Tom Richmond
@tom-richmond
Education policy analyst. Host of 'Inside Your Ed' podcast (www.insideyoured.com). Former teacher, think tank director and government advisor. Follow my work here:
Enjoying hearing about the impact of school phone bans in the US at the @cepeo-ucl.bsky.social annual lecture. Hot topic on a hot day! 🥵
🚨NEW PODCAST🚨 What might Andy Burnham in No.10 mean for schools in England? @schwitzer.bsky.social and Meg Powell-Chandler join me to explore some of the big changes that could be awaiting pupils, teachers and leaders in the coming years. Listen here: insideyoured.com
Meet Jonas Gahr Støre. You've probably never heard of him, but he might be the most important person in the world of education right now. My new post on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/posts/tdrich...
Very helpful reminder from The Economist that other countries are also struggling with an influx of university students who lack even the most basic skills. The graph shows students in post-18 education whose literacy and numeracy skills are at / below that expected of *primary* school pupils.
🚨NEW PODCAST🚨 VAT on independent school fees: is the debate over, or just getting started? Julie Robinson (@isc-schools.bsky.social) and @maxwellmarlow.bsky.social discuss the recent drop in independent school pupils and where the VAT debate may be heading next. Listen here: insideyoured.com
In my latest podcast, @jonnyuttley.bsky.social explained why a state school having a good 'reputation' for supporting children with SEND can sometimes be a cause for concern. Listen to the full episode here: insideyoured.com
Super panel for what I expect will be a super discussion about the new book by @loicmnzs.bsky.social - 'How policy happens'.
In my latest podcast, @charleyo.bsky.social from the @suttontrust.bsky.social explained why children with SEND from less privileged backgrounds find it particularly difficult to access high-performing state schools. Listen to the full episode here: insideyoured.com
🚨NEW PODCAST🚨 Is school admissions the missing piece of the SEND puzzle? @charleyo.bsky.social and @jonnyuttley.bsky.social join me to discuss the findings from a new @suttontrust.bsky.social report on the difficulties some pupils face accessing top state schools. Listen here: insideyoured.com
And speaking of not bothering with small measures, the last two paragraphs of Alan Milburn's interim report chime with my approach. Brutal assessment of recent governments' record on helping the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people.
In my latest podcast, Ben Rowland - CEO of AELP - explained to me why he thinks that financial incentives for recruiting apprentices should be directed at training providers instead of employers. Listen to the full episode here: insideyoured.com
In my latest podcast, @stephenevans.bsky.social, CEO at @learnworkuk.bsky.social, explained why he supports the Government's recent decision to remove management and leadership courses from the apprenticeship system. Listen to the full episode here: insideyoured.com
🚨NEW PODCAST🚨 Is the Government right to start intervening in the apprenticeship system? @stephenevans.bsky.social and Ben Rowland join me to discuss the big and often controversial changes to apprenticeships in the opening months of 2026. Listen here: insideyoured.com
In my latest podcast, Mark Roberts (@mrenglishteach.bsky.social) told me that both teachers and parents can have a huge impact on whether students respond positively or negatively to failure. Listen to the full episode here: insideyoured.com
Great little snippet from The Economist this week, on the dangers of 'cognitive surrender': the wholesale capitulation of thinking skills when you get AI to do your work for you. Even utterly absurd answers go unchallenged. (£) www.economist.com/business/202...
Good to see @samfreedman.bsky.social in the Observer call for "capping [HE provider] recruitment based on a reasonable assessment of teaching capacity". This is one of the measures I proposed in my @hepi-news.bsky.social report last month on how to stop the sector collapsing: bit.ly/4mBraMN
In my latest podcast, @johndavidblake.bsky.social explained why he thinks the retrospective taxation of previous cohorts of university graduates is worth considering in the context of a 'graduate tax'. Listen to the full episode here: insideyoured.com
In my latest podcast, @jonathansimons.bsky.social told me why he thinks that funding HE through a 'graduate tax' rather than student loans could leave the sector in a vulnerable position, as the FE sector has discovered. Listen to the full episode here: insideyoured.com
The absurd and unjustified growth in top university grades has undermined the value of a degree as well as damaging the reputation of the HE sector. My new @hepi-news.bsky.social report explains how to unwind this concerning development: bit.ly/4mBraMN
Some research-intensive universities have been hoovering up students from other institutions, even if they don’t have enough accommodation to house them. Read my new @hepi-news.bsky.social report on the financial sustainability of the HE sector: bit.ly/4mBraMN
Huge piles of debt pose a significant risk to the sustainability of the HE sector. Some providers have already reached borrowing levels equivalent to over 100 per cent of their annual income. My new report with @hepi-news.bsky.social explains more: www.hepi.ac.uk/reports/a-de...
Over the last decade, Canterbury Christ Church University has almost tripled in size while Arden University has grown by over 3,000%. My new @hepi-news.bsky.social report on how to curb excessive risk-taking in the HE sector is out now: www.hepi.ac.uk/reports/a-de...
ICYMI - The Guardian offered a sneak preview of my new report (out tomorrow) on how to resolve concerns over the financial trajectory of the Higher Education sector. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
In my latest podcast, @mrjlauder.bsky.social told me about how the Government's proposed changes to EHCPs and the wider SEND system could affect parents like him and many others. Listen to the full episode here: insideyoured.com
In my latest podcast, @samfr.bsky.social explained why the current system for supporting children and young people with SEND was no longer financially sustainable. Listen to the full episode here: insideyoured.com
"Modern smart glasses can scan printed or written exam questions, send them to AI systems for instant analysis, and display answers discreetly on the lens." Yet another reason why we cannot lose sight of the need to protect the integrity of the exam hall. www.techtimes.com/articles/315...
"Graduates who had studied Arts and Humanities (43%) and Social Sciences (41%) were more likely to feel unprepared [for life beyond HE study]" A new study of perceptions commissioned by the OfS has lots of fascinating insights. www.officeforstudents.org.uk/publications...
In my latest podcast, @missmc.bsky.social said the Schools White Paper would have been better off replacing many of its 'one line policies' with more substantive plans for change. Listen to the full episode here: insideyoured.com
In my latest podcast, @fcdwhittaker.bsky.social told me why he was sceptical about the Government's ambition in the Schools White Paper for all state schools to join a new or existing trust. Listen to the full episode here: insideyoured.com
Interesting piece in the FT on the difficulties of stopping AI-fuelled cheating in online MBAs. Written exams and oral exams are definitely the way forward. And yes, large-scale oral exams are not easy to deliver, but if you value trustworthy grades you can solve this. www.ft.com/content/b51e...