Professor Mike Larkin

Professor Mike Larkin

@tefsinfo.bsky.social

Emeritus Professor of Microbial Biochemistry Queen's University of Belfast Retired and promoting student equality through Total Equality For Students

43 followers54 following87 posts

Professor Mike Larkin reposted

The Guardian
@theguardian.com

Revealed: the ‘black box’ wastewater trade that rakes in millions for UK utility companies

theguardian.comRevealed: the ‘black box’ wastewater trade that rakes in millions for UK utility companiesExclusive: Firms made more than £340m last year from processing industrial and commercial wastewater at sewage works that are unable to remove many chemical pollutants Water companies in the UK made more than £340m in revenue last year by pouring billions of litres of industrial and commercial wastewater into sewage treatment works that experts say are not designed to remove most chemicals, leaving pollutants to pass into rivers, seas and farmland. Water companies are required by law to take industrial wastewater and issue permits called “trade-effluent consents” that allow businesses to send it to sewage works, though water companies can refuse applications. Continue reading...

Professor Mike Larkin reposted

Sam Freedman
@samfr.bsky.social

The difference between the performance of immigrants in England and Western Europe is staggering. (20 pts equals a year of learning.) I looked at this in detail in the post - it can't be explained away by language or relative advantage of different immigrant communities. There is a policy factor.

Sam Freedman@samfr.bsky.social

New post out: England's schools are now the second highest performing in the world outside the far east, according to the OECD's PISA study. Is this because of policy? Attitude to technology? Cultural factors like immigration? And where can we still improve? samf.substack.com/p/why-englan...

samf.substack.comWhy England’s schools are doing so wellAnd what we need to focus on next

Professor Mike Larkin reposted

The Guardian
@theguardian.com

Boris Johnson wasted my levelling up idea. Here’s how Burnham and his ‘good growth’ plan can do better | Justine Greening

theguardian.comBoris Johnson wasted my levelling up idea. Here’s how Burnham and his ‘good growth’ plan can do better | Justine GreeningThe need to devolve power and share prosperity is as strong as ever. Whatever the project is called, whoever is in No 10, the priority now is actual delivery, says former Conservative MP Justine Greening

Professor Mike Larkin reposted

The Sutton Trust
@suttontrust.bsky.social

🚨 Almost half of the GCSE attainment gap between poorer pupils and their better-off peers is “locked in” by the end of primary school. Concerning findings from @theeef.bsky.social and @edupolicyinst.bsky.social new research 🧵⬇️ educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/news/disadva...

educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk44% of the GCSE disadvantage gap is locked in by age 11,…New research on the disadvantage gap

Professor Mike Larkin reposted

Resolution Foundation
@resolutionfoundation.org

Last week we got new data on union membership, and for our Chart of the week we've taken a closer look. Union membership has declined over the past decades, but the latest data hints that this decline might be slowing Read Top of the charts 👉 buff.ly/9JCInp0 ‎

Professor Mike Larkin reposted

The Sutton Trust
@suttontrust.bsky.social

🗨️ "A survey by the Sutton Trust published in March found 41% of primary and secondary school leaders believe some schools actively discourage applications from pupils with SEND." Great to see our research cited in an important BBC News piece on SEND 👇 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.ukHow pupils with special educational needs are more likely to see their schools closeIn schools that closed between 2020 and 2025, nearly 30% of children had special educational needs

Professor Mike Larkin reposted

Resolution Foundation
@resolutionfoundation.org

Graduates who grew up in deep poverty face a large pay gap 10 years into their careers. They earn 13 per cent less than graduates who did not grow up in poverty – equivalent to over £7,590 a year, and larger than the gender pay gap in the UK ⤵️ buff.ly/5VfX2Fi

Professor Mike Larkin reposted

Wonkhe
@wonkhe.bsky.social

NEW on Wonkhe: As funding pressures mount, Jim Dickinson argues that Scotland’s celebrated model of student partnership is no longer enough - and students now need real, enforceable protections buff.ly/kt9nNX4

Professor Mike Larkin reposted

Wonkhe
@wonkhe.bsky.social

NEW on Wonkhe: Debbie McVitty reads the runes for the academic year ahead and wonders whether this will be the year that the Westminster government grasps the nettle on making higher education policy buff.ly/wmeycUk

Professor Mike Larkin reposted

Wonkhe
@wonkhe.bsky.social

Last week on Wonkhe: As universities are again urged to provide support to struggling students, Jim Dickinson reviews the evidence - and finds our system of rapid graduate production a key potential cause of pressure and harm

buff.lyOur drop-out and pace miracle is harming students’ health and learningAs universities are again urged to provide support to struggling students, Jim Dickinson reviews the evidence - and finds our system of rapid graduate production a key potential cause of pressure and...

Professor Mike Larkin reposted

Sam Freedman
@samfr.bsky.social

On universities the white paper only reduces the graduate visa from two years to 18 months (which is a win for the DfE). The bigger thing universities will be worrying about is this little timebomb.