REST IN POWER Claudette Colvin 09.05.1939-01.13.2026
I am saddened to hear of the passing of a civil rights leader and former constituent, Claudette Colvin.
At just 15, she refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus, serving as a catalyst for the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the end of segregation.
Rest in power, Claudette🕊️
Set out six months ago to investigative some dubious evictions. Ended up writing a sprawling story spread over 450 years about London property deals, the ethics of money lending, Tommy Robinson, Barbary pirates, Jacobean earls, and wealth in the capital. www.londoncentric.media/p/henry-smit...
One of the reasons that emergence of ‘cold spots’ of subject provision matters: 52% of 18 year olds from the most disadvantaged backgrounds (the most deprived quintile in the Indices of Multiple Deprivation) plan to live at home when they go the university
www.thetimes.com/article/22cc...
Out for the Count: my SKETCH of James Cartlidge failing at DPMQs so spectacularly that he managed to overshadow David Lammy's TREASONOUS lack of a poppy.
Great to publish the Curriculum and Assessment Review this morning
Access our Theory of Change Builder – a free online tool that makes developing a theory of change simpler, clearer, and more consistent.
Start building today: toc-builder.taso.org.uk
What does the 'post-16 education and skills white paper' mean for equality in education?
Read @omaromalleykhan.bsky.social reflections – welcoming its focus on evidence & inequality, and urging that progress be measured by how far reforms close access & success gaps.
taso.org.uk/news-blog/ev...
Are you a graduate who started their university journey in the first years of the 9K fees? If so, please consider contributing to this important research project lead by my colleague Farhana Ghaffar
Promotional banner for TASO’s paid-for training series. The text reads: ‘Autumn Evaluation Essentials: Communicating evidence through data visualisation. Book your place.’ The background has a gradient of dark blue to teal with a lightbulb icon on the top right.
Make your data speak – because evidence only drives change when people understand it.
Join us on 27 Nov (10:00–16:00, online) for 'Communicating evidence through data visualisation' and learn how to tell stories effectively.
Book: www.tickettailor.com/events/taso/...
Blue and green gradient graphic reading ‘Partner Announcement. Evaluating activities to support students with their transition into higher education.’ The background shows students sitting and studying outdoors, with a turquoise icon of a university building on the right and a white TASO logo on the left.
TASO is partnering with @niesrorg.bsky.social & @veriangroup.com, @uniofleicester.bsky.social, Middlesex Uni, & @uniofnottingham.bsky.social to evaluate activities that support students’ transition into higher education.
Learn about the interventions: taso.org.uk/news-blog/ev...
WATCH THIS: The most amazing thing about this remarkable 2002 car commercial is that it didn’t seem to realize at the time, or perhaps didn’t care, how effectively it made the point that cars and car infrastructure are a HUGE waste of space in cities. Award-winning 2002 ad for Saturn car company.
Because we know Badenoch is always very slow to condemn, keen to de-escalate and reluctant to judge people.
Graphic with a blue-to-green gradient background. The TASO logo appears at the top, followed by the word 'NEW ONLINE TOOL' in green text. Below, large white text reads 'Theory of Change Builder.' At the bottom right is a turquoise cube icon made up of three stacked wireframe blocks.
TASO has launched the Theory of Change Builder – a new digital tool to help higher ed providers plan and evaluate widening participation interventions. Map activities, link outcomes, and build evidence-based plans with ease.
taso.org.uk/news-blog/dy...
In our latest blog post, Mikayla Boginsky, TASO Research Officer, reviews a decade of UCAS results day trends, exploring the lasting impacts of COVID-19 on higher education acceptances and entry rates by disadvantage and region.
Read the post: taso.org.uk/news-blog/uc...
An old colour picture postcard showing solid nineteenth century faux medieval buildings around a quadrangle. Printed top right in red script is St John's College, York
Here's a #HigherEducationPostcard of York St John University, @yorkstjohn.bsky.social
This was the men's college, (1841), which merged with the parallel women's college, (1846), and became a university in 2006
If you like this image, please retweet it - remember, BlueSky has #NoAlgorithm
Bar chart titled "Young people were less likely to enter higher education if they had experience of children’s social care". It shows higher education entry rates for young people born in the academic year 1998–99: Care leavers: 14% Ever in care: 14% Ever on a child protection plan: 16% Child in need > 6 months: 18% Child in need < 6 months: 29% Free school meal population: 39% General population: 56% Source: TASO (2025), Pathways into and through higher education for young people with experience of children’s social care. Logos for the Rees Centre and TASO appear at the bottom right.
