Latest news and insights

As we begin the new school year, and look back on what was an extraordinary summer term, we want to share our reflections on the conversations, ideas and energy that have shaped discussions over the past few months.

What started as an invitation to come together and talk about the future of English has grown into something much bigger. This is no longer just a conversation: it’s a shared commitment to reimagine how this subject can equip every learner with the confidence, creativity and critical thinking skills to succeed in life beyond school.

We’ve brought together thousands of voices from across education — classroom teachers, curriculum leaders, students and sector experts — to explore bold questions about the future of English. From national forums to regional roadshows, a picture has begun to emerge: this is a subject that matters deeply and must adapt to meet the needs of young people in an ever-changing world.

Let’s Talk English is our invitation to rethink the purpose of English — to imagine what a richer, more inclusive and more meaningful experience of the subject could look like. 

Since the campaign launched in March, we’ve run six forums with teachers and sector leads across the country. We’ve completed extensive research into the views of secondary English teachers (the results of which are coming soon), and asked representatives from across the sector to share their views on key topics. And we’re only just getting started.

Is creativity a dying art in the English classroom? In our latest Let's Talk English blog. education expert, Matt Bromley delves into this question and provides his five top tips on how English teachers can harness creativity in the classroom. 

Disadvantaged students are, on average, one-fifth of a grade behind in English and one-eighth of a grade behind in maths when resitting GCSEs, according to new research from the Education Policy Institute (EPI), funded by Pearson. 

New findings from Pearson (FTSE: PSON.L) reveal that at least 1.65 million primary and secondary students and over 250,000 college students in England may not be both emotionally ready and at the expected academic level to move on to the next stage of their learning.

Pearson, the world’s lifelong learning company, will become one of the British Army’s largest apprenticeship partners, after winning three new contracts to deliver the courses with the UK’s Ministry of Defence.

The Army is one of the biggest apprenticeship providers in the country, giving learners the opportunity to gain new skills and knowledge beyond combat. An army apprenticeship provider since 2010, Pearson TQ will now hold six contracts in total - delivering logistics, healthcare, intelligence, business admin and HR, construction, engineering, policing and veterinary services programmes to around 4,000 learners each year.

The new contracts will see Pearson TQ providing apprenticeships in the following sectors of the armed forces over the next six years:

• In the Catering Training Wing, where students will develop skills in professional cooking, kitchen management, food safety, and facilities supervision, gaining industry-recognised catering and health and safety qualifications.
• In the Royal Military Police, where apprentices will be trained in detainee management, military law enforcement, investigation techniques, and conflict resolution, earning policing and security-related certifications.
• In the Royal Armoured Corps, where students will receive training in vehicle maintenance, engineering operations, and military animal care, equipping apprentices with hands-on technical and welfare skills.
• Within the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, where apprentices will gain expertise in farriery, military animal training, and welfare, developing specialist skills in hoof care, animal behaviour, and obedience training.

Martyn Leader, Vice President of Pearson TQ, said:
“We are delighted to extend our long-standing and successful partnership with British Army apprentices. These new contracts are another step forwards on Pearson’s journey to build on its early careers offer. From logistics and business admin, to catering or veterinary care, these courses are a fantastic path for a diverse range of learners who want to earn while they learn, boost their skillsets and open doors to new opportunities and career paths.”

A spokesperson for the Army said:
“Apprenticeships are fundamental to the Army recruiting offer with over 95% of new joiners enrolling on an apprenticeship. This is the first step of a soldier’s learning journey, the Army invests significantly in skills, education and training through apprenticeships and pathways to higher education. This enables us to create high-performing and technologically astute operators for the future workforce. We look forward to continuing our relationship with Pearson TQ.”