Quantitative Methods in Education Group
We bring together researchers to advance quantitative methods in education research, policymaking, and professional practice.
News & Media
Updates, events, podcast episodes, and media from QMEG and Southampton Education School.
Edu Insights Podcast
Where education research meets practice. Hosted by Ruth Luzmore at Southampton Education School, this podcast brings together researchers, practitioners, and education leaders to explore the questions and research that really matter. From schools to systems, inspection frameworks to ideas-engagement, leadership challenges to evidence use.
Listen on Spotify →Southampton Statistics Summer School 2026: Registrations Now Open
The Southampton Statistics Summer School (SSSS) returns for 2026, running 28–30 July at the University of Southampton. Hosted by QMEG and the National Centre for Research Methods, the school provides free, intensive training in advanced statistical methods for researchers, doctoral students, and practitioners across the social sciences and education. Places are limited, so register early to secure yours.
Early Childhood Education: Access, Quality and Equity
What does early childhood education actually deliver, for which children, and under what conditions? Dr James Hall explores the terminology, the current state of early years provision in the UK, and the influence of the Heckman curve. A recurring theme is the distinction between structural quality (ratios, qualifications, environment) and process quality (the human interactions that matter most). Hall argues that separate research narratives have developed in ways that miss something fundamental about how we understand early childhood education, access, and equity.
Inspecting the Inspectorate: What the Data Reveals About Ofsted Consistency
Does it matter which Ofsted inspector walks through the school door? As Ofsted’s new framework rolls out, this episode digs into inspector reliability, the differences between HMIs and freelance inspectors, and why transparency could be key to rebuilding trust in the system. Professor Christian Bokhove shares findings from a Nuffield-funded project in which over 60,000 inspection reports were analysed.