By Sarah Presswood, Chair of Trustees – Early Years Alliance and Dr Anita Soni, School of Education The education secretary Gillian Keegan has said that she can’t guarantee the government’s free childcare pledge will be met on time. The staggered pledge is due to start in April 2024, with working parents of two-year-olds able to … Continue reading “Underfunding and Inequality: Unravelling the Two-Tiered Childcare Sector”
Author: Guest Editor
A New Start (again)
By Professor Joanne Murphy, Department of Management, Birmingham Business School So, Rishi Sunak and Leo Varadkar met in Belfast this week to herald another new start to the devolved Northern Ireland institutions. Good news, of course. Anything that brings closure to post Brexit volatility must be positive. Both governments, as guarantors of the Good Friday … Continue reading “A New Start (again)”
Labour’s U-Turn raises questions about whether its Green Plans can boost UK SMEs to reach Net Zero
By Dr Roshan Boojihawon, Department of Strategy and International Business, Birmingham Business School Labour’s commitment to “throw everything” at the UK’s net-zero transition and now doing a U-turn appears to amplify the ambivalence and confusion regarding the policy’s role in helping Net Zero transitions, particularly for SMEs. SMEs’ efforts to respond to the recent calls … Continue reading “Labour’s U-Turn raises questions about whether its Green Plans can boost UK SMEs to reach Net Zero”
Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week: Addressing the Systemic Roots of Violence Against Women
By Dr Julie Whiteman, Department of Marketing, Birmingham Business School Barely a day passes without a story of misogyny and its manifestation in some form of violence against women making headlines. Far too often these stories are – still – presented as isolated events, often attributed to industry and/or character specific cases. In the past … Continue reading “Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week: Addressing the Systemic Roots of Violence Against Women”
The Governance Myths that led to the Horizon Post Office Scandal
By James Blackmore-Wright, Birmingham Business School and Alice Moore, Department of Public Administration and Policy Sometimes, it takes a TV show, such as “Mr Bates vs the Post Office”, to challenge common myths, even in the face of obvious shortcomings. The massive failings that led to over 900 sub-postmasters being wrongfully prosecuted and others losing … Continue reading “The Governance Myths that led to the Horizon Post Office Scandal”
Revitalising Education: Addressing the Curriculum Gap for Students with Social, Emotional, Behavioural, and Mental Health Needs
By Dr Sarah Wall, Practitioner Tutor (SEBD), Disability, Inclusion and Special Needs Back in October, a BBC article reported that OfSTED rated a Birmingham school for boys with social, emotional, behavioural, and mental health (SEBMH), needs as inadequate in all areas. A key argument in the report was the lack of a curriculum for pupils … Continue reading “Revitalising Education: Addressing the Curriculum Gap for Students with Social, Emotional, Behavioural, and Mental Health Needs”
Christmas – a time for connections…
By Dr Anita Soni, School of Education and Megan Tucker, Community Worker, Newbigin Community Trust There is much to be said about the importance of connecting with other people. In particular, Christmas and the holiday period has a tendency to invoke images of people talking, laughing and connecting together. However, recent research has found that … Continue reading “Christmas – a time for connections…”
Does bus boarding disable young people?
By Dr Sarah Brooks-Wilson Lecturer in Criminology, Department of Social Policy, Sociology and Criminology Everyday life involves an abundance of services and journeys that change alongside individual circumstances. For example, most children visit educational establishments to learn, and in adulthood travel to workplaces to earn. Travel distance and route complexity from home to required destinations … Continue reading “Does bus boarding disable young people?”
Beyond the Numbers: A Holistic Approach to Section 114 Notices in English Local Government
By Dr Philip Whiteman Department of Public Administration and Policy Lecturer, School of Government In English local government, the issuance of a section 114 notice is often perceived as a dire financial omen, signalling a council’s descent into insolvency. While financial stability is undoubtedly a cornerstone of effective governance, it is crucial to recognize that … Continue reading “Beyond the Numbers: A Holistic Approach to Section 114 Notices in English Local Government”
Teacher wellbeing: focusing on supportive relationships
By Dr Kathryn Spicksley and Dr Anita Soni School of Education Education Support have just published their 2023 Teacher Wellbeing Index, and it doesn’t make for happy reading. 78 per cent of staff report feeling stressed, rising to 95 per cent of headteachers. 51 per cent of education staff reported difficulties sleeping or insomnia. In … Continue reading “Teacher wellbeing: focusing on supportive relationships “