AI tools can now generate a lot of things that we used to rely on training for – both knowledge and skills. Social mobility is a measure of how closely your outcomes are linked to that of your parents – the stronger the relationship, the more your background influences what you achieve in life. For […]
Is AI a game changer for social mobility? Read More »
Coming from a ‘working class’ background and raising ‘middle-class’ children has been one of the most insightful experiences of my life. It has also significantly shifted my views on social mobility… I used to think that educational attainment was the silver bullet that could shift the dial and that closing the attainment gap would therefore
Grades are not enough: my lived experience raising ‘middle-class’ children Read More »
Noise has been a great read with some very practical take-aways. As a natural sequel to the popular book ‘Thinking Fast and Slow’ it covers the topic of errors in our decision making and judgements using a range of real-world examples. In the first book they go into depth on the different types of biases
Always look your best: thoughts on Noise Read More »
One of the biggest debates in education is around knowledge vs skills. In the age of AI, where we can easily access information, should schools still be focusing on knowledge or spending more time equipping young people with the skills they need to meet the demand of our economy? For the first few years after
Powerful knowledge Vs skills: what should you focus on? Read More »
I recently visited Michaela (a secondary school), which scored the highest in the country in terms of pupil progress last year. This means that, according to the data, pupils that attend Michaela make more progress from Year 7 to Year 11 (GCSEs) relative to where they started than any other school in the country. What’s
Reflections on visiting England’s highest performing school (on progress) Read More »
A few months ago I invested in an Electric Brompton (folding bicycle). My main motivation was to save time – my most important resource. Cycling home from work the other day various events came together to present an unexpected but perfect anecdote of the impact of resources on social mobility. Social mobility can broadly be
The Electric Brompton and Social Mobility Read More »
Being on parental leave has given me a new lease of life when it comes to reading. The daily grind had previously been my excuse for not reading as much as I wanted to, but the truth is there is always time in the day when you’ve established reading as a consistent habit. This is
The best books I’ve read so far in 2022 Read More »
I’ve just hit my 10-year graduation anniversary, so it’s the perfect time to reflect on all the things I would do differently if I could go back to being a University student. The past 10 years have given me a lifetime’s worth of experience and in hindsight my main regret from Uni is being a
Don’t be a bog-standard Uni student Read More »
Most of us think we know how to learn without giving it much thought. What’s there to think about? You learn some material, remember it and use what you’ve learnt when needed. But for the pilot who finds themselves having to land a plane with no functioning engines, or a doctor who has to resuscitate
Put down your highlighter: using evidence-based strategies for learning! Read More »
Disadvantaged (underprivileged) children face a range of challenges and barriers to succeeding in the education system and life more generally. Data from the UK and other countries show, to a varying degree, the impact that growing up in a low-income family has on your life chances. Most parents want the best for their children and
Taking the ‘advantage’ out of disadvantage Read More »
