Jonathan Simons
@jonathansimons.bsky.social
Partner, Public First and Head of Education Practice. Education strategy + policy advisory. Former civil servant + think tanker. Occasional loud LFC. Centrist Dad, so naturally I also have a Substack.
This is all just smoke and mirrors, I want to see the numbers!
Sorry, just getting a head start on Bluesky wonk commentary this lunchtime
Sorry, just getting a head start on Bluesky wonk commentary this lunchtime
November 26, 2025 at 8:38 AM
This is all just smoke and mirrors, I want to see the numbers!
Sorry, just getting a head start on Bluesky wonk commentary this lunchtime
Sorry, just getting a head start on Bluesky wonk commentary this lunchtime
God love Test cricket
November 21, 2025 at 7:59 AM
God love Test cricket
Alarm set for 2am - see all the 🏏 lovers in a few hours….
November 20, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Alarm set for 2am - see all the 🏏 lovers in a few hours….
Great thread. But apart from this, there’s no issues
This has been my worry all along with the breakfast club nonsense. You can talk about funding all you like, the long and the short of it is that school leaders end up with another job on the list, another extension to their working day, and the job becomes ever harder...
And this is from DfE advice!
And this is from DfE advice!
November 20, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Great thread. But apart from this, there’s no issues
Reposted by Jonathan Simons
The BBC Scotland commentary for Kenny McLean’s halfway line goal is glorious. Stuff of dreams. 🔥
Congratulations #Scotland, see you at the World Cup.
Congratulations #Scotland, see you at the World Cup.
November 18, 2025 at 10:00 PM
The BBC Scotland commentary for Kenny McLean’s halfway line goal is glorious. Stuff of dreams. 🔥
Congratulations #Scotland, see you at the World Cup.
Congratulations #Scotland, see you at the World Cup.
Oh come on.
Tho I’m delighted that K+C has solved all serious problems in its borough, and therefore has spare resources for a stupid stunt
Tho I’m delighted that K+C has solved all serious problems in its borough, and therefore has spare resources for a stupid stunt
EXC: Kensington and Chelsea Council is investigating whether Lord Peter Mandelson committed an offence when he publicly urinated in the street last week
Kensington Council Investigating Peter Mandelson For Urinating In The Street
Exclusive: Kensington and Chelsea Council is investigating whether Lord Peter Mandelson committed an offence when he publicly urinated in the stree...
www.politicshome.com
November 17, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Oh come on.
Tho I’m delighted that K+C has solved all serious problems in its borough, and therefore has spare resources for a stupid stunt
Tho I’m delighted that K+C has solved all serious problems in its borough, and therefore has spare resources for a stupid stunt
Trying hard to imagine a meeting more awful than Trump meeting Infantino, and failing news.sky.com/story/trump-...
November 17, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Trying hard to imagine a meeting more awful than Trump meeting Infantino, and failing news.sky.com/story/trump-...
Reposted by Jonathan Simons
Strong "recently divorced dad trying to hit on much younger women" energy here.
November 14, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Strong "recently divorced dad trying to hit on much younger women" energy here.
Quite a contrast to the BlueSky consensus the last 24 hours
Do you think the government was right or wrong to decide not to raise income tax at the Budget?
Right: 58%
Wrong: 21%
yougov.co.uk/topics/polit...
Right: 58%
Wrong: 21%
yougov.co.uk/topics/polit...
November 14, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Quite a contrast to the BlueSky consensus the last 24 hours
Dear @britishairwaysque.bsky.social, when you put on a flight w a certain number of seats, and when people then buy those seats, and bring with them the hand luggage you allow them, please do not hector us that “the flight is very busy and we have no bag space”. You literally designed it this way!
November 14, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Dear @britishairwaysque.bsky.social, when you put on a flight w a certain number of seats, and when people then buy those seats, and bring with them the hand luggage you allow them, please do not hector us that “the flight is very busy and we have no bag space”. You literally designed it this way!
