Rob Summers
@robsummers0.bsky.social
Working to help narrow equality gaps in Higher Education. Head of Evaluation @taso.org.uk, the Centre for Transforming Access and Student Outcomes in Higher Education.
Reposted by Rob Summers
One of the reasons that emergence of ‘cold spots’ of subject provision matters: 52% of 18 year olds from the most disadvantaged backgrounds (the most deprived quintile in the Indices of Multiple Deprivation) plan to live at home when they go the university
www.thetimes.com/article/22cc...
www.thetimes.com/article/22cc...
Nearly a third of university 18-year-olds will live at home
According to figures from Ucas, a record 89,510 18-year-olds with university offers plan to live at home when they begin their studies this autumn
www.thetimes.com
December 10, 2025 at 9:23 PM
One of the reasons that emergence of ‘cold spots’ of subject provision matters: 52% of 18 year olds from the most disadvantaged backgrounds (the most deprived quintile in the Indices of Multiple Deprivation) plan to live at home when they go the university
www.thetimes.com/article/22cc...
www.thetimes.com/article/22cc...
Reposted by Rob Summers
Out for the Count: my SKETCH of James Cartlidge failing at DPMQs so spectacularly that he managed to overshadow David Lammy's TREASONOUS lack of a poppy.
Out for the count | Robert Hutton | The Critic Magazine
The most important thing in politics, according to Lyndon Johnson, is knowing how to count. He was talking about votes, but the rule also applies, as we shall see, to questions. And friends.
thecritic.co.uk
November 5, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Out for the Count: my SKETCH of James Cartlidge failing at DPMQs so spectacularly that he managed to overshadow David Lammy's TREASONOUS lack of a poppy.
Reposted by Rob Summers
Great to publish the Curriculum and Assessment Review this morning
November 5, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Great to publish the Curriculum and Assessment Review this morning
Reposted by Rob Summers
Access our Theory of Change Builder – a free online tool that makes developing a theory of change simpler, clearer, and more consistent.
Start building today: toc-builder.taso.org.uk
Start building today: toc-builder.taso.org.uk
TASO Theory of Change Builder
A tool to help people create Enhanced Theories of Change
toc-builder.taso.org.uk
November 3, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Access our Theory of Change Builder – a free online tool that makes developing a theory of change simpler, clearer, and more consistent.
Start building today: toc-builder.taso.org.uk
Start building today: toc-builder.taso.org.uk
Reposted by Rob Summers
What does the 'post-16 education and skills white paper' mean for equality in education?
Read @omaromalleykhan.bsky.social reflections – welcoming its focus on evidence & inequality, and urging that progress be measured by how far reforms close access & success gaps.
taso.org.uk/news-blog/ev...
Read @omaromalleykhan.bsky.social reflections – welcoming its focus on evidence & inequality, and urging that progress be measured by how far reforms close access & success gaps.
taso.org.uk/news-blog/ev...
Evaluation and equality in the education and skills white paper - TASO
Dr Omar Khan, TASO CEO, reflects on the government's post-16 education and skills white paper, welcoming its focus on evidence and addressing inequality
taso.org.uk
October 21, 2025 at 3:27 PM
What does the 'post-16 education and skills white paper' mean for equality in education?
Read @omaromalleykhan.bsky.social reflections – welcoming its focus on evidence & inequality, and urging that progress be measured by how far reforms close access & success gaps.
taso.org.uk/news-blog/ev...
Read @omaromalleykhan.bsky.social reflections – welcoming its focus on evidence & inequality, and urging that progress be measured by how far reforms close access & success gaps.
taso.org.uk/news-blog/ev...
Reposted by Rob Summers
Are you a graduate who started their university journey in the first years of the 9K fees? If so, please consider contributing to this important research project lead by my colleague Farhana Ghaffar
October 17, 2025 at 9:52 AM
Are you a graduate who started their university journey in the first years of the 9K fees? If so, please consider contributing to this important research project lead by my colleague Farhana Ghaffar
Reposted by Rob Summers
Make your data speak – because evidence only drives change when people understand it.
Join us on 27 Nov (10:00–16:00, online) for 'Communicating evidence through data visualisation' and learn how to tell stories effectively.
Book: www.tickettailor.com/events/taso/...
Join us on 27 Nov (10:00–16:00, online) for 'Communicating evidence through data visualisation' and learn how to tell stories effectively.
Book: www.tickettailor.com/events/taso/...
October 16, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Make your data speak – because evidence only drives change when people understand it.
Join us on 27 Nov (10:00–16:00, online) for 'Communicating evidence through data visualisation' and learn how to tell stories effectively.
Book: www.tickettailor.com/events/taso/...
