This report from UK think tank EDSK discusses why post-18 education in England is still broken and how to fix it. Our post-18 education system will never reach its full potential in terms of driving economic growth and productivity if full-time university degrees continue to be placed on a pedestal above other qualifications and courses....

This report from UK think tank EDSK looks at a 10-year plan to reform the curriculum and assessment system in England. Whoever wins the next election should aim to preserve those parts of our education system that contribute to higher standards such as rigorous courses and exams. However, many mistakes have been made over the...

This report from UK think tank EDSK focuses on the issues that could complicate efforts to add VAT onto independent school fees. With a general election due in the coming months, the Labour Party’s plans to add VAT to independent school fees has taken on even greater salience. The question of how much money this...

This report from UK think tank EDSK looks at setting a new course for the state school system in England. Over the last decade the way that we run state schools has become a political football, creating a constant distraction from improving the life chances of children and young people. On that basis, the next...

This report from UK think tank EDSK explores why the ‘ladder of opportunity’ is broken for so many young people and how to fix it. The academic pathway from school up to university is a well-trodden and well-understood route. In contrast, for those young people who do not attend university, the first rungs on the...

This report from UK think tank EDSK provides an investigation into independent schools and charitable status in England. The political debate over the role, status and taxation of independent (‘private’) schools in England shows no sign of abating. Two issues have attracted considerable attention in recent months: the prospect of VAT being added to independent...

This research note from UK think tank EDSK looks at the source and credibility of the £1.6 billion savings figure to assess whether it deserves to be included in discussions about the future of private schools. Despite its current political salience, the proposal to charge VAT on private (‘independent’) school fees in England is nothing...

This report from UK think tank EDSK looks at whether there are there credible alternatives to written exams. After the collapse of the exam system during the COVID-19 pandemic, debates about the future of assessment have become increasingly vocal. As A-levels and GCSEs are dominated by written exams, this report investigates whether other types of...

This report from UK think tank EDSK provides an investigation into the quality of apprenticeships in England. Exactly ten years after the publication of a major government review into the quality of apprenticeships in England, a new report from the education think tank EDSK finds that many apprentices are receiving such a poor experience that...

This report from UK think tank EDSK looks at a new vision for employer investment in skills and the apprenticeship levy. The UK’s persistent underinvestment in skills and training cannot be solved quickly, yet there is a risk that the government’s current approach will end up simply repeating past mistakes. This new report from the...