Starmer’s education speech warned of school buildings starting to ‘crumble’
The Prime Minister suggested that Keir Starmer didn’t mention RAAC in a recent speech on education. Read
Fact checks
Education
We fact check and explain issues about schools, teacher shortages, childcare, universities, and qualifications.
Education
What do the figures on persistent absence from school show?
We’ve looked into the data after a series of claims regarding pupil absence rates in England were made on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. Read
Fact checks
Most international students enrolling in UK universities have to prove they’re proficient in English
Reform UK politician Alex Phillips claimed international students don’t have to pass an English proficiency test, but many are required to take one. Read
Fact checks
Education
Government figures don’t show 140,000 children were ‘completely missing’ from formal schooling last year
Labour MP Ian Mearns told us his claim was based on a Sky News report which said around 140,000 were “never in class”. But that’s not what the data shows, and both have corrected their claims. Read
Fact checks
Education
No evidence for MP’s claim 100,000 ‘ghost kids’ disappeared from school rolls in pandemic
Bob Seely MP made the claim during a debate in parliament. Read
Fact checks
Education
England has fewer teachers relative to the number of school pupils than in 2010
The government’s announcement that there are a record number of teachers is missing important context. Read
Fact checks
Education
School statistics don’t show 140,000 children ‘never came back’ after pandemic disruption
A figure quoted in the Sun by Baroness Karren Brady is the number of pupils who missed at least 50% of sessions last summer, not the number who’ve disappeared completely. Read
Fact checks
Education
The numbers behind the PM’s maths claims fact checked
We’ve dug into the figures behind Rishi Sunak’s claims about the negative impact of poor numeracy. Read
Fact checks
Education
Think tank figure does not show 100,000 children ‘never went back to school’ due to lockdown
Journalist Isabel Oakeshott twice claimed that 100,000 children left education permanently as a result of the pandemic. Read
Fact checks
Education
£95k average headteacher salary refers only to state secondary schools
The Daily Express repeated a claim made by education secretary Gillian Keegan last month about headteacher salaries, which failed to clarify the figure referred only to those in secondary schools Read
Fact checks