Reposted by Jonathan Simons
I understand there's a split within govt over how big the controversial new levy on international students should be
The q at the moment is whether it should be 6% or a £1,000 fee
Different depts & unis would favour one over the other....read more below👇
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
The q at the moment is whether it should be 6% or a £1,000 fee
Different depts & unis would favour one over the other....read more below👇
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Departments Split On Size Of International Student Levy
Exclusive: There is disagreement within the government over how big the new levy on international students should be.
www.politicshome.com
November 13, 2025 at 12:41 PM
I understand there's a split within govt over how big the controversial new levy on international students should be
The q at the moment is whether it should be 6% or a £1,000 fee
Different depts & unis would favour one over the other....read more below👇
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
The q at the moment is whether it should be 6% or a £1,000 fee
Different depts & unis would favour one over the other....read more below👇
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
I have to say, I find this letter completely baffling for a number of reasons:
Britain’s top scientists have written to the PM warning that the education system is holding back children and the country and expressing concern about the timidity of the government’s curriculum and assessment review @theobserveruk.bsky.social observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
Broken education system is holding back the young, top scientists warn PM | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 9, 2025 at 10:13 AM
I have to say, I find this letter completely baffling for a number of reasons:
Surprised how well #celebritytraitors worked, esp as one of the major designed asymmetries in the final - whether the original Traitors have recruited or not and therefore uncertainty over how many are left - couldn’t have happened. It *ought* to have made a very simple Faithful 3-2 Traitors ending
November 6, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Surprised how well #celebritytraitors worked, esp as one of the major designed asymmetries in the final - whether the original Traitors have recruited or not and therefore uncertainty over how many are left - couldn’t have happened. It *ought* to have made a very simple Faithful 3-2 Traitors ending
Too bloody right. One of the richest clubs in the world can pay for their own new stadium. Why on earth should taxpayer socialise costs and let the club and the owners take future profits?
i Sport: Old Trafford regeneration delayed by Chancellor’s U-turn ahead of budget #TomorrowsPapersToday
November 6, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Too bloody right. One of the richest clubs in the world can pay for their own new stadium. Why on earth should taxpayer socialise costs and let the club and the owners take future profits?
Staggering that Today cuts away live from the CX speaking, in a specifically chosen prime time slot, to ask two random Labour MPs what they think about is in the speech *that we can’t hear because they’ve cut away from it*
November 4, 2025 at 8:16 AM
Staggering that Today cuts away live from the CX speaking, in a specifically chosen prime time slot, to ask two random Labour MPs what they think about is in the speech *that we can’t hear because they’ve cut away from it*
Wonderful win for England’s women cricketers. Great to see on a day that had no other sport whatsoever to distract from it.
October 19, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Wonderful win for England’s women cricketers. Great to see on a day that had no other sport whatsoever to distract from it.
Another great real time thread from John on the DfE perm sec evidence. The below is simultaneously staggering, and not - why would DfE have this data? A great example of @rcolvile.bsky.social database state again - it’s much easier to implement things where data collection and segmentation exists
She says that the DfE doesn't have exact real time data on exactly which children don't have access to a device on the day a pandemic starts.
October 15, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Another great real time thread from John on the DfE perm sec evidence. The below is simultaneously staggering, and not - why would DfE have this data? A great example of @rcolvile.bsky.social database state again - it’s much easier to implement things where data collection and segmentation exists
This is a fascinating thread (albeit you may get slight PTSD remembering all of the issues from 5 years ago)
Former education secretary Sir Gavin Williamson is giving evidence to the Covid Inquiry today. Will be posting updates here. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y12M...
UK Covid-19 Inquiry Live Stream
YouTube video by UK Covid-19 Inquiry
www.youtube.com
October 14, 2025 at 7:11 PM
This is a fascinating thread (albeit you may get slight PTSD remembering all of the issues from 5 years ago)
Not even in retirement, but when we’re on holiday in the UK, I ask my kids to look up the details of tiny village primary schools we go past, and I see how full they are, and wonder about local economies, labour force, and school provision. My 12 yo is an expert navigator of the GIAS website.
