Tammy Campbell

Of all the bad/stupid policies I’ve covered as an education journalist over the years, one that’s hit our family most blatantly is these automated letters which are issued by schools if a child’s attendance drops below a certain level.

Exactly. The very last thing you need or that is constructive / supportive when you're already sick with worry about your child is to be threatened with fines and prison.

"If the safeguarding principles of professional curiosity and challenge are lost to the white noise of such a zealot-like approach, we have truly lost our way." Hackney safeguarding chair Jim Gamble lambasts DfE's school behaviour ambassador Tom Bennett. chscp.org.uk/wp-content/u...

A statement on Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy | Hackney Council News Our response to the Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review into the school.

news.hackney.gov.uk/news/hackney...

Thought-provoking and useful exploratory analysis from Rebecca. Resonance with last week’s @hackneycouncil.bsky.social's Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review and @annafazack.bsky.social‘s investigations.

What does the reliance on private providers in early education and care mean for children in England?

Dr Tammy Campbell analyses the latest DfE statistics to ask if this shift is desirable for public spending and children's experiences.

Read the full blog: epi.org.uk/publications...

A graphic featuring a black and white photo of Dr. Kerris Cooper, Senior Researcher, Early Years and Inequalities at the Education Policy Institute. Next to her photo is a quote that reads: “Efforts to tackle the disadvantage gap in education will only be successful within a wider effort to address the causes and effects of poverty. It is extremely positive that the Child Poverty Strategy recognises and begins to tackle the appalling numbers of children living in insecure temporary accommodation. Along with the lifting of the two-child limit, this directly addresses some of the unacceptable conditions children have experienced over the past decade.” A footer encourages viewers to read the full response on epi.org.uk.

"Efforts to tackle the disadvantage gap in education will only be successful within a wider effort to address the causes and effects of poverty."

Read EPI's response to the Government's Child Poverty Strategy: epi.org.uk/comments/epi...

England’s new phonics target sets schools an almost impossible task The phonics screening check is so closely correlated with month of birth that it can be argued that it is a test of age rather than decoding.

The phonics screening check is so closely correlated with month of birth that it can be argued that it is a test of age rather than decoding.

Today’s Curriculum and Assessment Review highlights mixed opinions on the Phonics Screening Check.

This aligns with EPI research, which found mixed views - as well as no positive evidence that the Check's introduction improved later reading results: epi.org.uk/publications...

Why thousands of England's poorest children are missing out on free school meals The Education Policy Institute is recommending a new national system of auto-enrolment for free school meals and other measures to ensure more eligible children can benefit, as too many who should get...

Free School Meals need review to better serve disadvantaged children. 

The final report in our @nuffieldfoundation.org-funded project examining FSM as a measure, argues that relying on FSM as a single proxy doesn't reflect the complexity of children’s experiences.

news.sky.com/story/why-th...

Free school meal plan requires key change to stop children ‘missing out’, Labour told Experts say children may not receive the meals they are eligible for

Our new report, funded by @nuffieldfoundation.org, shows significant variation in how free school meals (FSM) and free early years meals (FEYM) are accessed across schools and local authorities (LA) in England.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...

📺EPI Director @drtammycampbell.bsky.social on @itvnews.bsky.social earlier, giving a cautious welcome to the changes to FSM eligibility

www.itv.com/watch/news/w...

🔊Comment: EPI's @drtammycampbell.bsky.social comments on the the expansion of free school meal eligibility.

Why the free school meals system is broken – and how to fix it Under the current system, harsh eligibility requirements and complicated bureaucracy mean many children living in poverty miss out on a free lunch. Experts tell Ellen Peirson-Hagger what the governmen...

Though, as experts including @drtammycampbell.bsky.social and @carlcullinane.bsky.social told me, a proper system of auto-enrolment will be the crucial next step in ensuring those children actually receive the free meals

@kerriscooper.bsky.social and I wrote this @edupolicyinst.bsky.social blog on the 'two child limit' a while ago - sad that it's more relevant that ever

YouTube video by Education Policy Institute EPI Annual Lecture 2025: Addressing Education and Skills Inequalities in the UK

🚨For anyone that missed our 2025 Annual Lecture with @annavignoles.bsky.social looking at education and skills inequalities in the UK, you can now watch the recording here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR06...
epi.org.uk/events/educa...

