Tanker of the Year!🎉

We're so proud that our own @danihpayne.bsky.social is a finalist for the Smart Thinking Awards' Researcher of the Year!🎉 Dani is our fantastic Head of Education and Social Mobility - working to find policy solutions to make sure everyone has the best start in life.

We're delighted that our Head of Education & Social Mobility @danihpayne.bsky.social will join the Govt's Higher Education Access and Participation Task and Finish Group, which aims to help more students from disadvantaged backgrounds access higher education. buff.ly/JfwInFI

Out of office: on.

The SMF welcomes the new V Level qualifications announced by the Government, as a way of making vocational training more accessable and improving social mobility. Read @danihpayne.bsky.social's full analysis: buff.ly/gQgB20H

A new combined FE/HE target is a great step forwards. HE can be a vital route to social mobility for many, it won’t be right for all. Apprenticeships can also provide pathways into high skilled jobs & we should be ensuring disadvantaged young people access high quality provision across all pathways

A new combined FE/HE target is a great step forwards. HE can be a vital route to social mobility for many, it won’t be right for all. Apprenticeships can also provide pathways into high skilled jobs & we should be ensuring disadvantaged young people access high quality provision across all pathways

Social Market Foundation Head of Education and Social Mobility @danihpayne.bsky.social on yesterday's maintenance grant announcement - www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Hoozle is unhappy about the other man in my life (Larry).

I'm in the Guardian on the economic challenges posed by falling fertility rates - www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...

As rumours of a reshuffle abound, we take a look at the history of frontbench churn and reshuffles. Can historical trends tell us anything about how Starmer might approach a potential reshuffle? SMF's @jamiegollings.bsky.social takes a deep dive. www.smf.co.uk/commentary_p...

Year after year, we continue to see large regional gaps in the grades young people achieve at GCSE. While potential is spread evenly across the country, opportunity is not. @danihpayne.bsky.social and I on today's GCSE results day - www.smf.co.uk/commentary_p...

🧵SMF analysis of #GCSEResultsDay2025 Regional inequalities in attainment persist: 🟡72% of GCSEs taken by London pupils were graded at 4/C or above, vs just 63% in the West Midlands 🟡 London benefits from the highest % of grade 7s+ - while the North East has the lowest

#ResultsDay2025 📻ICYMI, Research Director @beckymontacute.bsky.social speaking to @tomswarbrick.bsky.social on @lbc.co.uk this morning 👇"...throughout their time at school, those gaps between the richest and poorest widen as they go through the school system and into the workplace."

Head of Education and Social Mobility @danihpayne.bsky.social on the @telegraphnews.bsky.social's front page today With top unis accepting record amounts of applicants, she warned that it could result in overcrowding... ...while lower-ranking institutions ultimately lose out.

This chart from @smfthinktank.bsky.social shows the problem. The most selective unis are hoovering up students to manage their finances, leaving others at risk of closure. The market needs managing.

SMF analysis of Level 3 #ResultsDay2025 Regional divides widen and gaps between students from the most & least deprived areas persist, amidst record results. 👇Education experts @danihpayne.bsky.social and @beckymontacute.bsky.social breakdown the data www.smf.co.uk/commentary_p...

Blog up on the major take aways from today's results day from @danihpayne.bsky.social and me - www.smf.co.uk/commentary_p...

Many students today will be celebrating as more are getting into their first choice uni, even if they missed their grades But universities continue to fail to tackle gaps between students from the most & least deprived areas, & regional inequalities are widening #ResultsDay2025

📚Level 3 Results Day analysis📚 Key points: 🔵Regional gaps in university entry continue to widen 🔵Progress on widening access has stalled 🔵Lower tariff unis still squeezed as higher and medium tariff institutions expand to plug budget gaps 🧵for details

🚨 #ALevelResultsDay : Breaking @smfthinktank.bsky.social analysis reveals stark regional uni inequalities - and these are widening over time 🚨 Students in London and the South East are far more likely to be receiving acceptances today, whilst lowest rates are seen in the NE and SW

Ahead of Level 3 (A Level and T level) results day tomorrow - what trends have we seen in access over the last few years, and what should we be looking out for on the day? Analysis from the SMF's Head of Education and Social Mobility @danihpayne.bsky.social in the thread below -

For policymakers and the HE sector, #ResultsDay reveals a great deal about - how the higher education system is functioning - who it is reaching - how well it is navigating a turbulent financial environment. 4️⃣ trends to keep in mind when the results and UCAS data land tomorrow🧵

Gordon Brown has called for taxes on the gambling industry (citing recent Social Market Foundation @smfthinktank.bsky.social research on gambling taxes) to raise funds to allow the government to tackle child poverty - www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

🥇Particular congrats go to @danihpayne.bsky.social @smfthinktank.bsky.social for the number 1 report 'Leave to achieve' - read it again here: bit.ly/44sJsH3 #mostread #thinktanks

Brilliant to see my recent report on how universities can contribute to local social mobility top the @smartthinking.bsky.social leaderboard for most read think tank report in June - & great to see @smfthinktank.bsky.social take first place for most searched think tank! www.smf.co.uk/publications...

Open call for research participants - looking to interview those working in the digital or financial space in universities, and/or those will experience/knowledge of digital transformation in the public and private sector. Get in touch if this is you, & please share! @smfthinktank.bsky.social