Teacher workload in Scotland: Challenges to sustainability

This blog post examines influences on teacher wellbeing and professional sustainability in Scotland’s education system. The Teacher Workload Research Project (Hulme et al., 2024), funded by...

The Seven ‘C’s of Why: Youth workers’ questions about digital practice

In this blog post I reflect on a collaborative research project that explored youth workers’ knowledge, skills and attitudes towards digital practice. Youth work in the UK is a profession guided...

A new national curriculum: Better learning principles and practices

The new UK Labour government, elected in 2024, almost immediately commissioned a Curriculum and Assessment Review, with the intention of developing a broader, cutting-edge curriculum in England...

Curriculum in a Changing World: Podcast Series

We’re excited to announce the release of a new podcast series inspired by the BERA 50th anniversary publication Curriculum in a Changing World: 50 think pieces on education, policy, practice,...

Challenges for climate change and sustainability education in England: Reflections on teachers’ practices and priorities for policymakers

Climate Change and Sustainability Education (CCSE), including school-based education, is widely understood as a vital response to the triple environmental crises of climate change, biodiversity...

The politics of handwriting: What is the purpose of prescriptive handwriting lessons in 2024?

How often do you handwrite and for what purpose? Perhaps you’ll write a birthday card, notes or a shopping list. No matter the context, is there a need for handwriting to be perfect? In English...

Beyond employability: Rethinking the purpose of higher education

Higher education has traditionally been regarded as a path to stable employment (OECD, 2021). While this is still true for some countries, for others, economic changes and labour market saturation...

Research Intelligence is seeking a Book Feature Editor

This opportunity is now closed. Research Intelligence is seeking a Book Feature Editor BERA has an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic academic editor who will co-manage the book feature...

How a tertiary education system could transform access and progression: Learners need diverse routes, not just the high jump

The Labour Party is in government again and education underpins its opportunity mission. Policy appears to be focused on curriculum, assessment and inspection reform in schools (see DfE, 2024;...

Potential pathways towards an integrated tertiary education system in England

This BERA Blog special issue examines possible futures for tertiary education in England and the challenges that are faced by policymakers, institutional leaders, educators and researchers in...

We need a revolution in the primary curriculum for England, not an evolution

Curriculum: Theory, policy and practice

Like many headteachers in the state sector, I was excited in 2024 when the newly elected Labour government called for a curriculum and assessment review. Many of us in the primary phase (ages...

Curriculum making: A brief history and future directions

Curriculum: Theory, policy and practice10 years of the BERA Blog

The term ‘curriculum making’ is becoming increasingly common in educational policy and practice. It is a concept with a long tradition in curriculum studies, going back to the foundational...