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In conversation with Alun Francis (Chair, Social Mobility Commission)
In conversation with Alun Francis (Chair, Social Mobility Commission)

Wed, 14 May

|

Online | Zoom

In conversation with Alun Francis (Chair, Social Mobility Commission)

Education and social mobility; why does Alun Francis think that progress has been “frustratingly limited.”

Time & Location

14 May 2025, 11:30 – 12:30

Online | Zoom

About the Event

The Labour government has placed widening access to opportunities at the heart of its educational agenda. In December, the Social Mobility Commission produced a report, “Innovation Generation: next steps for social mobility” which called for a fresh approach to the challenge. This event will be a chance for an in-depth discussion of issues around education and social mobility with Alun Francis, who is Chief Executive of Blackpool and the Fylde College and Chair of the Social Mobility Commission. Why does he think that progress has been “frustratingly limited” and what new policies and strategies should we be pursuing?


Born in North Wales and brought up in one of Colwyn Bay’s most deprived estates, Alun Francis was the only member of his family to go to university. His early career spanned various sectors, including public services, local government, area-based regeneration, youth work, and education. He became Principal of Oldham College in 2010, which under his leadership won the Princess Royal Training Award. As CEO of Blackpool & the Fylde College since 2023, he is taking forward the development of the “Multiversity” project, which aims to build a state-of-the-art education campus in the centre of Blackpool as a major contribution to the town’s regeneration.


He was appointed Deputy Chair of the Social Mobility Commission in 2021 and has been Chair since 2023. The SMC is an independent statutory body sponsored by the Cabinet Office, with the remit of advising government on ways to create a UK “where circumstances of birth do not determine outcomes.” It carries out and publishes research on social mobility and produces an annual report on progress.


As Chair, Alun has recently characterised the debate about social mobility as “very confused”, with definitions and data often used carelessly, and education wrongly held up as a “magic bullet”. He argues that social mobility isn’t just about getting more people into university, or about individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds making a leap into professional careers. While this is positive for those who succeed, it only solves the problems of a few people, not the majority. Instead, he advocates a much broader strategy, linking educational, economic, and social issues and tackling the stubborn persistence of geographical disparities.


“There are no easy solutions”, he says, but we need to “establish a different framework for thinking about social mobility.”

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