Peter Wilby

Gavin Williamson’s record as education secretary is evaluated against a century of predecessors, highlighting widespread criticism stemming from the Covid-era exam grading fiasco and broader failures in guidance and leadership. Historical comparisons show several poorly regarded ministers, yet Williamson’s mismanagement of school closures, remote learning guidance, and the assessment algorithm positions him among the most criticised. While other ministers also made damaging policy choices, Williamson’s combination of errors and loss of trust places his tenure near the bottom, with his future reputation hinging on whether he can deliver promised reforms to technical and further education.

UK universities have grown heavily dependent on Chinese students, funding and research partnerships, creating vulnerabilities to political pressure from an authoritarian state. Concerns include censorship of sensitive topics, potential security risks, and opaque funding arrangements. The financial reliance on China leaves several major universities exposed to serious instability if relations deteriorate or student flows decline, particularly in light of the pandemic. The situation echoes past instances where universities compromised academic freedom due to external influence, raising fears that market-driven policies have left institutions vulnerable to state interference.

Analysis of John Goldthorpe’s research argues that education has not driven social mobility in Britain and cannot do so without far-reaching reforms. Rising mobility after the mid-20th century stemmed from an expansion of professional jobs rather than schooling, while today’s limited growth in top positions makes upward movement largely zero-sum. Persistent advantages provided by affluent families, including time, resources and networks, continue to entrench inequality regardless of educational structures. Goldthorpe suggests measures such as school-place lotteries and tuition vouchers but emphasises the need for an industrial strategy that increases secure, well‑paid jobs to recreate conditions that once enabled greater upward mobility.

Kate Clanchy’s work with migrant and refugee students at Oxford Spires Academy reveals how their dislocation and traumatic memories enrich their poetic voices, leading many to win national recognition. Her memoir recounts experiences across different schools while criticizing education policies that limit creative expression. Through nurturing young writers and promoting inclusion, she challenges assumptions about disadvantage and highlights how supportive environments allow students from diverse backgrounds to thrive.

Mike Grenier advocates “slow education,” an approach prioritizing deep understanding, reflection, and strong teacher-student relationships over test-driven curricula. He argues that current systems focus excessively on measurable outcomes while neglecting personal and social development. Drawing on ideas from Maurice Holt, the movement promotes reduced curriculum content and more time for meaningful exploration. Grenier works to apply these principles beyond Eton through outreach to state schools and community networks. He calls for a royal commission to rethink the education system, suggesting that long-term reflection is needed to address issues such as child development, mental health, and the impact of social media.

Geraldine Van Bueren advocates for greater visibility and support for working-class academics, arguing that class should be formally recognized in equality legislation alongside race and gender. She highlights structural barriers such as lack of economic and cultural capital, limited role models, and unconscious bias within universities. Her efforts include founding the Association of Working Class Academics and pushing institutions to collect more data on class backgrounds. Van Bueren’s personal experiences and human rights work underpin her call for broader acknowledgment of class discrimination and improved conditions for aspiring academics from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Michael Arthur’s tenure as UCL provost has generated unusually strong hostility among academics, driven by concerns over his top‑down leadership style and extensive expansion plans, particularly the development of a major new campus at Stratford. Critics argue that governance has weakened, staff morale has fallen, and teaching facilities at the Bloomsbury site have deteriorated, while Arthur defends the expansion as essential to UCL’s global research ambitions and financial sustainability. Governance complaints examined by the university Visitor found no intentional constitutional breaches but acknowledged significant loss of trust. Long‑standing disagreements over funding models, student growth and past controversies have contributed to divisions as Arthur approaches his planned retirement.

A new engineering-focused institution called NMiTE is opening in Hereford, led by Elena Rodriguez-Falcon, who aims to create a practical, creativity-driven alternative to traditional engineering education. The university will use project-based learning, eliminate standard lectures and exams, and encourage interdisciplinary skills such as music and poetry. It plans to recruit equal numbers of male and female students by removing strict A-level requirements and accelerating degrees to reduce costs. While local leaders and government support the vocational direction, some observers question the programme’s unconventional structure and potential ties to industry. Rodriguez-Falcon remains committed to establishing a lasting and innovative educational model.

Michael FD Young, once a leading critic of subject‑based academic curricula, has become a prominent advocate for knowledge‑rich education and supports elements of Michael Gove’s school reforms. His shift stems from personal experience as a parent and work in South Africa, where outcomes‑based curricula faltered due to underqualified teachers. Young now argues that academic subjects provide essential “powerful knowledge,” rejecting vocationally focused and skills‑based approaches as inadequate for social justice. His change of stance has provoked criticism from former allies, who contend he now undervalues everyday and practical knowledge, but Young maintains his earlier work opened essential debates about education and its social foundations.

Melissa Benn’s book argues for a National Education Service featuring reduced testing, abolition of Ofsted, greater teacher autonomy and a broader baccalaureate-style qualification system. Her proposals aim to ease teacher pressures, reduce inequality and reintegrate academies into a locally accountable system. While avoiding some politically difficult issues, the plan challenges decades of market-driven reforms and aligns with shifting political sentiment toward less punitive oversight and fairer schooling structures.

