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

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

Schools are continuing to make cuts - particularly teaching assistants, but also of teaching staff and other support roles. Graph - of % making cuts by role - from our latest @suttontrust.bsky.social research.

Schools are continuing to make cuts in staff because of squeezed budgets. In particular, teaching assistants are being cut - with big impacts for SEND support. Our latest @suttontrust.bsky.social polling.

Link between attainment and attendance in today's FT. @suttontrust.bsky.social

Really clear chart in today's FT showing schools absences: recovering slightly from the Covid peak - but only slightly! Still a huge issue across our schools. @suttontrust.bsky.social

Biggest ever ‘health span’ gap between rich and poor areas. 👇

Kids born in the austerity years after the Global Financial Crash much more likely to spend their early years in poverty. Worth clicking into the academic paper this Guardian article is based on. www.cambridge.org/core/journa... @suttontrust.bsky.social

Definitely a positive development to improve the nutritional value of school lunches! @suttontrust.bsky.social

Latest proposals for healthier school lunches has to be a good thing. Kids learn best when they've had a proper nutritious lunch. It may also help embed healthy eating habits. @suttontrust.bsky.social

The importance of Ministers in leading public service reform: Institute for Government report out last week makes a simple but important point: ministers still matter hugely in public service reform, even when delivery happens far from Whitehall. Four lessons: 🧵