Standpoint (June 2014)
Gabriel Heller Sahlgren and Professor Julian Le Grand argue that injecting choice into our education system has raised standards in our schools, but that more radical reforms is needed to improve them further.
Education Media Centre (6th June 2014)
Gabriel Heller Sahlgren argues that if you get the design of performance pay schemes right, they can increase pupil attainment.
See also Muddled incentives, BBC News
Education Investor (June 2014)
James Croft considers the rise of activity-based education and its potential for soft skill development and character education.
Education Investor (June 2014)
Gabriel Heller Sahlgren explains Sweden's troubled schools market and why poor design of the overall education policy architecture, not market forces, is to blame for falling international performance.
Total Politics (April 2014)
James Croft takes a fresh look at parental involvement in school choice and how league tables can be improved.
Estates Gazette (5th April 2014)
James Croft questions the wisdom of the government procuring free school sites on the open market and asks why private investors are not permitted entry.
TES Connect (28th March 2014)
Gabriel Heller Sahlgren examines the evidence and questions what the unions contribute to improving our education system.
www.parliament.uk (19th March 2014)
Gabriel Heller Sahlgren gives evidence to the Education Select Committee on the impact of academies and free schools
An Entrepreneurs’ Manifesto (The Entrepreneurs’ Network, 2014)
James Croft examines constraints on the development of a truly entrepreneurial education sector.
Financial Times (18th February 2014)
Gabriel Heller Sahlgren, with Professor Julian Le Grand, argues, with reference to the PISA report, that trying to copy the country with the highest grades is not the right way to improve a school system. What we need is greater competition between schools.
City AM (14th February 2014)
Graeme Leach, Director of Economic & Prosperity Studies at the Legatum Institute, puts the case for voucher funding, with reference to Gabriel’s work with CMRE.
Affärsvärlden (4th February 2014)
Gabriel Heller Sahlgren comments on grade inflation in the Swedish education system
Dagens Nyheter (21st January 2014)
A rejoinder, replying to criticism of the original article in Dagens Nyheter (see previous, below)
Dagens Nyheter (13th January 2014)
Gabriel Heller Sahlgren, with Professor Philip Booth, of Cass Business School in London, and program director at the IEA, and Professor Henrik Jordahl , of the IFN, exposes the flaws in the PISA approach to international benchmarking and education system analysis.
The Spectator (10th December 2013)
Gabriel Heller Sahlgren argues that Pasi Sahlberg's Guardian article on school choice reform is misguided.
TES (6th December 2013, also print)
Gabriel Heller Sahlgren discusses Pisa's rising influence in education policy and suggests TIMMS rankings should be as equally studied, in light of Finland's poor performance in the latter, when compared to Pisa.
City AM (4th December 2013)
Gabriel Heller Sahlgren argues in City AM for introducing the recommendations of School vouchers for England.
The Guardian (3rd December 2013)
The Guardian reports on Gabriel Heller Sahlgren's views on why Finland performs poorly outside of PISA tests.
Business Insider (3rd December 2013)
Gabriel Heller Sahlgren's views on Finland's fall from grace in international league tables are discussed.
TES (2nd December 2013)
TES reports on Gabriel Heller Sahlgren's view that the United Kingdom does not take international rankings as seriously as other countries.
TES (15th November 2013)
In light of doubts over the credibility of PISA rankings, Gabriel Heller Sahlgren argues that this may have implications for policies and research.
Svenska Dagbladet (6th November 2013)
(in Swedish)
Gabriel H. Sahlgren and Karin Svanborg-Sjövall, Project Manager for Welfare Policy at TIMBRO, write for the second largest Swedish daily, discussing reforms to improve the Swedish voucher system from a market-based perspective.
Spectator Coffee House (29th October 2013)
Gabriel H. Sahlgren argues that school choice, decoupled from parents' choice of residence, can decrease residential segregation in England.
City AM (25th October 2013)
Gabriel H. Sahlgren argues against Nick Clegg's suggestion that free schools and academies should not be allowed to hire non-qualified teachers and deviate from the national curriculum.
Radio Sweden (24th October 2013)
Gabriel H. Sahlgren comments on the collapse of JB Education, one of Sweden's largest free school companies.
The Telegraph (22nd October 2013)
Gabriel H. Sahlgren argues against Nick Clegg's suggestion that free schools and academies should not be allowed to hire non-qualified teachers.
