Tom Richmond

"Norway is imposing a near ban on the use of generative AI tools by elementary school pupils while also restricting their ​use in the education of older children to prevent a ‌negative impact on learning" Sometimes, good policymaking is incredibly simple. www.reuters.com/technology/n...

He's not wrong.

France is bracing for a nationwide day of protests, but the truth is that unhappiness with the state of schools and the cost of living have spread like wildfire across Europe. My new post on LinkedIn: lnkd.in/p/eMEZcJEg

"Before [pupils] even have a chance to think that something looks interesting, they are already being driven by the curriculum and the pressure of the timetable." Even Japan, one of the top performing countries in PISA, recognises that there is still work to be done. www.ei-ie.org/en/item/3315...

"So how was your Sunday, Tom?" "Oh, you know, the usual, just chatting with Michael Portillo about the future of #oracy in primary and secondary schools"..... www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePnW...

"Small and medium-sized enterprises [in South Korea] struggle to hire workers with the skills they need, and youth employment trails the OECD average." More proof - as if any was needed - that being top of the PISA rankings does not make your country's problems disappear. keia.org/analysis/sou...

"The danger isn’t simply ignorance – it is believing you know enough to stop looking." A fabulous speech by @bennewmark.bsky.social. Thank you for sharing. bennewmark.wordpress.com/2026/10/15/w...

“Speaking, listening and communicating will be a core part of every child’s education, through primary up to and including GCSE.” Sounds radical, but is this just the upcoming oracy framework + maybe making speaking and listening count towards GCSE English again? www.thetimes.com/article/281f...

Politics, geography and history teachers - I have bad news for you: Generative AI is threatening to make a mess of our education system, but your subjects are likely to suffer the most. My new post on LinkedIn: lnkd.in/p/edesBuH8

"We can build it, but they might not come." A very useful outline of the historical and current challenges facing any qualification reform in England. I would also add that uncertain and contested language (e.g. 'routes', 'pathways') does not help matters either.

'Wait until next year's budget for our attempts to resolve your grievances' is not going to quell the protests across France. Neither is a few more supply teachers. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Blimey. In the EU, 40% of teachers are aged 50 and over (rising to over 50% in Lithuania, Portugal, Italy, Latvia and Estonia). In England, the equivalent figure is just 22%. I'm all for keeping experienced teachers in schools, but what happens when they retire? www.eunews.it/en/2026/10/0...

"Andy Burnham will delay publishing a review of the welfare system until after the budget in response to concerns about the cost of the overhaul" Agreeing that we need to invest more in young people is easier than agreeing across government how much more + when. www.thetimes.com/article/87d0...

"What about the pupil whose parents say requires access to a phone to help manage severe anxiety? Or the child with autism whose family believes a device provides reassurance or helps them regulate during the day?" In both situations, the parents are the problem - not the ban on phones.

In my latest podcast, @lukesibieta.bsky.social from @theifs.bsky.social explained how England's stable score for reading in the latest PISA tests comes against a backdrop of very concerning developments at a global level. Listen to the full episode here: insideyoured.com

Great panel. Great topic: making vocational qualifications work for 14 to 16 year olds. Great work @edupolicyinst.bsky.social and OCR.

Super @suttontrust.bsky.social panel on apprenticeships at Labour conference this morning. Great combination of a government minister, an apprentice, an employer and a policy expert!

@lucympowell.bsky.social and @juliemcculloch.bsky.social kicking off tonight's reception on 'skills for the future'. Lucy committed to not taking an ideological approach to reforms. Amen to that.

Expert hosting by @iaindale.bsky.social at the @plmr.co.uk policy hub, discussing how to help young people earn, learn and progress courtesy of Emily Rock and the St Martins Group. So refreshing to skip the long speeches from panellists and just dive into a discussion!

@lucympowell.bsky.social right to say at this morning's @edupolicyinst.bsky.social event that tackling persistent disadvantage requires a 0-19 approach and will need to extend well beyond the school gates.

Lots of people seem concerned about the prospect of pupils being wrongly pushed into technical education pathways at age 14, but shouldn't we be just as worried about pupils being wrongly held back on an academic pathway? My new post on LinkedIn: lnkd.in/p/e5kzjVFn

Minister in charge of apprenticeships listening to apprentices. Great stuff at my first event at Labour conference from Jacqui Smith and St Martins Group.

India's education system is a disaster at both ends. At the top, only 7% of graduates find a formal job within a year. At the bottom, frightening numbers of children cannot read, write or count. No wonder India - the world's most populous country - steers clear of PISA. (via the Economist)

In the Australian state of Victoria, the Liberal (what we'd call Conservative) opposition is promising to establish more selective state schools if they win November's election. Will we see the same in England soon? educationhq.com/news/a-level...

So, Vocational GCSEs, eh? If you think that something about this announcement feels eerily familiar, you're in good company. Time for a quick history lesson.... My new post on LinkedIn: lnkd.in/p/eJVMzP-S

England's performance in the latest round of PISA tests was brilliant....... wasn't it? I mean, we rose up the rankings in maths, reading and science, so everything is going well....... isn't it? My new post on LinkedIn: lnkd.in/p/e9hJCK5n

I was delighted to chat with @tom-richmond.com again on his Inside Your Ed podcast. We talked all things PISA, why most countries are seeing declines in results and why England seems to be bucking that trend @theifs.bsky.social

England's performance in the latest round of PISA tests was brilliant....... wasn't it? I mean, we rose up the rankings in maths, reading and science, so everything is going well....... isn't it? My new post on LinkedIn: lnkd.in/p/e9hJCK5n

All three sentences from Stephen are spot on.

🚨NEW PODCAST🚨 What did we learn from England's latest PISA results? @lukesibieta.bsky.social from @theifs.bsky.social joins me to discuss whether England fared better or worse than 90 other countries in maths, reading and science. Listen here: insideyoured.com

In my latest podcast, Sam Gibbs explained why she thinks little progress will be made on improving teacher retention unless fundamental changes are made to teachers' daily lived experiences. Listen to the full episode here: insideyoured.com

In my latest podcast, Dr Haili Hughes said that there needs to be a greater focus on retaining experienced teachers, given the impact that their departure can have on pupils and schools. Listen to the full episode here: insideyoured.com