Tim Durrant
@timdurrant.bsky.social
Programme Director at the Institute for Government - interested in how government works and how it can work better
🏳️🌈
🏳️🌈
the thought of combing teeth makes me grimace
November 7, 2025 at 12:04 PM
the thought of combing teeth makes me grimace
not gonna lie, took me a while!
November 7, 2025 at 12:04 PM
not gonna lie, took me a while!
Also, is it really just called the Independent Football Regulator? IFR? Boring.
OFFSIDE was right there - the Office for Football Sustainability, Independence, Development and Excellence?
OFFSIDE was right there - the Office for Football Sustainability, Independence, Development and Excellence?
November 7, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Also, is it really just called the Independent Football Regulator? IFR? Boring.
OFFSIDE was right there - the Office for Football Sustainability, Independence, Development and Excellence?
OFFSIDE was right there - the Office for Football Sustainability, Independence, Development and Excellence?
And this is classic isn't it - English policymakers forgetting about similar questions in the devolveds? Surely not!
November 5, 2025 at 12:15 PM
And this is classic isn't it - English policymakers forgetting about similar questions in the devolveds? Surely not!
You know I'm not an education person ha. Gibb in his book focuses on England's improved placement in the PISA and PIRLS assessments - the latter for primary age reading. But my point is more about the politics than the policy - they didn't "win the argument" in the way they sometime claim
November 5, 2025 at 12:14 PM
You know I'm not an education person ha. Gibb in his book focuses on England's improved placement in the PISA and PIRLS assessments - the latter for primary age reading. But my point is more about the politics than the policy - they didn't "win the argument" in the way they sometime claim
... which makes this work an interesting case study in how you drive, and then secure, change in public services from government
November 5, 2025 at 10:53 AM
... which makes this work an interesting case study in how you drive, and then secure, change in public services from government
Anyway, I'm currently reading Gibb's book, Reforming Lessons, in which he sets out his frustration with the "progressivist educational establishment" and details the ways he sought to improve standards in England's schools. I assume he's not impressed with this review or the govt's plans...
November 5, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Anyway, I'm currently reading Gibb's book, Reforming Lessons, in which he sets out his frustration with the "progressivist educational establishment" and details the ways he sought to improve standards in England's schools. I assume he's not impressed with this review or the govt's plans...
...OTOH, that piece also says the government wants to introduce a new year 8 reading test, not quite what the review recommends - but similar to Gibb's phonics check, a way for government to hold schools to account on the standards they want to see. So some things carried over from the last govt?
November 5, 2025 at 10:53 AM
...OTOH, that piece also says the government wants to introduce a new year 8 reading test, not quite what the review recommends - but similar to Gibb's phonics check, a way for government to hold schools to account on the standards they want to see. So some things carried over from the last govt?
...But clearly those ministers struggled to convince everyone of the merits of their reforms, because this review is now seeking to unwind some of them. Does something really count as a success, if it doesn't outlast your time in office?...
November 5, 2025 at 10:53 AM
...But clearly those ministers struggled to convince everyone of the merits of their reforms, because this review is now seeking to unwind some of them. Does something really count as a success, if it doesn't outlast your time in office?...
...those education reforms are closely associated with Michael Gove, SoS 2010-14, and Nick Gibb, schools minister for much of the last Conservative(-led) period, and are often cited as one of that government's biggest, lasting changes and successes...
November 5, 2025 at 10:53 AM
...those education reforms are closely associated with Michael Gove, SoS 2010-14, and Nick Gibb, schools minister for much of the last Conservative(-led) period, and are often cited as one of that government's biggest, lasting changes and successes...
... hopefully it learns useful lessons that ministers, officials, public servants and others can put into practice next time something like this happens for real!
November 5, 2025 at 9:52 AM
... hopefully it learns useful lessons that ministers, officials, public servants and others can put into practice next time something like this happens for real!