Dani Payne

Dani Payne, a senior researcher at the Social Market Foundation, dives into the UK’s educational landscape amidst political turmoil. She discusses the challenges teachers face due to evolving government policies and funding constraints, as well as ongoing disparities in educational attainment. The conversation spotlights the impacts of VAT on state schools and examines the urgency for sustainable teacher agreements. Dani also links current curriculum reviews to broader societal issues, emphasizing the need for educational reform in a charged political environment.

Ben Vulliamy, Executive Director at the Association of Heads of University Administration, and Dani Payne, Senior Researcher at the Social Market Foundation, join to discuss critical issues in higher education. They tackle the government's reluctance to increase funding, the tightrope international students walk under UKVI's new attendance rules, and the rising financial hardships students face that hinder their educational pursuits. Both guests advocate for a reintroduction of maintenance grants, pondering if they could alleviate the financial stress many students endure.