What matters in education?

Jointly hosted by IOE and the ESRC Education Research Programme (ERP), the ‘What matters in education?’ panel discussions will spark new thinking across education, social research and the wider social sciences on how research, policy and practice can most productively interact.

Upcoming events

More events to be announced soon, sign up to be notified of the next event.

A mix of speakers from research, policymaker, public, professional or third and private sector backgrounds will consider an educational topic that matters for different stakeholder groups: parents, families and pupils as well as practitioners, policymakers and researchers. 

Speakers will reflect on what they know and understand about that issue from their own working context. Audience Q&A will clarify differences in approach, knowledge gaps that need to be filled and an agenda for educational change that would benefit from partnership working.

Past events

• Technology and Classroom Practice: what needs to change – 12 November 2025, 5:30pm–7:00pm
• Addressing key issues in teacher recruitment and retention: findings from two ERP projects – 8 October 2025, 5:30pm–7:00pm
• Developing pedagogies in early years and primary school settings: opportunities and challenges – 26 June 2025, 5:30pm–7:00pm
• How to build resilient schools: place-based approaches to supporting teachers and leaders – 19 May 2025, 5:30pm–7:00pm
• The Curriculum Review: What works, what’s missing, what’s next? – 17 March 2025, 5:30pm–7:00pm
• Education in a broken welfare state – the role schools play in supporting their communities – 09 December 2024, 5:30pm–7:00pm
• Democratic decision-making in English education: whose voices count? – 9 October 2024, 5:30pm–7:00pm
• More or less technology in the classroom – the value and purposes of technology use in school – Tuesday 16 July 2024, 5:30pm–7:00pm
• Education after the election: priorities for change – Tuesday 25 June 2024, 5:30pm–7:00pm
• Investing in the Early Years: priorities and challenges – Tuesday 26 March 2024, 5:30pm–7:00pm
• Pupil absence: Questions for policy, for research and in practice – Monday 22 January 2024, 5:30pm–7:00pm
• Practical policies or bright ideas? How particular topics get to the front of the policy queue – Thursday 19 October 2023, 5:30pm–7:00pm
• Teacher recruitment, retention and development – rethinking policy and practice priorities – Monday 3 July 2023, 5:30pm–7:30pm

The ESRC Education Research Programme 2021–26