In some parts of England, there is 1 Educational Psychologist for every 9000 pupils with SEND. In others, it’s 1 for every 500. James Zuccollo @edupolicyinst.bsky.social explains what this means for children, schools & overstretched services. #PsychologyMatters: www.bps.org.uk/news/chronic...

EPI is currently recruiting for two roles - and application deadlines are approaching. Senior Researcher – Vulnerable Learners & Post 16 - Deadline: Mon 25 May, 5pm - epi.org.uk/jobs/senior-... Undergraduate Research Internship 2026 - Deadline: Tues 2 June, midnight - epi.org.uk/jobs/epi-und...

EPI has submitted its response to the government's consultation on 'SEND reform: putting children and young people first'. We welcome many of the proposals. There are, however, areas in which they do not appear to correlate with the available evidence. Read our full response ⬇️

Really interesting findings here as sampled schools don't tend to be using internal exclusions *instead* of suspensions. This comes in the context of government pushing schools to keep more suspended pupils on site to reduce lost learning

New EPI analysis of FOI data from secondary schools in London reveals that higher rates of internal exclusion are associated with higher rates of suspension - suggesting that encouraging internal exclusion is unlikely, in practice, to lead to fewer external suspensions. epi.org.uk/publications...

EPI's summer research internship programme is open for applications! This is a unique opportunity to work alongside leading experts in education policy and gain hands-on experience producing high-quality research and evidence-based analysis that shapes the national conversation. More info ⬇️

A 'postcode lottery' in issuing absence fines remains despite government guidance aimed at standardising the practice, new research has found schoolsweek.co.uk/postcode-lot...

EPI is hiring! We are looking for a Senior Researcher to join our Vulnerable Learners & Post 16 team and help shape our agenda-setting research. Closes 17:00 Monday 25th May. For more info and to apply: epi.org.uk/jobs/senior-... #EducationPolicy #EducationResearch #PolicyJobs #ResearchJobs

New EPI analysis finds that despite a national framework for absence fines, enforcement remains a postcode lottery with London issuing fines to just 3.6% of enrolments and Yorkshire and the Humber issuing them to 10.3%. epi.org.uk/publications...

EPI is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Rose Luckin to its Board of Trustees. Rose is a leading expert on technology in education, Professor Emerita at UCL, and Founder and CEO of Educate Ventures Research (EVR). Read the announcement: epi.org.uk/comments/ros...

Great to be joined by so many colleagues for today's launch of our latest report with @cepeo-ucl.bsky.social: Beyond Teacher Assessed Grades: Post 16 Education Choices and COVID-19 🧵

Government must address chronic shortage of Educational Psychologists as provision gap leaves some pupils 20 times less likely to get support. New BPS funded @edupolicyinst.bsky.social research reveals stark disparity in levels of EP provision 👉 www.bps.org.uk/news/chronic... #PsychologyMatters

EPI's latest report, commissioned by @bpsofficial.bsky.social, reveals a chronic shortage of Educational Psychologists across England, with a 20-fold disparity in access between areas: some have one EP for every 480 pupils. Others just one for every 9,400.

Today, the government published guidance on screen time for under-5s. EPI's Director for Early Years, Inequalities and Wellbeing @drtammycampbell.bsky.social asks: does it meet the needs of parents, carers, and children?

How do we build an effective and inclusive school system? A new summary paper from EPI and Capita brings together insights from policymakers, school leaders, and sector experts - examining SEND reform, workforce retention, funding, and accountability. epi.org.uk/publications...

Nearly three in four (72%) nine-month-old babies have at least some screen time each day, a UK study has found.

Three-quarters of nine-month-olds in England have ‘daily screen time’

Screen time for under‑fives is a hot topic for policymakers, parents and researchers. New EPI analysis shows how common, and how intensive, screen use is during a crucial stage of infant development, highlighting how the home environment shapes early screen exposure.

DfE data shows the share of 16–24-year-olds in England who are NEET remains high. One in eight young people are not in the education system or labour market. New EPI analysis shows NEET rates have returned to post-financial crisis levels. epi.org.uk/publications...

The gov't opted against student finance changes in the Spring Forecast, despite ongoing debate over growing debt and the precarious state of the HE sector. @rcruikshanks.bsky.social and @davidrobinsonedu.bsky.social argue 3 core principles must guide reform: 1️⃣ Sustainability 2️⃣ Equity 3️⃣ Clarity

"Workforce projections built around aggregate numbers say nothing about whether experienced staff are reaching the schools that need them most." EPI's @jzuccollo.bsky.social on the DfE's workforce modelling.

“There are severe shortages nationally, with provision varying enormously across local authorities... far more people want to train as EPs than there are funded places available.” EPI's @jzuccollo.bsky.social spoke to @ktorm-social1.bsky.social about the gov't's experts at hand plan.

Ambition in the schools white paper is clear, but its success will depend on the detail still to come and on support that extends beyond schools themselves. Delivering change will require coordinated action across services. Read EPI’s response to the white paper: epi.org.uk/comments/epi...

“Without substantial increases in the number of funded training places each year, there will not be enough educational psychologists available to staff these services.” In the Guardian today, @jojohutchinson.bsky.social comments on the govt's SEND reform plans ahead of the schools white paper.

@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.