Editorial

Quintessentially Education has seen increased demand from both international and UK parents looking to avoid the stress of the 11+ for their children. It’s great to see our Head of Education, Jess Harris, sharing her expert insights with Absolutely Education, highlighting alternative avenues and schooling solutions designed to reduce stress for students and their families. 
 

Read the full interview here (page 72).

A Green Shoots and Grass Roots report found that many UK teenagers are more distressed by losing their phone than by detention or poor grades, highlighting strong emotional ties to devices and widespread use by age 16. While mental health is improving, especially among boys, girls and lower-income pupils continue to struggle, prompting calls for tailored support in schools. 
 

 The Carnegie Classification of Higher Education has introduced a new Institutional Classification as well as a Student Access and Earnings Classification for US higher education institutions. Nearly 500 US institutions are now recognised as ‘Opportunity Colleges and Universities’ which provide high access and strong post-graduation earnings. 

It’s great to see Jess Harris, our Head of Education, featured in Independent School Management (ISM) magazine. She shared her expert advice on what international HNW families look for when choosing a UK school for their children, and what schools can do to appeal to this audience. 

Read the full feature here (page 14). 

A website backed by the UK government, Starting Reception, has been launched to help parents understand the key skills children should develop before starting school, such as brushing their teeth twice a day and using cutlery. The campaign aims to improve school readiness across England by providing guidance and resources for families. 

Lomond School in Helensburgh, Scotland, has become the first in the UK to accept tuition fees in bitcoin, responding to requests from both local and international families. While all bitcoin payments will initially be converted into British pounds, the initiative is part of Lomond’s broader efforts to remain innovative and financially resilient. 

Harrow School is opening its first US campus in New York, with pupils to be admitted from September 2025. The school will offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum and will be open to both boys and girls. Other international campuses within the Harrow family of schools are located in Thailand, Hong Kong, mainland China and more. 

A national survey of 15,000 schools in England has found that 99.8% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools surveyed are enforcing some form of restriction on mobile phone use during school hours. The findings have renewed warnings of the harmful effects of mobile phone use on young people's wellbeing. 

University of Cambridge officials have voted to review its long-standing practice of automatically informing students of their ‘tripos’ exam rankings, as part of a broader effort to improve mental health. The reforms, supported by the students’ union, aim to promote a healthier work-life balance and include measures such as removing weekend lectures

It was great to see Jess Harris, our Head of Education, featured in FOCUS Magazine. She spoke about the importance of GCSE and A Level subject selection, deciding between A Levels and the IB Diploma, and exploring Foundation pathways to university, with a focus on international families relocating to the UK. 

 A study by the Sutton Trust found that 21% of UK state school pupils taking GCSEs in 2023 received private tutoring, a sharp increase from 10% in 2013. Once a rare phenomenon, tutoring is now widespread, with intensive revision camps in high demand during the school holidays. 

The National Audit Office (NAO) has advised that vocational qualifications such as BTECs should be retained until the effectiveness of T-levels, introduced in 2020, can be properly assessed. T-levels have seen lower than expected uptake, with only 25,000 students enrolled this year compared to over 270,000 studying BTecs and similar qualifications.

Ed Sheeran has written an open letter to UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, calling for a £250 million investment in music education across UK schools and community centres. The letter, co-signed by major artists including Elton John, Coldplay, and Stormzy, highlights a 21% decline in music provision in state schools and stresses the need for support and direct funding.  

The Department for Education has announced the introduction of a natural history GCSE, following more than a decade of campaigning by environmentalists. Education minister Catherine McKinnell said the qualification would equip pupils to “understand and respect the natural world” and contribute to its conservation. The government will consult on subject content later this year. 

Harvard University has announced that it will provide free tuition to families earning less than $200,000 a year, with additional support for those earning under $100,000. Other US institutions, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Pennsylvania, have adopted similar policies, and the change will begin in the 2025–26 academic year.