Rebecca Montacute

We have a new guest report out today (part of our SMF perspectives series) from Michael Johnson, one of Britain's leading authorities on pension policy -

A few snaps from a really interesting roundtable event on NEETs at the end of last week (hosted by Etio) - particularly enjoyed getting to actually visit a college site (and what a view from the Ada, National College for Digital Skills London campus)

Learnt yesterday this is also now a thing in Bristol - www.bristol247.com/news-and-fea...

A recent @smfthinktank.bsky.social briefing looked at the health and care system in prisons, finding multiple failings across the system.

Come join for a discussion of the issues later this month ⬇️

And again, this is feeding the same sentiment -

....and that type of thing presumably matters a lot re signalling you're the ones that can win in a block? Ofc if they keep up momentum that will help with fundraising as well so might not end up a big issue.

Yea membership will definitely help (and I don't think they'll have an issue with finding activists), but they won't be able to do the leaflet cover/digital ads £ wise needed in that many seats at once without some other additional revenue as well...

This is an interesting piece - I've been wondering this morning how much their finances will be a potentially limiting factor as well, they bring in much less money than other parties atm (and as lots of people have flagged this isn't an issue for Reform who have ££s)

So much of the discussion on student loans focuses on issues impacting higher earners (e.g. the interest rates) and ignores abolition of maintenance grants (starting working class young people off with higher debts), the erosion of maintenance loans over time and family income threshold freezes.

It's a problem the interest rates are getting so much attention (which impacts higher earners as keeps them in repayments longer) but issues like the level repayments start + how much money students actually have to live on at uni (which impact lower income students much more) get less attention

ICYM the SMF recently published an important briefing on lead poisoning.

An estimated 168,000 children in Britain could have unsafe levels of lead in their blood - but we can only get a "best guess" at this as we don't collect population level data on it ⤵️

It is in all of our interests to improve prisoner health It may not be a huge vote-winner, but a safer prison estate benefits society as a whole.

It is in all of our interests to improve prisoner health

For @politicshome.bsky.social, Jake Shepherd writes about the realities of ill health in the prison estate.

buff.ly/qRkIlJW

SEND reforms are finally here – but will they deliver? Reform of the SEND system was a necessity for this government, as cost spiralled at the same time as the system was failing to deliver for many of the children who need it most.

Myself and @danihpayne.bsky.social's assessment of today's SEND reforms and the potential political battle ahead to pass them -

www.smf.co.uk/commentary_p...

SEND reforms are finally here – but will they deliver? Reform of the SEND system was a necessity for this government, as cost spiralled at the same time as the system was failing to deliver for many of the children who need it most.

Myself and @danihpayne.bsky.social's assessment of today's SEND reforms and the potential political battle ahead to pass them -

www.smf.co.uk/commentary_p...

🗣️Our Head of Education and Social Mobility @danihpayne.bsky.social quoted in @theipaper.com today on SEND reform.

SMF broadly welcomed the SEND reforms, but noted political challenges to come for the Government on this sensitive policy area.

(by wrong I mean those that don't need it as much e.g. those only just below the target might get pushed up a bit)

what are your thoughts on the EY/school readiness target? My issue there is almost the opposite that it isn't really that ambitious/they'll probably do it anyway and if it does have any impact it's the wrong kids

I mean having an ambitious target to e.g. signal to the civil service you care about this to me seems fine enough/not damaging - but agree it's really unlikely alone to be very impactful at all

On some of the wider stuff in the schools white paper - an ambition to half the attainment gap is incredibly ambitious (and welcome!) but I'm not currently convinced government are doing enough to meet that - there's lots of positive stuff, but the scale just isn't enough vs the challenge

Fixing the SEND system: what is possible? England’s SEND system is widely recognised to be in crisis. Government is considering reform - but what do teachers think?

(and if interested in our paper on it, you can find it here - www.smf.co.uk/publications...)

But with the SEND system so clearly in need of change, if as a country we can’t manage reform here, where can we? - I am very much hoping the government can successfully manage this, for a renewed and hopefully more successful SEND system going forward.

... on the response to that from backbench MPs. This will be a significant test of the government’s ability to deliver politically difficult reform in a complex and sensitive area.

....we will need to see in the coming days/weeks what the response is from parents (especially given the review point at Year 6 - which I imagine will get a considerable amount of pushback from parents who have fought for EHCPs at primary level) - and if pushback there, we'll need to keep an eye...

Reform in this area was always going to be difficult - there are
understandable anxieties among parents, particularly when trust in the system is already fragile...

.... to ensure more pupils are adequately supported early on, help more students be educated in their communities and manage costs.

Right now far too many families have to fight for support (with socio-economic gaps in ability to push for that support)

Happy Schools White Paper day for all those who celebrate 📃

This morning starts with more detail on the government's SEND plans, with schools getting more funding for specialised support - and a tightening of EHCPs.

Our recent briefing called for that approach, including limiting EHCPs..

8 years without you here and it doesn't get easier, miss you so much mum ❤️

.... this is a big test for government on whether it can actually deliver politically difficult changes to complex systems.

SEND is a system so clearly in need of change - if as a country we can't manage reform here, where can we do it?

The government's upcoming announcement on SEND reform is going to be a tough one - but so important to remember why change to the system is needed. So many families have to fight for support, and even children who do secure EHCPs aren't always getting the support set out in their plans...

Watching the ski mountaineering mixed relay from earlier today (which is a wonderfully ridiculous sport) - but entire way through the presenter is referring to the female athletes as "girls" while the men are "male competitors" or "athletes" 😭 (on TNT sports rather than BBC)