Policy Tracker – Keeping track of what happened in the world of education in January 2016

Key headlines from the month

• School admissions process. Government prepares to consult on a more transparent system
• KS2. Government prepares to pilot multiplication tests for 11-year-olds this summer
• Exams. The Joint Council confirms the position on summer exams ahead of Ramadan
• GCSE, AS, A levels. Latest listing for 2016 teaching published
• EBacc. 36.2% of pupils in all schools entered in 2015 according to league tables
• AS levels. New UCAS survey shows continuing support as part of curriculum balance
• Teachers' pay. Unions express concerns in a joint letter to the Review Body
• Teachers. TeachFirst launches a new career-switchers campaign
• RSCs. Education Committee raises concerns about management of the school system
• Schools financial health and efficiency. The DfE launches a new efficiency metric
• Counter-extremism. Government launches a new website
• Mentoring. PM announces a new scheme
• Careers. Jobcentre Plus advisers start working with schools
• Work experience. Government prepares new plan to help disadvantaged youngsters
• 16-19 funding. EFA confirms stable rates for 2016/17
• Adult skills funding. SFA publish latest rates and rules for 2016/17
• Functional Skills. The ETF launches the first stage of its review
• ESOL. PM announces new £20m Community Fund
• Area Reviews. BIS announces the listings for wave 3
• Traineeships. Rules changed to allow other providers to offer from February
• Apprenticeship levy. The CBI sets out 4 guiding principles
• Apprenticeship Delivery Board. Government announces names
• Skilled Workers. Migration Committee proposes new employer skills levy
• Learning and Work Institute. Launched out of the merger of NIACE and CESI
• AELP. Chief Exec Stewart Segal to leave in April
• UCAS. Latest data reveals gender gaps in certain subjects
• Personal (UCAS) Statements. Sutton Trust calls for clearer criteria and support
• Top Graduate recruitment. Up again this year according to High Fliers research
• Maintenance grants. Government votes through transition to loans

Reports/Publications of the month (in order of publication)

• GCSE, AS and A level reform in England. A House of Commons Library Briefing Paper explains what’s been going on over the last five years
• Response to the Higher Education Green Paper. The HE Policy Institute brings together a range of ‘experts’ to offer their thoughts as consultation on the Green Paper closes
• Apprenticeship Statistics: England 1996-2015. Another Briefing Paper from the House of Commons Library this time presenting apprenticeship stats by Parliamentary constituency
• Educational Inequalities in England and Wales. The Social Market Foundation launches its new Commission into Educational Inequality by examining data and trends over recent years
• School efficiency metric. The DfE publishes further guidance on its ‘efficiency measurement’ tool designed to help schools gain efficiencies
• A Legal Bind. The think tank IPPR calls for a new binding legal framework for Academies that can balance autonomy with accountability as the numbers grow
• Education in England: progress and goals. The thinktank Centre Forum gets together with Education DataLab to propose more ambitious standards and to consider ways of measuring
• Trends Shaping Education 2016. The OECD publishes another heavy listing this time of trends such as globalisation, new technology and family matters, likely to shape education this year
• Review of Tier 2. The Migration Advisory Committee publishes its report into Tier 2 migration calling for the introduction of an Immigration Skills Charge and higher salary application
• The role of Regional Schools Commissioners. The Education Committee pulls few punches in a report citing a lack of transparency, accountability and coherence in current arrangements
• Improving information in identifying children missing education. The DfE consults on ways of co-ordinating information when a child drops off the school register
• FE and Skills Statistical First Release. BIS and the SFA crunch the data on learner participation, apprenticeships, English/maths for the first quarter of the 2015/16 academic year
• School, College 2015 performance tables. The final set of performance data before the switch in 2016 to Attainment and Progress 8 reveals a fairly stable picture of progress and trends
• Consultation on Apprenticeship Targets for Public Sector Bodies. Government launches consultation on a 2.3% target for larger public sector bodies
• Progression Pathways. UCAS reports on the growing diversity of routes, esp BTECs, into UKHE
• Building Skills for All. A Review of England. The OECD’s latest review of adult basic skills underlines continuing weakness among the younger generation and the need for a new focus
• Employer Skills Survey 2015. UKCES point to significant rise in vacancies caused by skills deficit.

Speeches of the month

• David Cameron’s 11 January ‘Life Chances’ speech sets out four principles, including mentoring and support in schools, likely to form the basis of a forthcoming Life Chances Strategy
• Nick Clegg’s 12 January Social Market Foundation speech helps launch a new Commission on Inequality in Education which the former Lib-Dem leader will chair for the Foundation
• David Cameron’s 18 January communities speech pledges a new fund to teach English to isolated Muslim women and help bring communities together
• Sir Michael Wilshaw’s 18 January CentreForum speech cites improved leadership, oversight, partnership and vocational education as key ingredients of an improved school system
• Nicky Morgan’s 19 January counter-extremism speech announces a range of measures including a new website to help schools and parents protect children from radical views
• Nicky Morgan’s 20 January BETT speech presents technology as a supplement rather than a substitute for good teaching and assessment
• Nicky Morgan’s 21 January character symposium speech exudes government enthusiasm
• Nick Gibb’s 26 January Key speech emphasises the importance of school leadership
• Jo Johnson’s 27 January CASE speech confirms the government’s commitment to science and research and outlines some additional funding

Quotes of the month

“We remain on the long walk to a greater Britain.” The Prime Minister’s New Year message sketches out the long and winding road

“Your dreams are our dreams.” The Prime Minister offers hope to those with poor life chances

“If 2015 was the year for setting out our economic plan, 2016 is the year for delivery of it.” The Chancellor stresses the need to press on

“Like pass the parcel, you tear away one layer of wrapping paper only to find another underneath.” Nick Clegg on how deep inequality of opportunity often runs

“Maths is a non-negotiable of a good education.” The Education Secretary defends the new times tables tests for 11-year-olds

“Some of the big beasts of the current educational jungle are due to leave the forest.” Prominent blogger and head teacher Geoff Barton on what lies ahead in 2016

“Let the SLT take over the teaching of someone for a day so they can have a focused observation of another’s teaching.” One of a dozen CPD ideas from Sir Tim Brighouse

Word or phrase of the month

‘Bucket list.’ A list of things still left to do