Author
Jonathan Simons
Head of education, Public First
Jonathan is Director of Education at Public First.
21 pieces
Newest first, since May 2015 · page 1 of 2
· Comment
The Green win in Gorton and Denton signals a shift to the left for Labour
Jonathan Simons argues that a Green surge in key constituencies could increase the political salience of higher education issues
· Comment
The Jacqui Smith doctrine
As the dust settles on Labour’s annual conference, Jonathan Simons has scried an emerging policy agenda – and even come up with an acronym for it
· Comment
The government must mitigate the risks of a university going under
If a university goes bust, the implications both for students and the public could be disastrous. Jonathan Simons and Jess Lister call for a three stage process to address the risk of chaotic failure
With Jess Lister
· Comment
The political argument over international students is about much more than the economy
Policymakers do appreciate the contribution of international students – they just care about other things as well. Jonathan Simons breaks down the politics and asks what the HE sector can do about it
· Comment
We still don’t know what happens when a large university runs out of money
There’s been a lot of talk about market exit – but, as Jess Lister and Jonathan Simons explain, still no clarity on exactly what safeguards would be in place for the interests of students, the locality, and the nation
With Jess Lister
· Comment
In its response to HE reform the sector is falling into a trap of its own making
Jonathan Simons is frustrated at the higher education sector’s defensive response to government measures on quality
· Comment
The politics of a graduate loan write-off
Could Biden’s student loan write-offs really be replicated in England? Jonathan Simons thinks through the politics and the likely pushback.
· Comment
How higher education became an issue of identity
As ministers go after the Race Equality Charter, Jonathan Simons explains why it serves the government to push identity issues in fighting the culture war
· Comment
After all the hope and fear over Augar, the sector now has something solid to work with
On the funding settlement for HE the DfE ministerial team deserves credit for navigating an unpalatable set of options, argue Rachel Wolf and Jonathan Simons
With Rachel Wolf
· Comment
Who is John Blake and why was he chosen to lead a new agenda for access & participation?
As a new Director for Fair Access and Participation is unveiled alongside guidance to OfS, Jonathan Simons explains his background and mandate.
· Comment
Is the sector really back in the government’s good books?
More money for university capacity seems out of character for a government keener to expand other post compulsory routes. But for Public First’s Jonathan Simons, this may not be a change in policy
· Comment
We must not abandon widening participation this year
With the pandemic upending this year’s A levels and university entry, Jonathan Simons argues that hard-fought progress on WP and equality could be lost.
· Comment
Will the next PM take the Augar report seriously?
In the lead up to a Tory leadership contest, Jonathan Simons challenges the sector to think about the Augar report in wider political context.
· Comment
Grammar Schools? Select no
Jonathan Simons of Public First, says HEPI doesn’t make a convincing case for selection at 11, but that selective universities and sixth forms are perfectly fine.
· People
HE Power List 2016: The Brexit big hitters
The odds and ends of Brexit will define the fate of the UK higher education sector in the coming years. Jonathan Simons examines the key players who hold the power and offers advice on how they can be influenced.
· Comment
Universities don’t need to be eaten up by the Education Department
Jonathan Simons of Policy Exchange argues that universities actually stand to do quite well from their move to the Department for Education – if they play their cards right.
· Comment
Universities should spend their cashable reserves
Continuing the debate started by their report published on Monday, Jonathan Simons responds to the critics – and argues universities do indeed have reserves which could be used if policy and funding is rebalanced to save
· Comment
Time to rebalance funding from universities to technical education
To mark the publication of a new report from Policy Exchange, its Head of Education sets out why it’s right to cut HE in favour of FE and give technical education a renewed boost.
· Comment
Universities continue to defy gravity
After George Osborne’s Budget, Jonathan Simons assesses the settlement for universities, who despite all other policies have defied gravity to secure a generous settlement – albeit with some strings and caveats.
· Analysis
Finally understanding the RAB charge
Johnathan Simons digests Andrew McGettigan’s new HEPI pamphlet which is the authoritative word on how student loan debt is treated in accounting terms by the government. And as important as his findings, are the many que