News and expert comment on public policy and finance

Education features

Heads you win?As the new term approaches, Education Secretary Michael Gove is rushing through more free schools and academies. But will independence from local authority control and putting head teachers back in charge improve schools in the way he claims? Conor Ryan investigates 01 September 2011
All in this together?Talk of shared services is nothing new, but now it is increasingly turning into action as public bodies seek to find savings without harming services. While a few pioneers are making headlines, experts are warning that sharing is not a quick-fix option 01 May 2011
Through a glass, lightlyShould the public sector start drowning its sorrows as the cuts kick in? Doom merchants certainly seem to think so. But perhaps in reality the glass is half full and not half empty. Tony Travers finds some reasons to be cheerful 18 November 2010
Unhappy returnsAs the new term starts, the education secretary faces some tough tests, not least from the Treasury. Conor Ryan tracks how the coalition's star pupil became a struggling low achiever 09 September 2010
Outside inThe government's tough austerity measures could create a potential bonanza for outsourcing firms as the public sector looks to cut costs in education, health, local government and police services. But this will also bring serious risks and challenges, as Alison Moore discovers 29 July 2010
The balance sheetThings really did get better under New Labour. But now we need a new settlement for progressive politics and public service reform, say Lisa Harker and Carey Oppenheim 07 July 2010
New schools of thoughtLabour and the Tories are squaring up for the coming election battles over education, and are scathing about each other's plans. But how much of this is posturing and how much substance? Conor Ryan investigates 11 February 2010
A decade in denialThe past ten years have seen the economy go from boom to bust, and the public finances spiral out of control. Tony Travers relives a decade of war, terrorism and financial collapse and asks, is it time to face facts? 10 December 2009
Dealing with (even more) debt - online debateThe nation's ever-expanding fiscal gap was examined recently in a video debate organised by PricewaterhouseCoopers and chaired by Public Finance editor Mike Thatcher and asks, is it time to face facts? 10 December 2009
And then there were noneForget the bonfire of the quangos, it's managers and back-office staff who are in politicians' line of fire now. But can layers of 'bureaucrats' really be taken out without harming services on the front line? 23 October 2009
Learning to shareSchools Secretary Ed Balls claims he can cut £2bn from the education budget. So how is he going to do it, asks Conor Ryan 08 October 2009
Fit for special purpose?Public bodies run costly risks when they use the Private Finance Initiative, argues Matthew Dillon. Managing special purpose companies is one of the most obvious 01 October 2009
Promises, promisesWhatever happened to that brave new political dawn? Things really did get better but, as New Labour gathers for its last conference before the election, the public couldn't be less grateful. Demos's Jamie Bartlett explains what went wrong 25 September 2009
Higher anxietyThe good news is that record numbers of young people are applying for degree courses. The bad news is that higher education does not have enough funding and some universities are at financial risk. Stephen Court reports 03 September 2009
Blue school thinkingThis could be the last academic year under a Labour government. So what would the future hold under a Conservative administration? Conor Ryan interviewed shadow schools secretary Michael Gove to find out 30 July 2009