Unfortunately accent bias is alive and well. Good article in the @thetimes.com yesterday based on 93percentclub survey, showing the class barriers many students still face at university. Great to see our director of programmes Katy Hampshire extensively quoted too :-) @suttontrust.bsky.social

On the one hand, primary schools probably can identify children at risk of being NEET. However, as @daisychristo.bsky.social points out - their best action is to help kids who are struggling to catch up, and they don't need a layer of bureaucracy to help them do that. @suttontrust.bsky.social

Strong economic performance - as shown by the US - lifts the earnings of workers at all education levels. Demonstrates the importance of growth - which has been sadly lacking in the UK. Brilliant report from @jburnmurdoch.ft.com in the @Financialtimes.com last week. @suttontrust.bsky.social

Graduate premium has grown in most countries as numbers going to uni have increased. UK declining grad premium is unique, and likely linked to poor economic performance rather than "too many kids going to university". Brilliant report from @jburnmurdoch.ft.com in the @financialtimes.com last week

Good piece from Matthew Syed in @thetimes.com yesterday. Points out that contrary to all the noise about DEI, in fact, the system still produces hugely skewed outcomes, with those from low income backgrounds massively underrepresented at the top of multiple professions... @suttontrust.bsky.social

Pupils thrive when they are supported AND challenged with high expectations. Write up in @tesmagazine.bsky.social by @cerysturnerbsky.social of research by Nuffield, UCL and Lift schools. @suttontrust.bsky.social

Interesting idea, and probably worth trying, particularly if the requirements are focused on areas with weak jobs markets and/or NEETs. @suttontrust.bsky.social

England doing better than other UK nations.

Good piece in @thetimes.com on Gove education reforms. PISA scores in England held pretty constant / slight decline while other countries declined more so we went up the rankings. Pretty clear that reforms were good for results - but at what cost on disengagement. @suttontrust.bsky.social

Bad news on graduate jobs in the @financialtimes.com today - lowest number since Covid in 2020. Cost pressures and business uncertainty the main issue, although AI uncertainty may also be slowing down hiring. Summer jobs for young people at a 4 year low too. Not good. @suttontrust.bsky.social

University Technical Colleges which educate around 20k per year might provide some learnings for the gov's proposed reforms. Some (not definitive) evidence that kids do slightly worse on GCSE English, but, post-16 destinations are strong, in particular apprenticeships. @suttontrust.bsky.social

Concerning latest stats on school absence. Absence has been slowly improving since Covid, but in this last year progress seems to have stalled. Particularly bad news for less advantaged kids who are more likely to be off and have their attainment suffer. @suttontrust.bsky.social

Strong new evidence from @theifs.bsky.social last week that children benefit when smartphone use is delayed. In schools where 20%+ of families pledged to delay smartphones until 14, mental-health needs fell 8.2% and psychiatric DLA claims fell 6% vs. schools with no delay @suttontrust.bsky.social

Happiness of young people is at an all time low, particularly those in deprived areas. Useful report from @IPPR.org which gets behind the stats through interviews. @suttontrust.bsky.social

More postgrad teachers qualifying in the latest data (c25k, vs. c.23k year before), but smaller % getting jobs in state schools (71% vs. 75% ). Good writeup on this in @tesmagazine.bsky.social by @cerysturner.bsky.social @suttontrust.bsky.social

Worth looking at loan re-payments. However, more urgent to look at increasing the max maintenance loan, as the current doesn't cover basic living costs for students, and increasing eligibility thresholds as many low- to middle- income families can't get max loans today. @suttontrust.bsky.social

Important change, which removes an important problem for a small-ish group whereby a young person starting an apprenticeship means the loss of Universal Credit which leaves the family worse off. Hopefully will unlock more apprenticeship starts! @suttontrust.bsky.social

Could be valuable, engaging, and positive for many kids. BUT, an obvious danger that it turns into differential sorting at 14, with less advantaged kids nudged away from academic. Need to get it right - but good intent to keep all young people engaged and 'on path'. @suttontrust.bsky.social

Interesting initiative from @manchester.ac.uk - would help all undergraduates, and particularly those from less advantaged backgrounds (who often have fewer connections / networks), as they move forward into the jobs market. @suttontrust.bsky.social

Most people in the UK are pessimistic about the impact of AI. But, interestingly, university students are more positive, and there is a gender split with male students more positive than female. Fascinating research from @Kingscollegelondon.bsky.social @suttontrust.bsky.social

Adult participation in lifelong learning has almost halved in the last decade. No one cause, but cost barriers increasing and less employer investment in skills training (down almost 20% in a decade) part of the story. Squeeze on FE college budgets won't have helped either. @suttontrust.bsky.social

We want the best talent leading our biggest companies. But our research found only around a third of FTSE 100 CEOs educated in the UK attended a state comprehensive school, and around 1 in 10 Chairs did - despite the fact that 90% of us went to a state comp! 🧵 @suttontrust.bsky.social

Class bias still shapes business: Only around a third of FTSE 100 CEOs educated in the UK went to a state comprehensive. For Chairs, it’s closer to 1 in 10 - despite 90% of us going to a state comp! New US research offers a clue why. 🧵 @suttontrust.bsky.social

Job vacancies down to their lowest level since 2014 (ignoring the Covid period) - one of the reasons young people are struggling to get jobs, at both graduate and entry level. @suttontrust.bsky.social

Probably a good thing: Gives all kids a proper summer holiday, and also levels the playing field for those (disadvantaged kids) who's parents can't pay for tutoring over the summer. @suttontrust.bsky.social

Pupil suspensions for spring term 24/25 (the latest data) increased vs. same term in the previous year. My hypothesis is school cuts to support for challenged pupils. In our latest polling, 43% of school leaders cutting SEND support and 71% cutting teaching assistants. @suttontrust.bsky.social

Interesting report from social security advisory committee - showing that for some young people there is a disincentive to take an apprenticeship at 16, because it may reduce family benefits (in a way staying in school doesn't). @suttontrust.bsky.social

AI may destroy jobs in some areas - but if there is pent-up demand for a product or service, consumption may rise to support or even increase employment as AI efficiencies make it cheaper. Important point, well made, in this super article by @jburnmurdoch.ft.com in the @financialtimes.com