Navigating Change in the Education Sector in 2025/2026
The UK education sector in 2025 finds itself at an inflection point, shaped by financial pressures, policy shifts, and the push for greater inclusion. Across primary, further, and higher education, the system is adapting to new challenges while trying to maintain quality and equity.
One prominent development is the creation of Skills England, a new agency designed to strengthen vocational training and better align skills provision with regional labour market needs. At the same time, colleges have warned that a recent pay recommendation will be unaffordable without extra support, highlighting ongoing tension between expectations for workforce investment and tight budgets. In higher education, institutions are confronting worrying financial trends. The regulator has signalled that some universities face heightened bankruptcy risk amid shrinking domestic and international student numbers and rising costs. Some universities are responding with structural change: for instance, the University of Kent and University of Greenwich plan to merge into a “super-university” grouping.
In schools, the inspection regime is evolving. Ofsted is piloting a new framework, and revised guidance in early years and SEND inspections has just been published. There is also growing scrutiny of school history curricula: a recent report found that many history lessons omit or marginalise women’s contributions. Meanwhile, the government is aiming to support underperforming schools through new regional improvement teams called RISE.
Amid all this, technology remains both a tool and a question. The government is promoting a “digital revolution” in classrooms, arguing that effective tech use can boost learning outcomes—but also that strong teacher training and infrastructure are essential. Meanwhile, in edtech circles, safety and oversight—especially for AI tools in lesson planning—are being actively studied.
The picture is complex: pressures on funding, workforce, curriculum, and regulation intersect in ways that offer opportunities and risks. What the education community needs now is thoughtful, collaborative implementation of reforms—so that change doesn’t overload the system but strengthens it.
