Latest Reports
Firing on all cylinders: What makes an effective middle leader?
29th July 2016‘No school can be a great school without getting the middle leadership right’ says James Toop, chief executive of the charity Teaching Leaders. But what does it mean to be a great middle leader? At a time of rapid curriculum change and increasing concern about teacher retention, it is a question in desperate need of … Read more
Youth clubs and schools – a partnership worth building?
5th April 2016Teachers are too busy. Everyone knows that. But could it be because they’re trying to do too much and could youth clubs lend a helping hand? Our new report published today with London Youth suggests they could. At a time when we are bombarded with examples of schools struggling with the pressures of accountability and reform, … Read more
Poverty and Special Needs: A quarter of FSM pupils have SEND
26th February 2016At LKMco we are deeply concerned by the profound links between children having Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and growing up in poverty; as well as the additional barriers these children face in accessing the support they need. Urgent action is needed to remove those barriers. The government has had some success in encouraging schools across … Read more
Latest Posts
Grammar schools: the government can still retreat with dignity
24th September 2016Yesterday was a tough day for the government’s potentially catastrophic grammar school plan. The Education Policy Institute published a damning report systematically trashing any evidence that grammar schools would benefit disadvantaged pupils. The government faced its first ministerial resignation and it was linked to grammars. Tory media-stalwart, The Times came out against grammar schools, cutting to the heart … Read more
Video games improve educational attainment but the crucial question is ‘Why?’
2nd September 2016New research has found a direct relationship between video games and educational performance. An Australian study found that students who played video games scored more highly in maths, reading and science tests. The study also found that students who spend time on social media perform less well, indicating that the relationship is not simply related … Read more
Grammar Schools for the Bright but Poor: Why they wouldn’t help either
12th August 2016Would I be happy with grammar schools if they exclusively served bright-but-poor pupils? This is one of the questions I was asked following my “Uncle Steve” blog. The answer is “no”. Whilst grammar schools’ socio-economic skew is one of their flaws, it is not the only one. We need to ask what problem grammar schools, exclusively … Read more
Grammar schools, Kilroy Silk and my mum
9th August 2016Over twenty years ago, my mum appeared on the chat show Kilroy to defend her decision to send her kids to the local comprehensive instead of a grammar school. As a lefty teenager, angry with the injustice of the world, I was incredibly proud of her. In 2022, it seems I may now face a similar … Read more
Grammar Schools and Social Mobility: The Uncle Steve defence
7th August 2016When the question of grammar schools is raised, the standard response is that “Uncle Steve came from a really tough background and it’s thanks to grammar schools that he made something of himself.” That’s great news for uncle Steve, but it’s an argument that depends on several assumptions and it certainly doesn’t mean they’re good … Read more
White Working Class Boys and Higher Education: International Press Coverage
29th July 2016Our latest report for Kings College London Widening Participation Department has received considerable interest around the world, featuring on Dubai Eye Radio in the UAE, Fox News in the US and, much of the UK press including the Daily Mail, Independent, Times, i, and Huffington Post. It has also been covered by sector publications like Schools Week, … Read more