Barnaby Lenon, former head of Harrow, has written a book on vocational education despite a career spent in elite schools. The book highlights inadequate support for students in the lower academic half, underfunding of FE colleges, and the UK’s shortage of intermediate‑level skills. Lenon’s positions often conflict with his past views as a private school leader, particularly regarding curriculum breadth and exam reforms. He supports the concept of T‑levels but offers extensive reasons they may fail, citing low likely uptake, staffing challenges and rushed implementation. The article underscores long-standing complexity and inconsistency in England’s vocational system and calls for sustained political commitment to meaningful reform.

Rachel de Souza, head of the Inspiration Trust, defends her support for strict behavioural policies at Great Yarmouth Charter Academy and addresses recurring controversies involving Ofsted inspections and governance. Despite high performance metrics for the trust’s schools, she faces criticism over alleged advance warnings of inspections and perceived political connections. De Souza attributes backlash to her uncompromising approach to school improvement, highlighting past successes in turning around underperforming schools and emphasising the trust’s focus on rigorous curriculum and community ethos.

Robert Halfon argues for major reforms to education and the Conservative Party, advocating a shift toward apprenticeships, technical skills, and broader curricula. He calls for replacing GCSEs and A‑levels, expanding degree apprenticeships, increasing FE college funding, and introducing a levy on private schools to support disadvantaged students. Critical of traditionalist tendencies within his party, he positions himself as a modernising Bakerite and claims his select committee chair role offers greater influence than a ministerial post.

Stewart Sutherland, the first head of Ofsted and a distinguished academic who led universities in London and Edinburgh, shaped the early development of the UK schools inspectorate and chaired a royal commission on long‑term elderly care. His commission recommended free personal and nursing care, a proposal later implemented largely in Scotland but rejected by the UK government. A prominent philosopher of religion and public servant, he held senior roles including principal of King's College London and provost of Gresham College. He was knighted in 1995 and made a life peer in 2001, remaining active in public affairs until shortly before his death at 76.

Amanda Spielman faces criticism for supporting a London headteacher’s ban on young girls wearing the hijab, prompting accusations of crusading despite her insistence that Ofsted should remain objective. She argues that early adoption of the hijab raises concerns about modesty pressures on young children and says Ofsted must address community tensions and prevent a repeat of failures seen in the Birmingham Trojan horse affair. Spielman calls for stronger action against private faith schools with narrow curricula and stresses the need to differentiate between genuine teaching and exam gaming. She aims to reduce fear around inspections and restore trust between Ofsted and schools while adapting to the public scrutiny that has accompanied her first year in the role.

Peter Horrocks’s plan to shift the Open University toward digital-first learning and expand its FutureLearn platform has divided staff, who fear course closures, job cuts, and erosion of academic community. Falling part‑time enrolment and higher fees have intensified financial pressures, while critics question promoting competitors’ online degrees and describe recent tutorial system failures as damaging. Horrocks argues the university must adapt to global digital competition and changing student expectations, insisting the approach will strengthen rather than weaken student engagement.

Mary Stuart transformed the University of Lincoln into a high-performing institution with strong student satisfaction and a gold teaching excellence ranking. Her unconventional path, from living in a homeless hostel to leading a growing university, shaped her commitment to civic engagement and local development. Under her leadership, the university expanded into engineering, sciences and health fields, partnering closely with industry, particularly Siemens. Despite its success and growing regional impact, the university faces financial vulnerabilities due to heavy reliance on student fees, though Stuart remains optimistic about future growth.

David Laws argues that education policy decisions in the UK are frequently driven by ideology rather than evidence, a problem he hopes to address through the Education Policy Institute. He criticises grammar‑school expansion, questions the effectiveness of certain academy models, and highlights persistent gaps in educational attainment. Reflecting on his political career, he cites the pupil premium and Progress 8 as key achievements while identifying tuition‑fee policy as his major regret. He emphasises the need for evidence‑based reforms and cautions against ideologically driven initiatives such as large‑scale free‑school expansion.

Shaun Fenton, incoming chair of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference and head of Reigate Grammar School, argues that private schools can help create a fairer society by producing future leaders with strong character and civic responsibility. He promotes bursaries and proposes a government‑funded scheme enabling independent schools to educate disadvantaged pupils without additional cost to the state, though ministers view it as politically difficult. Fenton recounts his career across state and private sectors, including his experience transforming the troubled Ridings comprehensive, and reflects on his motivations, background and possible future ambitions.

Malcolm McMahon defends the Catholic Church’s right to run publicly funded schools that can prioritise Catholic pupils, arguing that admissions do not lead to segregation and that parental choice is fundamental. He welcomes the end of the 50% cap on faith-based admissions for free schools and expresses openness to Catholic grammar schools. On sex education, he supports compulsory provision but maintains teachings on chastity and natural family planning. Questions about discrimination in hiring and treatment of staff are met with reassurances about school communities and governance. McMahon reflects on his background, activism and left‑of‑centre views, while remaining firm on the church’s positions regarding education and doctrine.

Christine Blower assumes the acting leadership of the National Union of Teachers following Steve Sinnott’s death, prompting media scrutiny focused on claims of far‑left affiliations. She rejects labels such as militant or hard left, emphasizing her advocacy for teachers and her commitment to feminist and socialist principles without belonging to extremist groups. Colleagues describe her as principled and conscientious, though lacking in platform charisma. Her career reflects longstanding opposition to standardized testing and support for progressive educational approaches. Despite past involvement with left-leaning alliances, she is portrayed as independent and unlikely to be controlled by any political faction, with union members remaining her primary influence.