CEER Publications
The Publications are organised in four groups:
A-Level Prospects 2025: Stable Once More?
CEER, August 2025
In 2024 A-level results rose even though the stated policy was for them to return to pre-pandemic levels. There were substantial increases in top grades of 14,200 A*s and 21,300 A*/As. The likely reasons for the increase are set to continue. But, ultimately, the regulators can set the grades where they want them. It could well be, however, that last years’ results were the beginning of a new norm, with more top grades than before.
Download: A-Level Prospects 2025: Stable Once More?
GCSE Prospects 2025: Back to Normal?
CEER, August 2025
The 2025 results are likely to continue the ‘new normal’, with more top grades than pre-Covid. In 2024 there were an extra 61,900. Girls dominated, with boys ahead in just five, all quantitative, of the 47 subject areas. Top grades ranged from over 70% to zero. The lowest scorers were the former GNVQs leaving T-levels without a platform to build on. English and Maths were also low scorers mainly due to compulsory re-sits. Of national concern is that 10% of 16-year-olds were not in Year 11, many just not turning up.
Download: GCSE Prospects 2025: Back to Normal?
Education in The Conservative Effect 2010-2024: 14 Wasted Years? (Eds. Anthony Seldon and Tom Egerton)
pp 157-204, Cambridge University Press, June 2024.
In education, the years were far from wasted. The first schools ministers – Gove and Gibb– had shadowed their posts for at least three years and during their time in office successfully worked towards rounding off the reforms of successive governments since the mid-1980s. Not everything worked: teacher shortages persisted; Ofsted was overloaded; and buildings were neglected. But Gove and Gibb succeeded in achieving their core aim of making England’s schools world class. After they left, however, there was considerable churn, and the department lost its way.
Are Schools Failing Boys?
Buckingham: CEER, January 2022
Boys are getting poorer results, on average, at all levels of education. This has been known for some time, but little has been done about it. It appears that many boys are not developing to their full potential. The seriousness of the issue is such that it calls for a major national inquiry.
Download: Are Schools Failing Boys?
Where Next for Apprenticeships 2016
CIPD, August 2016
In a policy report of the Chartered Institute for Personnel Development edited by Tess Lanning, Alan Smithers argues that the introduction of national apprenticeship qualifications would turn the government’s hopes for the new apprenticeships into reality.
Download: Where Next for Apprenticeships 2016 (PDF).
Social Disadvantage and Widening Access to Universities
Buckingham: CEER, November 2015
Achievement in higher education is not uniformly spread across the various sections of society. Females, those from higher income backgrounds, those from more affluent neighbourhoods, and those who are white, gain proportionally more good degrees. Universities face a dilemma: to admit on excellence or representativeness.
Download: Social Disadvantage and Widening Access to Universities (PDF).
HEFCE’s Blunder
Buckingham: CEER, November 2015
HEFCE has made a crucial error in its latest report on degree outcomes. It states that 82% of those getting firsts or upper-seconds in 2013-14 came from state schools against 73 per cent from independent schools, whereas the analysis actually shows the reverse to be the case.
Download: HEFCE’s Blunder (PDF)
The Coalition Effect, 2010-2015
Edited by Anthony Seldon and Mike Finn, Cambridge University Press, pages 257-289, March 2015
The government rushed to unsettling reforms of education but was given an ‘easy ride’ by Labour. Michael Gove’s departure left a lot of unfinished business on academies, qualifications, apprenticeships and fair funding. A new Conservative-led government is very likely to see these through. But what Labour would do is far from clear since so far it has offered only bits and pieces.
Download: The Coalition Effect, 2010-2015 (PDF)
The Ins and Outs of Selective Secondary Schools
London: Civitas, pages 194-205, March 2015
There has to be selection in education since people differ greatly in their talents, interests and aspirations. Fifteen would be a good age allowing for an array of interconnected three-year pathways across the academic and occupational.