1. Education policy in 2011 An overview Dale Bassett Research Director, Reform Microsoft 12 April 2011

2. Reform – who are we? > Independent, charitable, non-party think tank > Established in 2002 to set out a better way to deliver public services and economic prosperity > Aim to produce research of outstanding quality on the core issues of the economy, health, education, law and order the right balance between government and individual > Free market principles: a belief that competition and choice can drive improvements in quality and better value for money > Communicate our work to politicians and opinion formers in all parties and none in order to create a consensus for reform > Funded by philanthropic individuals, corporate organisations and other charitable trusts > Our funding does not influence the content of our research > Cross-party advisory board

3. A year of change... Schools > Structural changes: academies and free schools > Core business changes: curriculum and exams > A greater focus on improving the quality of teaching > Capital – abolition of BSF, James Review > Technology – abolition of Becta, silent Schools White Paper Universities > Tuition fees – a switch from state to individual funding > Increased regulation and requirements on improving access and WP > Access to data and career advice > Diversification of funding and commercialisation 16-19 > Further Education reform – UTCs, Wolf Review > Apprenticeships – a total of 250,000 by 2014-15

4. ... and of cuts Schools > Schools revenue budget frozen in real terms > Most ringfencing scrapped but LAs under pressure > £2.5bn pa pupil premium > Capital spending cut by 60% in real terms by 2014-15 Universities > Revenue budget cut by 40% (to £4.2bn), offset by tuition fee increases > Science budget frozen in cash terms 16-19 > Revenue budget cut by 25% (to £3.2bn) > EMA abolished (£560m) but replaced with £180m bursary scheme > £250m pa additional spending on apprenticeships by 2014-15 Value for money will be key to maintaining quality of provision

5. Changing the school system Academies > 629 schools are now academies (16.5% of secondaries), 473 more applied > Semi-independent state-funded schools > Freedom over curriculum, pay and conditions, structure of day and year > LA-topsliced budget returned to school control > Greater autonomy -> need for great leadership and 3 rd party support Free schools > 1 opening, 17 approved, 41 at business case stage, 323 applications > New academies established by parents, teachers or charities > Choice and diversity to respond to demand from parents > Competition to drive innovation, quality and value for money

6. Changing the school system Curriculum and exams > English Baccalaureate – measures success in 5 core academic GCSEs > 15.6% vs 53.4% achieving 5 A*-C or equivalent inc English and maths > National Curriculum review – 3 year timetable > Rigour in exams – greater role for universities – but could require greater knowledge from examiners (role for technology?) Value for money > Procurement – Audit Commission £415m, Treasury £1bn > Teacher quality – better quality teaching delivers better value for money > High quality teaching adds half a GCSE grade per subject > 53 percentile point improvement vs 8 points for class size reduction > 80% of a schools budget is spent on staff – numbers will be reduced > Need for innovation and collaboration, use of technology, better CPD > OECD says 20% can be saved

7. Changing HE and FE Higher education > Shift to private financing – competition to drive VfM > Shared services, better use of facilities, staffing levels > Much greater diversity in provision: new types of HE, new ways of delivering it, part-time/distance study, over more/fewer years > Innovation – better use of best teachers, collaboration, virtual delivery > Diversification of funding and new business models – commercialisation of research (Imperial Innovations) and of services (e.g. CPD) Further education > Focus on labour market value and progression opportunities (Wolf) > Apprenticeships and UTCs – focus on employability > HE in FE – at a competitive price

8. An opportunity for technology > Need for innovation – new ways of doing things, new products, new focus on quality and customer satisfaction > Competition, choice and accountability driving VfM – data > Facilitating collaboration – back office and on the front line Capital cuts and tight budgets mean no money to spend to save

9. Your thoughts? dale.bassett@reform.co.uk @dalebassett 020 7799 6699