Latest report reveals deep HE inequalities for care-experienced young people.
🔹 4x less likely to attend uni
🔹 Higher dropout rates
🔹 Later/lower entry routes
Key recs: taso.org.uk/libraryitem/...
Two uncomfortable truths with the Lucy Connolly story:
1. Suspect the right are missing how deeply authoritarian the British public are. They tend to *like* these laws and sentences.
2. Most of the British political class liked them too, until they were applied to a middle class white woman.
Looking forward to it!
"Katwala's paradox of racism"
In a demonstrably less prejudiced society (attitudes shifted, esp across generations), I am in receipt of much more racism
Minorities in 2020s have more equal opps than ever before - esp at very top - yet an increasingly unequal experience of more equal opportunities
Our entire political culture is rooted in being so angry that money might go to those who aren't in need, that we're willing to suffer deprivation among those who are.
Could some of this have anything to do with the expansion of higher education? That age group in HE live with their friends very often.
I undertook some analysis of data from the National Pupil Database, linked with the Higher Education Statistics Agency, which I've published in my recent Data Insight publication for ADR UK...
From RCTs to QEDs and matching techniques, @robsummers0.bsky.social, Research Manager at TASO, explores how we can estimate both actual outcomes and the counterfactual—what would have happened without the intervention.
Read the post: taso.org.uk/news-blog/es...
Struggling to create a theory of change? TASO’s upcoming tool will guide you step-by-step—from the initial idea to a fully developed Enhanced ToC.
Find out more in our latest blog post: taso.org.uk/news-blog/ho...
I am American, born in NYC. I've been asked 'when was I naturalized', taken into secondary security 10+ times, including with my 3 month old child. I have been held for 90 minutes for refusing to provide my IMEI to track my phone last time Trump was elected. They will target citizens next.
'Young people were less likely to enter higher education if they had experience of children’s social care’ graph. A horizontal bar chart titled 'Young people were less likely to enter higher education if they had experience of children’s social care.' The chart presents higher education entry rates for young people born in the academic year 1998-99, categorised by social care experience. The categories, from lowest to highest entry rates, are: 'Care leavers' (14%), 'Ever in care' (14%), 'Ever had child protection plan' (16%), 'Child in need (> 6 months)' (18%), 'Child in need (< 6 months)' (29%), 'Child eligible for free school meals' (39%), and 'General population' (56%). The bars representing individuals with social care experience are in dark blue, while the general population and children eligible for free school meals are shown in light blue. The source is cited as 'TASO (2025), Pathways into and through higher education for young people with experience of children’s social care.
Our report, published today, presents research by the @reescentre.bsky.social that finds that young people are less likely to enter higher education if they had experience of children’s social care
taso.org.uk/libraryitem/...
Graphic titled 'REPORT: Pathways into and through higher education for young people with experience of children’s social care.'
Young people with experience of children’s social care face barriers to entering and succeeding in higher education.
Find out more in this TASO & @reescentre.bsky.social report: ‘Pathways into & through higher education for young people with experience of social care’.
taso.org.uk/libraryitem/...
Graphic design job vacancy announcement for a Research Officer position at TASO. The background features an image of numerous graduates wearing caps and gowns overlaid with a blue-green gradient. The TASO logo is displayed in white at the top left corner. The word 'VACANCY' appears in uppercase green letters, followed by the main text in large white font reading, 'We're hiring: Research Officer.' In the bottom right corner, there is a green outline icon of a briefcase.
We're hiring a Research Officer at TASO!
Help tackle equality gaps in higher ed through evidence-based practice. Work on impact evaluations, research, & collaboration with universities.
Hybrid (London, 2 days in-office)
£36,383 + benefits
Deadline: 10 March
Apply now: taso.org.uk/vacancy/rese...
