Evidence from unexpected temporary school closures and reduced instruction time suggests school closures will reduce educational achievement, both in the short and long term. Children from disadvantaged backgrounds are likely to be affected more than others by school closures, with fewer family resources and less access to online learning…

Widespread school closures affected over one billion students during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The vocational education and training (VET) sector has faced particular challenges during the crisis, most notably the fact that the digital learning environments that most education institutions had to rely on during closures don't work…

The Department for Education (DfE) provided funding for secondary schools to establish short face-to-face summer schools over the 2021 summer holiday, to help them make up for learning lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lasting for one or two weeks, summer schools involved a blend of academic learning and enrichment activities and were intended to…

Ensuring there are enough high-quality teachers in England's schools is crucial for delivering a first-class education for young people. Attracting and retaining enough secondary teachers is a key challenge facing school leaders today. Providing more opportunities for part-time and flexible working may provide part of the answer. This NFER…

Despite the expansion of the UK higher education (HE) sector, young people from disadvantaged backgrounds remain less likely than their advantaged counterparts to apply for or be offered a place at university. Whilst attempts to widen access have tended to revolve around raising aspirations and attainment, this article makes a case for the…

Research has consistently shown 'ability' grouping (tracking) to be prey to poor practice, and to perpetuate inequity. A feature of these problems is inequitable and inaccurate practice in allocation to groups or 'tracks'. Yet little research has examined whether such practices might be improved. Here, we examine survey and interview findings from…

From September 2006 schools across England and Wales will have to deliver the new KS4 Programme of study. The wide consultation initiated by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) in the year 2000 resulted in the piloting of the new criteria in 78 different schools and colleges. The piloting was performed by the awarding body Oxford…

A preliminary inquiry on "The contemporary judgment as to the culture element in education and the time that should be devoted to the combined school and college course." was authorized by the Council of Education of the National Education Association at the Boston meeting, 1903, and a committee was appointed. The brief recommendation of…