• Research Briefing

    Higher Education and Research Bill 2016 [Bill No 004 of 2016-17]

    This paper has been written for the House of Commons Second Reading debate on the Higher Education and Research Bill 2016. The Bill brings forward a range of measures to increase competition and choice in the higher education sector, raise standards and strengthen capabilities in UK research and innovation. The Bill implements the legislative proposals in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) White Paper, Success as a Knowledge Economy: Teaching, Social Mobility and Student Choice and in Sir Paul Nurse’s report, Ensuring a successful UK research endeavour: A Review of the UK Research Councils by Paul Nurse, November 2015. The Bill will establish a new body the Office for Students, create a single route into the higher education sector, create alternative payments for students and make changes to UK research infrastructure.

  • Research Briefing

    Every School an Academy: The White Paper Proposals

    This House of Commons Library briefing discusses the Government's proposals to convert all state-funded schools in England to academy status. It sets out the relevant proposals in the Education White Paper, the reaction that has followed the announcement, and also provides information on academy performance

  • Research Briefing

    Reform of the Disabled Students’ Allowance in England

    This briefing gives details of the new Disabled Students' Allowances which were announced on 2 December 2015, the changes will come into effect in 2016/17. The changes aim to improve value for money and rebalance the distribution of responsibility for disabled students between HEIs and the Government. The briefing gives details of the new system, highlights issues and contains comment, it follows on from library briefing paper SN/SP/6013, Changes to the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA), 14 October 2014.

  • Research Briefing

    Converter Academies: Statistics

    The Government introduced the Academies Bill at the end of May 2010. The Academies Act 2010 came into force in time to allow the first converter academies to start in September 2010. The legislation streamlined the process of converting to an academy and also allowed primary and special schools to become academies. Up to the start of September 2015 a total of 3,420 schools had converted to become academies and a further 782had applied for conversion. Secondary schools dominated the first two years of conversions, but since then more primaries have converted and now a majority of all converter academies are primary schools. A greater proportion of secondaries have converted; currently 41%. The secondary schools which have converted so far had free school meal eligibility rates around half the national average.

  • Research Briefing

    Education and Adoption Bill

    This paper considers the background and reaction to, and the provisions of, the Education and Adoption Bill which proposes new powers in relation to converting school judged "inadequate" to academy status, the academy conversion process and intervention powers and the reaction to them, and the establishment of regional adoption agencies. Sections 5 to 7 were added to this paper on 14 September 2015, to cover the Bill's Second Reading and Commons Committee Stages. Sections 1 to 5 of the note remain as originally published on 17 June 2015, and have not been updated.

  • Research Briefing

    HE in England from 2012: Student numbers

    New students starting higher education in England in 2012 faced higher tuition fees, potentially higher loan interest rates and longer loan durations. The Government has also introducing a new ‘core and margin’ model which introduces an element of competition into the allocation of student numbers between institutions. The impact of these changes on potential students and student numbers is seen as one key test of the success of the Government’s reforms to higher education in England. The number of new fell in 2012 as it did when fees were first introduced and then raised in the past. Any long term change to student numbers would also have important implications for the financial health of the higher education sector and the UK economy.

  • Research Briefing

    Weathering a storm of extremes

    Spring 2014 is expected to be the third warmest on record, beaten only by 2007 and 2011. After what has seemed like more than our fair share of extreme weather in the recent past – floods, storms, cold snaps etc. – the more temperate conditions this spring hardly seem to be record breaking or extreme.

  • Research Briefing

    Accidentally reshaping the higher education sector?

    Many different groups expressed concern at the time that the 2012 HE reforms in England, £9,000 fees, liberalising student numbers and loan repayment changes, would deter potential students, particularly those from poorer and non-traditional backgrounds. The evidence so far suggests that after a dip in 2012 full-time first degree entrant numbers have recovered and application

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