Latest news and insights

What do we mean when we ask why English does not feel creative any more? 

Partly, maybe, that after the age of 14, pupils have few opportunities to write fiction,  poetry or drama, at least for assessment. There is only one ‘recreative writing’ option at A-Level, and few students take it. The Creative Writing A-Level lasted only from 2014-2018. But then such opportunities haven’t existed for quite a few decades, and even then, they were permitted only intermittently, and reluctantly.

In the last year, the EA has been talking to teachers, academics, and leaders in the discipline about the English GCSEs. As part of our Let’s Talk English series, Dr Rebecca Fisher (CEO of the English Association) outlines the challenges with the GCSEs and recommendations for change as identified by the English subject community.

In our latest Let's Talk English blog, Professor Cathy Shrank considers the surprising careers unlocked by studying English.

Responding to the government’s Skills White Paper released on 20 October, Freya Thomas Monk, Managing Director of Pearson Qualifications, said:

“The Skills White Paper marks a shift in the system of vocational education for young people that will help tackle the UK’s widening skills gap in industries vital to economic growth.

Introducing the Young Green Briton Challenge

The Young Green Briton Challenge (YGBC) has been inspiring secondary school students across England for the past three years.

 Its core purpose is to empower young people to design and deliver local climate action ventures, while building valuable, transferable green skills for the future.  The challenge is co-designed and delivered by Social Innovation for All and GenEarth, in partnership with cornerstone funder, the Green Britain Foundation.  Since its launch in 2022, YGBC has expanded rapidly, evolving into a national platform for youth-led, school-based climate action.

A new L&W report, sponsored by Pearson, finds that England’s occupational standards are too numerous, often slow to adapt and lack strategic oversight.

With more than twice the number of standards as countries like Germany and Switzerland, the system risks being unwieldy and less effective for employers, learners and the economy.

The research calls for a more streamlined, consistent and flexible approach to ensure apprenticeships and technical qualifications keep pace with change - from green skills to AI.