Graham Brady: Let technical and vocational schools fulfil their potential by allowing them to select

Tailoring teaching to children’s needs and interests works in every type of education. Why restrict the benefits of selection?

Sean Malkeson: Why the Year of Engineering should matter to Conservatives – and are we making the most of it?

As the son of a plumber who ran his own local business for several decades, I know that such technical professions can be extremely rewarding.

Robert Halfon: Ministers should value the Open University no less than Oxbridge. And the latter should open up to apprenticeships.

What is the objective of higher education if it does not play a major role in addressing our country’s skills deficit?

Peter Ainsworth: To solve the problems of higher education funding, universities themselves must share some of the risk

All the risks of the regime fall presently to students and taxpayers. Not only is this unfair and morally questionable, but it leads directly to undesirable outcomes.

James Frayne: Focusing on university fees neglects the most important and potent parts of the new education review

Vocational and technical education are key to changing lives, and hold the potential to change people’s votes, too. They should dominate the Government’s attention.

“We need to throw away this outdated attitude for good.” May’s higher education speech. Full Text.

“That means equality of access to an academic university education, and a much greater focus on the technical alternatives too.”

Robert Halfon: Three big Conservative achievements. Better schools, more apprenticeships – and help for lower paid people.

Of course, mistakes are made, and governments get things wrong – but there is also a duty to make sure that the good gets out into the public sphere too.

David Willetts: Less money for universities and more for training. This view is simple, seductive – and wrong. Here’s why.

In the first of two pieces on Higher Education, the former Universities Minister argues that the conventional account of how fees and funding works is mistaken.

Higher and technical education. No young person left beHinds, er, behind.

Yes, we need a resource shift to technical education. But the loss of the Tory majority last June will make it very slow going.

James Frayne: The Industrial Strategy. Top marks for spin. Lower ones for content.

Gone is the Conservative certainty of reducing taxes to promote businesses’ own investment and growth.

Nadhim Zahawi: Unfussily, quietly and impressively, Hammond’s Budget has prepared the ground for national recovery

The Chancellor has not suddenly changed who he is; he has carefully analysed the issues we face and plotted out a course of action to build a Britain fit for the future.

George Freeman: We need a new Chairman and team at CCHQ to lead a radical programme of Conservative renewal

Let’s have Policy Board outside of the constraints of the Government machine – and a commission on what Britain should look like post-Brexit.

Spreadsheet Phil must become Storyteller Phil – if his Budget is to succeed where the Tory conference failed

The Chancellor needs to help deliver the sense of direction so strikingly absent in Manchester last month, and indeed since last June’s election.

James Palmer: Ofsted measures academic achievement. Let’s get it measuring apprenticeship success too.

Another option would be for Ofsted to rate the school in question from “Outstanding” to “Inadequate” for its engagement and the breadth of its careers advice.

Ideas for the Budget 5) James Kirkup: Ditch the surplus target. Build new towns. Raise inheritance taxes and boost universal credit.

The Social Market Foundation isn’t tied to any party. We’re centrists – our advice and ideas on offer to anyone who wants to put common sense ahead of ideology.