@edupolicyinst.bsky.social has appointed a new chief executive, who will take over at the think tank in May

EPI is pleased to announce the appointment of @juliemcculloch.bsky.social as its new Chief Executive. Julie will take up the role at the beginning of May. epi.org.uk/comments/jul...

EPI’s analysis and expertise fed into an important report from the @senedd.wales Children, Young People & Education Committee on teacher recruitment and retention. It underscores the need to match teachers’ dedication with a system that fully supports them: business.senedd.wales/mgIssueHisto...

"If we build it – a stronger team around the child that doesn’t require an EHCP – they will come, and EHCPs will gradually revert to being a less frequently required backstop." Read @jojohutchinson.bsky.social on SEND reform and the schools white paper: epi.org.uk/publications...

With the schools white paper imminent, EPI’s @jojohutchinson.bsky.social lays out the case for an approach that balances fiscal reality with strategic vision - prioritising visible improvements to the experience of children and their families. Full comment piece here: epi.org.uk/publications...

How are MATs using AI across teaching, learning, and administration? Our latest report - supported by @nuffieldfoundation.org - finds that limited evidence on AI’s impact leaves multi‑academy trusts navigating a “wild west” market. Read the full report: epi.org.uk/publications...

"We need to ensure children with SEND and mental health difficulties feel they belong in the mainstream system, while also securing adequate specialist places for those with the most complex needs." EPI's @jojohutchinson.bsky.social spoke to Sky about the concerning rise in elective home education.

Insightful reporting from @jabedahmed.bsky.social w/ commentary from EPI's @jzuccollo.bsky.social: "Teacher salaries are remarkably uniform across most of England, whereas housing costs are anything but. The current pay structure doesn’t capture the reality and disparity of local housing markets."

New exploratory analysis examined behaviour policies from 45 state schools across three London boroughs. We found that written policies vary in ways that align, to an extent, with outcomes linked to pupil wellbeing. Read the full analysis: epi.org.uk/publications...

- Is our curriculum unusually overloaded? - What does a supportive accountability system look like? - Does anyone get better bang for their buck out of their SEND system? ...now, thanks to @nuffieldfoundation.org's support, there's somewhere you can go to get the answers. www.ces.partners

What does the reliance on private providers in early education and care mean for children in England? Dr Tammy Campbell analyses the latest DfE statistics to ask if this shift is desirable for public spending and children's experiences. Read the full blog: epi.org.uk/publications...

"Efforts to tackle the disadvantage gap in education will only be successful within a wider effort to address the causes and effects of poverty." Read EPI's response to the Government's Child Poverty Strategy: epi.org.uk/comments/epi...

New from EPI: a summary paper on EdTech decision-making and inclusive practice. Drawing on roundtables with policymakers, education leaders, and MAT representatives, this paper offers a synthesis of expert insights on navigating the complex EdTech landscape. Full paper: epi.org.uk/publications...

"Raiding mainstream funding creates a twofold risk: it undermines the capacity to deliver the very inclusion reforms the government wants while simultaneously compromising current provision." EPI comment on the Budget & SEND reform and funding in @thetimes.com www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

What does the Budget mean for SEND funding and provision? EPI's Chief Executive Natalie Perera spoke to The World Tonight about SEND reform and why expecting costs to be absorbed by existing school budgets is unrealistic. 🎧 Listen back (35:20): www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

"While there is a clear and imminent need to address the rising costs of SEND provision, the Government must not cut school funding to meet these pressures." Read EPI's response to the Budget 2025: epi.org.uk/comments/epi...

EPI is searching for our next CEO 📣 Are you an experienced leader with a passion for education and social justice? Help EPI make the case for better outcomes by continuing to deliver world-class research and influence policy at the highest levels. Find out more: epi.org.uk/jobs/chief-e...

New EPI analysis, part of a @nuffieldfoundation.org funded project, tracks student progress from school to the workplace. We found that GCSE attainment casts a long shadow, entrenching the earnings gap for disadvantaged pupils from the age of 16. Read the full analysis: epi.org.uk/publications...

Looking for your first start in think tanks? @edupolicyinst.bsky.social are recruiting a Executive & Events Officer to join their comms, partnerships and events team! If you fancy broadening your skills, supporting policy events and having real impact - apply here: bit.ly/484sfWw

EPI's Chief Executive, @natalieperera.bsky.social, will step down at the end of January after a decade at the helm. We are deeply grateful for her outstanding leadership and wish her the very best in her new role at @aqaeducation.bsky.social Read the announcement: epi.org.uk/comments/nat...

'Underpinning the review, as with education policy broadly, is a lack of curiosity and ownership regarding SEND, and the children these policies affect. It has fallen short in two key areas', argues @jojohutchinson.bsky.social schoolsweek.co.uk/the-curricul...

Coming up on Monday 24th November: don't forget to register for our free webinar with Caitlin Bell (Capita), Luke Sibieta (@theifs.bsky.social), and EPI's Jon Andrews to discuss strained school finances and how policy can better respond to the diverse needs of schools.

Great to see EPI's work on children missing from education recognised at the inaugural @smartthinking.bsky.social awards last night. "300,000 children are missing entirely from education" was the "killer stat of the year". Read the report: epi.org.uk/publications...

"Our findings point to a maturing system that is delivering strong outcomes for those who access it, but remains uneven in who benefits." Read EPI Senior Researcher Robbie Cruikshanks's breakdown of our new report on degree apprenticeships: epi.org.uk/publications...

EPI's latest report, "Degree Apprenticeships: An alternative to university?", funded by AL Elevation, finds that despite having high achievement rates and leading to competitive salaries, degree apprenticeships are not sufficiently inclusive.

