Jonathan Simons
@jonathansimons.bsky.social
Partner, Public First and Head of Education Practice. Education strategy + policy advisory. Former civil servant + think tanker. Occasional loud LFC. Centrist Dad, so naturally I also have a Substack.
I have to say, I find this letter completely baffling for a number of reasons:
Britain’s top scientists have written to the PM warning that the education system is holding back children and the country and expressing concern about the timidity of the government’s curriculum and assessment review @theobserveruk.bsky.social observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
Broken education system is holding back the young, top scientists warn PM | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 9, 2025 at 10:13 AM
I have to say, I find this letter completely baffling for a number of reasons:
Surprised how well #celebritytraitors worked, esp as one of the major designed asymmetries in the final - whether the original Traitors have recruited or not and therefore uncertainty over how many are left - couldn’t have happened. It *ought* to have made a very simple Faithful 3-2 Traitors ending
November 6, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Surprised how well #celebritytraitors worked, esp as one of the major designed asymmetries in the final - whether the original Traitors have recruited or not and therefore uncertainty over how many are left - couldn’t have happened. It *ought* to have made a very simple Faithful 3-2 Traitors ending
Too bloody right. One of the richest clubs in the world can pay for their own new stadium. Why on earth should taxpayer socialise costs and let the club and the owners take future profits?
i Sport: Old Trafford regeneration delayed by Chancellor’s U-turn ahead of budget #TomorrowsPapersToday
November 6, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Too bloody right. One of the richest clubs in the world can pay for their own new stadium. Why on earth should taxpayer socialise costs and let the club and the owners take future profits?
Staggering that Today cuts away live from the CX speaking, in a specifically chosen prime time slot, to ask two random Labour MPs what they think about is in the speech *that we can’t hear because they’ve cut away from it*
November 4, 2025 at 8:16 AM
Staggering that Today cuts away live from the CX speaking, in a specifically chosen prime time slot, to ask two random Labour MPs what they think about is in the speech *that we can’t hear because they’ve cut away from it*
Wonderful win for England’s women cricketers. Great to see on a day that had no other sport whatsoever to distract from it.
October 19, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Wonderful win for England’s women cricketers. Great to see on a day that had no other sport whatsoever to distract from it.
Another great real time thread from John on the DfE perm sec evidence. The below is simultaneously staggering, and not - why would DfE have this data? A great example of @rcolvile.bsky.social database state again - it’s much easier to implement things where data collection and segmentation exists
She says that the DfE doesn't have exact real time data on exactly which children don't have access to a device on the day a pandemic starts.
October 15, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Another great real time thread from John on the DfE perm sec evidence. The below is simultaneously staggering, and not - why would DfE have this data? A great example of @rcolvile.bsky.social database state again - it’s much easier to implement things where data collection and segmentation exists
This is a fascinating thread (albeit you may get slight PTSD remembering all of the issues from 5 years ago)
Former education secretary Sir Gavin Williamson is giving evidence to the Covid Inquiry today. Will be posting updates here. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y12M...
UK Covid-19 Inquiry Live Stream
YouTube video by UK Covid-19 Inquiry
www.youtube.com
October 14, 2025 at 7:11 PM
This is a fascinating thread (albeit you may get slight PTSD remembering all of the issues from 5 years ago)
Not even in retirement, but when we’re on holiday in the UK, I ask my kids to look up the details of tiny village primary schools we go past, and I see how full they are, and wonder about local economies, labour force, and school provision. My 12 yo is an expert navigator of the GIAS website.
WHAT?
WHAT?
What policy themed visitor trail would you do upon retirement? I would pilgrimage to visit the 100 Rishi Sunak outdoor chess sets around the country. I genuinely think it would be one of those fun random things that would take me to places I’d never otherwise go to
October 13, 2025 at 6:46 AM
Not even in retirement, but when we’re on holiday in the UK, I ask my kids to look up the details of tiny village primary schools we go past, and I see how full they are, and wonder about local economies, labour force, and school provision. My 12 yo is an expert navigator of the GIAS website.
WHAT?
WHAT?
Fair play for getting headlines out of dropping a mythical target for HE entry, briefing it as being anti HE, and in fact setting a new target for tertiary participation. Piss off the people who ought to be happy and make happy the people you want to irritate?
September 30, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Fair play for getting headlines out of dropping a mythical target for HE entry, briefing it as being anti HE, and in fact setting a new target for tertiary participation. Piss off the people who ought to be happy and make happy the people you want to irritate?
Big shift here - that’s about £5bn all in (and a big political priority) shifting from DfE to DWP
🚨Breaking: Apprenticeships will shift to the Department for Work and Pensions in the Whitehall skills policy shakeup, Jacqui Smith confirms
feweek.co.uk/dwp-will-tak...
feweek.co.uk/dwp-will-tak...