Svenska Dagbladet (17th October 2013)
(in Swedish)
Gabriel H. Sahlgren writes for the second largest Swedish daily newspaper replying to commentators claiming that school choice increases educational inequalities. He argues that the evidence suggests the opposite and that choice also reduces residential segregation.
Dagens Nyheter (7th October 2013)
(in Swedish)
In Dagens Nyheter, Sweden's largest daily newspaper, Gabriel H. Sahlgren provides a rejoinder to two replies to his article from the Swedish Library Association and six Swedish academics in information and library science. He argues that most available research on school libraries is flawed and should cannot be used to support detailed regulation of schools. The only rigorous study finds no impact at all. For these reasons, he claims that experiments with school libraries are necessary to find out whether they have positive effects before country-wide regulation is put in place.
Dagens Nyheter (1st October 2013)
(in Swedish)
Gabriel H. Sahlgren writes for Dagens Nyheter, the largest Swedish daily newspaper, replying to the head of the Swedish Green Party who wants to force all schools to have staffed libraries. He argues that the only rigorous study available suggests that school libraries have no impact and that mobile librarians in fact have a negative effect. There are other studies, but these are methodologically unsound, and they cannot be used to support regulation.
TES (20th September 2013)
Gabriel H Sahlgren argues that headteachers, rather than bureaucrats, are best placed to hire the best teachers.
Channel 5 News (6:30pm, 17th September 2013)
Alexander Blackburn debates the expansion of the free school meals programme.
Financial Times (6th September 2013)
'... Proposals put forward by The Centre for Market Reform of Education, a think-tank, for a tutors’ association have been supported by some of the country’s biggest tuition agencies...'
TES (29th August 2013)
'... A report published today by the right-leaning think tank the Centre for Market Reform of Education (CMRE), has recommended heads of good schools be given bonuses as an incentive to take on the work involved in increasing pupil places...'
City A.M. (15th August 2013)
Anton Howes, CMRE Research Consultant, argues that we should embrace diversity in qualifications and move away from rigid examination structures.
EducationInvestor (July 2013 issue)
James Croft, Director of CMRE, discussing improving information provision.
Spectator Coffee House (19th July 2013)
CMRE Director of Research Gabriel H. Sahlgren replies to Shadow Education Secretary Stephen Twigg's recent attack on for-profit schools in the Independent
Education Executive (2nd July 2013)
'... James Croft, director of the Centre for Market Reform of Education (CMRE), agreed with plans to allow private companies to invest in schools. "Moves to simplify the requirements placed on new academy and free school sponsors are long overdue," he said...'
Public Service (2nd July 2013)
'...CMRE director James Croft said that the removal of arbitrary restrictions on private sector investment in free schools and academies was crucial for the development of the government's school reform programme...'
Spectator Coffee House (15th June 2013)
CMRE Director of Research Gabriel H. Sahlgren writes about Finnish school performance and school choice.
Times Educational Supplement (7th June 2013)
CMRE Director of Research Gabriel H. Sahlgren writes why the profit motive is important to ensure equity in education.
The Telegraph (22nd May 2013)
The Telegraph features CMRE's work on the Tutors Association.
Education Today (22nd May 2013)
Education Today reports on CMRE Direct of of Research Gabriel H. Sahlgren's book 'Incentivising Excellence'.
Education Investor (May 2013, Vol 5, No 4)
Education Investor reports on CMRE Director of Research Gabriel H. Sahlgren's book 'Incentivising Excellence', highlighting how the book suggests the coalition's school reforms don't go far enough.
City AM (19th April 2013)
CMRE Director Gabriel H. Sahlgren explains why we should not expect more than marginal gains from most available school choice programmes worldwide, and what is needed to produce a fundamental transformation in education.
ConservativeHome (16th April 2013)
Graham Evans M.P. writes about CMRE Director of Research Gabriel H. Sahlgren's book Incentivising excellence in support of why he advocates vouchers in education.
Education Investor (12th April 2013)
'The coalition's education reforms will have "little quantifiable impact" on the quality of England's schools because they don't go far enough, a new book has argued.'
The Times (10th April 2013)*
'Parents should be given vouchers to spend on their children’s education, with more available for those from poorer backgrounds, a think-tank has proposed.'
The Times reports on the book Incentivising excellence, by CMRE Director of Research Gabriel H. Sahlgren.
Svenska Dagbladet(30th March 2013)
CMRE Director of Research Gabriel H. Sahlgren argues, in a reply to fellows of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, that the research indicates that school choice decreases residential segregation and improves equality of opportunity.
