The Government’s social policy agenda puts education at the centre of plans for building a sustainable system that reduces poverty, improves skills, and increases social inclusion. Review of the National Curriculum, changes to funding, and the rise of alternate school models are creating a dynamic moment for change. This far-reaching approach means it is vital to understand the implications of new policies, and the real opportunities for re-shaping the national education system.

ResPublica’s new research project will address this imperative. It will examine key questions including: Are our schools working? Do they equip our young people with the skills they need to get jobs? Do they guide students to develop strength of character and ethical sense? Does our assessment system work? Are our schools connected to other learning institutions, local communities, and wider society? Are our teachers as confident and expert as they can be? 

Building on Government initiatives that aim to reform assessment, the project will explore how, beyond addressing mechanics and statistics, reforms could usefully consider broader questions of the purpose and nature of assessment. Further, the project examines the extent to which curricula, pedagogy, teaching and institutional arrangements need to be renovated more deeply than current reforms propose in order to redress criticisms of poor outcomes and inequality. Importantly, the project provides concrete options for ways to transform the British education system to become an innovative, inclusive and responsive site of excellence.

Part of ResPublica's Models and Partnerships for Social Prosperity workstream, the project is now open to external engagement from the public, private and third sectors. We would like to establish a consortium of sponsors who will feed in to our further research and debate in this area and benefit from co-branding on publications and events.

For more information or to discuss partnership opportunities, please contact Monika Kruesmann, ResPublica Research Consultant, monika.kruesmann@respublica.org.uk or 020 7222 6552.