WHAT?
WHAT?
What policy themed visitor trail would you do upon retirement? I would pilgrimage to visit the 100 Rishi Sunak outdoor chess sets around the country. I genuinely think it would be one of those fun random things that would take me to places I’d never otherwise go to
October 13, 2025 at 6:46 AM
Not even in retirement, but when we’re on holiday in the UK, I ask my kids to look up the details of tiny village primary schools we go past, and I see how full they are, and wonder about local economies, labour force, and school provision. My 12 yo is an expert navigator of the GIAS website.
WHAT?
WHAT?
Fair play for getting headlines out of dropping a mythical target for HE entry, briefing it as being anti HE, and in fact setting a new target for tertiary participation. Piss off the people who ought to be happy and make happy the people you want to irritate?
September 30, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Fair play for getting headlines out of dropping a mythical target for HE entry, briefing it as being anti HE, and in fact setting a new target for tertiary participation. Piss off the people who ought to be happy and make happy the people you want to irritate?
Big shift here - that’s about £5bn all in (and a big political priority) shifting from DfE to DWP
🚨Breaking: Apprenticeships will shift to the Department for Work and Pensions in the Whitehall skills policy shakeup, Jacqui Smith confirms
feweek.co.uk/dwp-will-tak...
feweek.co.uk/dwp-will-tak...
DWP will take over apprenticeships policy, minister confirms
Shifting adult skills and apprenticeships will give "bigger emphasis on skills", Jacqui Smith claims
feweek.co.uk
September 12, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Big shift here - that’s about £5bn all in (and a big political priority) shifting from DfE to DWP
Reposted by Jonathan Simons
Pet parrots which typically live alone (whilst those in the wild live in large flocks) were given the technology to call each other. They would use it for up to three hours a day, and developed favourite friends 💔
on.ft.com/3K05vhS
on.ft.com/3K05vhS
September 12, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Pet parrots which typically live alone (whilst those in the wild live in large flocks) were given the technology to call each other. They would use it for up to three hours a day, and developed favourite friends 💔
on.ft.com/3K05vhS
on.ft.com/3K05vhS
Reposted by Jonathan Simons
Has a technologist ever had a correct opinion about education?
Technologist Victor Riparbelli sees a future where students interact with AI avatars rather than read and write. We ask teachers and kids what they think and how they're using AI right now.
Will AI avatars eventually teach our kids?
Technologist Victor Riparbelli sees a future where students interact with AI avatars rather than read and write. We ask teachers and kids what they think and how they're using AI right now.
n.pr
September 7, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Has a technologist ever had a correct opinion about education?
My learned colleague reminds me that from 1995 to 2001 we had the department of education and employment, pre DWP…..
Dedicated uni minister coming I think. Skills white paper is, erm, now tricky. And a tertiary system seems a long way away right now…..
(Plus we’re almost certainly going to have funding for pre 16 and post 16 now split between DfE and DWP as funding agencies)
(Plus we’re almost certainly going to have funding for pre 16 and post 16 now split between DfE and DWP as funding agencies)
September 5, 2025 at 4:07 PM
My learned colleague reminds me that from 1995 to 2001 we had the department of education and employment, pre DWP…..
Dedicated uni minister coming I think. Skills white paper is, erm, now tricky. And a tertiary system seems a long way away right now…..
(Plus we’re almost certainly going to have funding for pre 16 and post 16 now split between DfE and DWP as funding agencies)
(Plus we’re almost certainly going to have funding for pre 16 and post 16 now split between DfE and DWP as funding agencies)
September 5, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Dedicated uni minister coming I think. Skills white paper is, erm, now tricky. And a tertiary system seems a long way away right now…..
(Plus we’re almost certainly going to have funding for pre 16 and post 16 now split between DfE and DWP as funding agencies)
(Plus we’re almost certainly going to have funding for pre 16 and post 16 now split between DfE and DWP as funding agencies)