With thanks to @britishacademy.bsky.social for kindly hosting us.

‘They will consider prosecuting me’: parents on why their children are missing school – and the consequences Many say absence is due to England’s mainstream schools being unable to meet needs of neurodivergent pupils

www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Anna Maxwell Martin calls for end to ‘cruel, idiotic’ fines for school absence Exclusive: actor says experience of school refusal showed her more compassion is needed, not exclusions

www.theguardian.com/education/20...

The reality of claiming PIP: a 🧵

1) To claim PIP you have to describe in excruciating detail all the ways you cannot function. This means that you are forced to think in very detailed terms exactly how disabled you are, which often has a devastating effect on the mental health of the applicant 1/?

Free school meals: the case for auto-enrolment The author of a major new study into auto-enrolment for free school meals and the associated benefits it unlocks outlines the key findings - and what issues would still remain

💬 The EPI’s @drtammycampbell.bsky.social outlines the key findings from a major report into free school meals and puts forward the case for auto-enrolment (and why it would not solve all issues)

Who has been registered for free school meals and pupil premium in the National Pupil Database? - Education Policy Institute A new report published by the Education Policy Institute (EPI), funded by the Nuffield Foundation, explores the strengths and weaknesses of free school meals (FSM) and Pupil Premium (PP) as measures f...

📢 Today, the Education Policy Institute (EPI), funded by @nuffieldfoundation.org published a new report exploring the strengths & weaknesses of Free School Meals (FSM) and Pupil Premium (PP) as measures for identifying disadvantaged pupils in England.

Read full report👇
epi.org.uk/publications...

Free school meals: the case for auto-enrolment The author of a major new study into auto-enrolment for free school meals and the associated benefits it unlocks outlines the key findings - and what issues would still remain

Op-ed: the government should continue to investigate the ways that FSM registration is used; who it represents, includes and excludes; the workings of policies and practices relying on FSM; and how pupils and families can more effectively be supported and provided for...

www.tes.com/magazine/ana...

Very interesting work by @wcrennajennings.bsky.social and @allenjoseph.bsky.social

Join us for our next #CASE #SocialExclusionSeminar on 5 March. Whitney Crenna-Jennings @edupolicyinst.bsky.social will be speaking on children missing from education
Find out more: sticerd.lse.ac.uk/case/_new/ev...
Sign up via Eventbrite: eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-do-wom...

From @allenjoseph.bsky.social and @wcrennajennings.bsky.social: 'reliable waiting time data for children’s mental health services do not exist...researchers, policymakers and leaders should be brave enough to admit what they don’t know.'

blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandp...

@lseblogs.bsky.social

Nice chart from @mrjpandrews.bsky.social showing how schools serving more economically disadvantaged pupils are likely to be scored low according to current 'accountability' measures

How can we reduce food poverty for under-fives? Building on recommendations with expert input. - Education Policy Institute What have we learnt about food poverty experienced by under-fives?  We recently published a report on food poverty affecting under-fives, which highlighted the scale and the impact of the problem, as ...

🚨New EPI event summary paper from @kerriscooper.bsky.social : How can we reduce food poverty for under-fives? Building on recommendations with expert input.

Read the full article here👇
epi.org.uk/publications...

Move in the right direction, but could go further?

If your lab/team does fact checks or code reviews, do you have any tips for how to make it a less painful process? #academiasky

How can we reduce food poverty for under-fives? - Education Policy Institute A new report by the Education Policy Institute, funded by the KPMG Foundation, investigates food poverty in the early years. The research interrogates the effectiveness of national policies already in...

In related work, we explored food poverty among under fives - and recommend that the government should work towards universal free meals in early years settings whilst supporting the sector to be able to implement this. epi.org.uk/publications...