The Daily Telegraph (6th March 2013)
'Schools should receive funding directly from parents through a "voucher system" to drive competition and allow the worst–performers to fail, ministers have been told.'
The Daily Telegraph writes about the book Incentivising excellence, by CMRE Director of Research Gabriel H. Sahlgren, after a pre-publication briefing at the Institute of Directors on 5th March 2013.
City AM (24th January 2013)
CMRE Director James Croft writes about the importance to ensure a diverse qualifications market.
Indian Policy Review(no. 5, December 2012)
In the latest issue of the journal, published by the Centre for Civil Society, a Dehli based think tank, CMRE Director of Research Gabriel H. Sahlgren reviews the Swedish voucher and free school model, highlighting its achievement and considering gaps in the model and the political currency of this policy in present day Sweden.
Education Investor(November 2012)*
CMRE Director James Croft argues that an inadvertent consequence of the government's 14-19 qualifications reform is that employers are dis-engaging
City AM (15th October 2012)
CMRE Director of Research Gabriel H. Sahlgren argues that we need to change the incentive structure in education fundamentally.
City AM (18th September 2012)
CMRE Director James Croft is quoted in relation to the CMRE discussion paper 'When qualifications fail: Reforming 14-19 qualifications'
Public Service (2nd October 2012)
CMRE Director James Croft writes about the the government's exam plans and argues that the move towards more rigorous exams for all would be counterproductive.
Public Service Europe(24th September 2012)
CMRE Director James Croft and Research Consultant Anton Howes argue that we need less government intervention in qualifications and exams.
The Assignment Report (1st October 2012)
CMRE Director James Croft argues that markets are necessary for a and well-functioning qualification and examination system.
Education Investor (September 2012)*
CMRE Director James Croft argues that while apprenticeships are widely seen as key to rebalancing the economy and tackling youth unemployment, it’s not at all clear where they’re going to come from.
The CMRE Private Schools Conference (Saturday 28th April 2012)
James Croft, CMRE Director, Keynote presentation.
Education Investor (March 2012)
CMRE Director James Croft argues that the government’s decision to further tighten student visa requirements is hastening the demise of private pathway providers. That’s bad news for Higher Education and bad news for Britain.
FIS magazine (February 2012)
Proprietorial and corporate governance models are regarded as inferior by many in the independent sector. CMRE Director James Croft considers whether the charitable trust framework works as well as is often claimed and reviews the alternatives
City AM (18th January 2012)
Philip Salter, author of forthcoming CMRE report on developments in ed tech, writes about the current and coming technology revolution in education.
Education Investor (Dec 2011 /Jan 2012)
CMRE Director James Croft writes about the impact on awarding bodies of the government's reforms to 14-16 vocational qualifications.
(8th December 2011)
CMRE Director James contributed to the panel discussion on ‘The impact of Free Schools and the future for the programme’.
(23-24 November 2011)
CMRE Director James Croft spoke on 'The strengths and growth potential of England’s proprietorial schools' on the first day of the forum.
City AM Forum pages (7th November 2011)
CMRE Director James Croft argues that we need more choice and competition in education.
Education Investor (October 2011)*
CMRE Director James Croft writes about land reform and free schools.
Funding for Independent Schools (October 2011)
CMRE James Croft discusses the implications for the independent school sector.of greater autonomy in the state-funded sector.
Public Service Europe(26th September 2011)
CMRE Director James Croft writes about for-profit schooling.
BBC Radio Berkshire (5th September 2011)
James Croft talks to Andrew Peach on the issue of free schools.
Press release (5 September 2011)
Coverage from The Guardian, Conservative Home, Politics Home, The Huffington Post, Government Opportunities, Montrose42 blogs
The Sunday Telegraph (28th August 2011)
CMRE Director James Croft speaks to Julie Henry on the importance of allowing for-profit free schools.
"I welcome the core concepts of The Centre for Market Reform of Education’s (CMRE) latest discussion paper, Creating a Functioning Education Market in England, which ... examines how we can learn from the international experience of school choice to improve educational standards in our system."
M.P. for Weaver Vale
"Incentivising excellence marks a significant achievement in evidence-based policy analysis. Sahlgren rigorously analyses the existing literature and offers policymakers a pragmatic programme of options for improving school quality."
Manager, Education, the World Bank
As we are not aligned with any political party, nor do we accept any government grants, the Centre relies solely on contributions and sponsorship from its supporters.