Our Co-Director for Early Years and Wellbeing, @drtammycampbell.bsky.social, spoke to the Education Committee for the first session of its new inquiry into how the Gov't can improve support for children and families during the early years. Watch back here: committees.parliament.uk/work/9309/ea...

Want to play a key role in EPI's efforts to ensure quality education for all? EPI is looking for an Executive & Events Officer to help deliver high-profile events and provide support to our CEO, while keeping our office running smoothly and supporting wider operations. More info: epi.org.uk/jobs/

Today’s Curriculum and Assessment Review highlights mixed opinions on the Phonics Screening Check. This aligns with EPI research, which found mixed views - as well as no positive evidence that the Check's introduction improved later reading results: epi.org.uk/publications...

The Government's response to the CAR sets out a "sensible direction of travel". The focus on oracy & accountability reforms is a positive step. However, the forthcoming white paper must be even more ambitious on SEND to deliver a system that works for all. Full comment: epi.org.uk/comments/gov...

How can we best support schools that are facing ever-tightening budgets? Join EPI and Capita on Monday 24th Nov to discuss the financial challenges schools face, the role of tech, and how policy can better respond to the diverse needs of schools. More info & register: epi.org.uk/events/how-a...

"The true test for the policy will be whether this momentum can be sustained without creating more complexity." Read EPI's @robbiemaris.bsky.social take on the Post-16 education and skills white paper for @feweek.bsky.social feweek.co.uk/v-levels-can...

How does your background shape HE progression and secure job outcomes? The answer varies significantly across the four UK nations. Our new blog explores these national gaps, drawing on our @nuffieldfoundation.org funded project with @ox.ac.uk SKOPE. Read the full blog: epi.org.uk/publications...

The Government's Post-16 education & skills white paper is a step towards more flexible pathways for young people. We welcome the potential of these reforms, and continue to call for a 16-19 Student Premium to ensure young people get the support they need. Full comment: epi.org.uk/comments/com...

Free School Meals need review to better serve disadvantaged children.  The final report in our @nuffieldfoundation.org-funded project examining FSM as a measure, argues that relying on FSM as a single proxy doesn't reflect the complexity of children’s experiences. news.sky.com/story/why-th...

Rounding off today’s panels with @aqaeducation.bsky.social We're joined by @robeastaway.bsky.social, Sarah Porretta (@youngenterprise.bsky.social), Baroness Spielman, and @schwitzer.bsky.social to discuss what’s needed from the curriculum and assessment system to help every child excel in maths.

Next up with @cambridgeocr.bsky.social at #CPC25: we’re discussing the Curriculum and Assessment Review’s “evolution, not revolution” approach - and what we can learn from previous governments’ wide-ranging education reforms.

We’re underway at #CPC25 with @ascl-uk.bsky.social discussing tech and AI in the classroom with Dr Ben Spencer MP.

T-minus two hours until we kick off our events programme at #CPC25! If you’re in Manchester, join leading sector figures, MPs, and Peers as we tackle the big questions shaping education from the role of tech and AI to building on the successes of previous governments.

We round off EPI’s party conference season on Monday 6 October at Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, with a full day of events on AI and the digital divide, maths education, building on past policy successes, and shaping a national curriculum guided by young people’s voices.

Heading into the final evening of #Lab25 with a timely panel on the role of sustained intervention and early literacy support in SEND reform, with the Fischer Family Foundation

For our panel with @naht.org.uk, we’re joined by Minister for School Standards @georgiagould.bsky.social to reflect on the first year of Government, highlight where national policy needs more focus, and discuss what’s next for the opportunity mission.

Ahead of the SEND White Paper, our next panel with @bpsofficial.bsky.social asks: what role should educational psychologists play in a reformed system, and what’s needed to ensure fair access for all? Great to be joined by @helenhayes.bsky.social and Anntoinette Bramble for this discussion.

Starting our final day of events at #Lab25 with @actiontutoring.org.uk, @getfurther.bsky.social and the Tutor Trust. We’re discussing a new tutoring model to break down barriers to opportunity and support economic growth, with @richardquigley.bsky.social

For our final panel of the day at #Lab25, we’re reflecting on curriculum & assessment reform with @aqaeducation.bsky.social & @peter4bracknell.bsky.social We are discussing areas of consensus, future challenges, and the trade-offs needed to build a balanced system that works for all learners.

Heading into the afternoon at #Lab25: High-quality leadership boosts outcomes, yet headteacher retention is falling fast. With @edsupportuk.bsky.social, our panel explores how to retain great leaders, support new ones, and improve wellbeing amid rising pressures.

Packed room today for our discussion on curriculum and assessment reform with @helenhayes.bsky.social and @cambridgeocr.bsky.social

Also underway at #Lab25: our joint event with Triple P on the role of evidence-based parenting programmes in delivering support at scale, reaching hard-to-reach groups, and boosting school readiness in line with the Best Start in Life Strategy w/ @oliviabailey.bsky.social & @jessasatomp.bsky.social

It's a beautiful day in Liverpool 🌞 We’re starting Day 2 of EPI’s programme at #Lab25 with a big question: can technology solve the challenges facing education? Our panel will consider the opportunities, and the limits, of tech 🧑‍💻 In partnership with @ascl-uk.bsky.social

Next up in our #Lab25 programme: we’re exploring solutions to the teacher retention crisis and how to make UK schools an attractive workplace for a diverse and experienced workforce with @collegeofteaching.bsky.social

Packed room for our #Lab25 youth town hall with @thefea.bsky.social, @cpaguk.bsky.social, EY Foundation, @marietidball.bsky.social and @lauramcinerney.bsky.social