DWP will take over apprenticeships policy, minister confirms
Shifting adult skills and apprenticeships will give "bigger emphasis on skills", Jacqui Smith claims
feweek.co.uk
September 12, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Big shift here - that’s about £5bn all in (and a big political priority) shifting from DfE to DWP
Reposted by Jonathan Simons
Pet parrots which typically live alone (whilst those in the wild live in large flocks) were given the technology to call each other. They would use it for up to three hours a day, and developed favourite friends 💔
on.ft.com/3K05vhS
on.ft.com/3K05vhS
September 12, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Pet parrots which typically live alone (whilst those in the wild live in large flocks) were given the technology to call each other. They would use it for up to three hours a day, and developed favourite friends 💔
on.ft.com/3K05vhS
on.ft.com/3K05vhS
Reposted by Jonathan Simons
Has a technologist ever had a correct opinion about education?
Technologist Victor Riparbelli sees a future where students interact with AI avatars rather than read and write. We ask teachers and kids what they think and how they're using AI right now.
Will AI avatars eventually teach our kids?
Technologist Victor Riparbelli sees a future where students interact with AI avatars rather than read and write. We ask teachers and kids what they think and how they're using AI right now.
n.pr
September 7, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Has a technologist ever had a correct opinion about education?
My learned colleague reminds me that from 1995 to 2001 we had the department of education and employment, pre DWP…..
Dedicated uni minister coming I think. Skills white paper is, erm, now tricky. And a tertiary system seems a long way away right now…..
(Plus we’re almost certainly going to have funding for pre 16 and post 16 now split between DfE and DWP as funding agencies)
(Plus we’re almost certainly going to have funding for pre 16 and post 16 now split between DfE and DWP as funding agencies)
September 5, 2025 at 4:07 PM
My learned colleague reminds me that from 1995 to 2001 we had the department of education and employment, pre DWP…..
Dedicated uni minister coming I think. Skills white paper is, erm, now tricky. And a tertiary system seems a long way away right now…..
(Plus we’re almost certainly going to have funding for pre 16 and post 16 now split between DfE and DWP as funding agencies)
(Plus we’re almost certainly going to have funding for pre 16 and post 16 now split between DfE and DWP as funding agencies)
September 5, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Dedicated uni minister coming I think. Skills white paper is, erm, now tricky. And a tertiary system seems a long way away right now…..
(Plus we’re almost certainly going to have funding for pre 16 and post 16 now split between DfE and DWP as funding agencies)
(Plus we’re almost certainly going to have funding for pre 16 and post 16 now split between DfE and DWP as funding agencies)
Britain on verge of civil war: update
August 25, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Britain on verge of civil war: update
That debut was more Coventry Gyokeres than Sporting Gyokeres
August 17, 2025 at 4:52 PM
That debut was more Coventry Gyokeres than Sporting Gyokeres
That’s the quickest fight I’ve seen since AJ early days
August 16, 2025 at 9:34 PM
That’s the quickest fight I’ve seen since AJ early days
Of all the terrible AI forced on us, I think Meta AI on Facebook may be the absolute worst
August 16, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Of all the terrible AI forced on us, I think Meta AI on Facebook may be the absolute worst
You can hear them crying in Turin
August 15, 2025 at 8:49 PM
You can hear them crying in Turin
A brilliant example of both the age bifurcation in politics, but also why we shouldn’t treat all age viewpoints equally. I’m much more interested on this question on what 18-24 yos think (who unsurprisingly prefer HE) than what 50-64s and 65+ almost certainly mis-) think about it.
If you were turning 18 now, would you prefer to go to university or take some other career route?
Go to university: 35% (-6 from 2018)
Take some other career route: 53% (+9)
yougov.co.uk/topics/socie...
Go to university: 35% (-6 from 2018)
Take some other career route: 53% (+9)
yougov.co.uk/topics/socie...
August 14, 2025 at 3:38 PM
A brilliant example of both the age bifurcation in politics, but also why we shouldn’t treat all age viewpoints equally. I’m much more interested on this question on what 18-24 yos think (who unsurprisingly prefer HE) than what 50-64s and 65+ almost certainly mis-) think about it.
A review of Nick Gibb+Rob Peal's new book. I liked it. I am v sure many other people won't. Whether you do or don't like what he did, there's a lot to learn for anyone who cares about how edu policy is made, as well as explaining why Gibb did what he did jonathansimons.substack.com/p/welcome-ba...
August 11, 2025 at 8:36 PM
A review of Nick Gibb+Rob Peal's new book. I liked it. I am v sure many other people won't. Whether you do or don't like what he did, there's a lot to learn for anyone who cares about how edu policy is made, as well as explaining why Gibb did what he did jonathansimons.substack.com/p/welcome-ba...
Does anyone want to hire me as a penalty coach? Top tip, if you leather it, the keeper has less time to judge where it’s going to go…..
August 10, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Does anyone want to hire me as a penalty coach? Top tip, if you leather it, the keeper has less time to judge where it’s going to go…..
So far the #lfc pre season friendly has seen massive queues to get in pre kick off as they evacuated the stadium, followed by the whole Annie Road end running out of food by half way through the two games. Spectacularly well organised.
August 4, 2025 at 6:03 PM
So far the #lfc pre season friendly has seen massive queues to get in pre kick off as they evacuated the stadium, followed by the whole Annie Road end running out of food by half way through the two games. Spectacularly well organised.