Join us on 27 Nov (10:00–16:00, online) for 'Communicating evidence through data visualisation' and learn how to tell stories effectively.
Book: www.tickettailor.com/events/taso/...
Reposted by Rob Summers
TASO is partnering with @niesrorg.bsky.social & @veriangroup.com, @uniofleicester.bsky.social, Middlesex Uni, & @uniofnottingham.bsky.social to evaluate activities that support students’ transition into higher education.
Learn about the interventions: taso.org.uk/news-blog/ev...
Learn about the interventions: taso.org.uk/news-blog/ev...
September 23, 2025 at 9:51 AM
TASO is partnering with @niesrorg.bsky.social & @veriangroup.com, @uniofleicester.bsky.social, Middlesex Uni, & @uniofnottingham.bsky.social to evaluate activities that support students’ transition into higher education.
Learn about the interventions: taso.org.uk/news-blog/ev...
Learn about the interventions: taso.org.uk/news-blog/ev...
Reposted by Rob Summers
WATCH THIS: The most amazing thing about this remarkable 2002 car commercial is that it didn’t seem to realize at the time, or perhaps didn’t care, how effectively it made the point that cars and car infrastructure are a HUGE waste of space in cities. Award-winning 2002 ad for Saturn car company.
Saturn Ion commercial
YouTube video by Eliyahu Biton
youtube.com
September 23, 2025 at 12:40 AM
WATCH THIS: The most amazing thing about this remarkable 2002 car commercial is that it didn’t seem to realize at the time, or perhaps didn’t care, how effectively it made the point that cars and car infrastructure are a HUGE waste of space in cities. Award-winning 2002 ad for Saturn car company.
Reposted by Rob Summers
Because we know Badenoch is always very slow to condemn, keen to de-escalate and reluctant to judge people.
September 17, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Because we know Badenoch is always very slow to condemn, keen to de-escalate and reluctant to judge people.
Reposted by Rob Summers
TASO has launched the Theory of Change Builder – a new digital tool to help higher ed providers plan and evaluate widening participation interventions. Map activities, link outcomes, and build evidence-based plans with ease.
taso.org.uk/news-blog/dy...
taso.org.uk/news-blog/dy...
August 28, 2025 at 1:02 PM
TASO has launched the Theory of Change Builder – a new digital tool to help higher ed providers plan and evaluate widening participation interventions. Map activities, link outcomes, and build evidence-based plans with ease.
taso.org.uk/news-blog/dy...
taso.org.uk/news-blog/dy...
Reposted by Rob Summers
In our latest blog post, Mikayla Boginsky, TASO Research Officer, reviews a decade of UCAS results day trends, exploring the lasting impacts of COVID-19 on higher education acceptances and entry rates by disadvantage and region.
Read the post: taso.org.uk/news-blog/uc...
Read the post: taso.org.uk/news-blog/uc...
UCAS results day: Lingering inequality of opportunity post-COVID - TASO
Mikayla Boginsky, TASO Research Officer, examines a decade of UCAS results day trends, exploring the lasting impacts of COVID-19 on higher education acceptances and entry rates by disadvantage and reg...
taso.org.uk
August 14, 2025 at 1:04 PM
In our latest blog post, Mikayla Boginsky, TASO Research Officer, reviews a decade of UCAS results day trends, exploring the lasting impacts of COVID-19 on higher education acceptances and entry rates by disadvantage and region.
Read the post: taso.org.uk/news-blog/uc...
Read the post: taso.org.uk/news-blog/uc...
Reposted by Rob Summers
Here's a #HigherEducationPostcard of York St John University, @yorkstjohn.bsky.social
This was the men's college, (1841), which merged with the parallel women's college, (1846), and became a university in 2006
If you like this image, please retweet it - remember, BlueSky has #NoAlgorithm
This was the men's college, (1841), which merged with the parallel women's college, (1846), and became a university in 2006
If you like this image, please retweet it - remember, BlueSky has #NoAlgorithm
August 6, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Here's a #HigherEducationPostcard of York St John University, @yorkstjohn.bsky.social
This was the men's college, (1841), which merged with the parallel women's college, (1846), and became a university in 2006
If you like this image, please retweet it - remember, BlueSky has #NoAlgorithm
This was the men's college, (1841), which merged with the parallel women's college, (1846), and became a university in 2006
If you like this image, please retweet it - remember, BlueSky has #NoAlgorithm
Reposted by Rob Summers
Latest report reveals deep HE inequalities for care-experienced young people.
🔹 4x less likely to attend uni
🔹 Higher dropout rates
🔹 Later/lower entry routes
Key recs: taso.org.uk/libraryitem/...
🔹 4x less likely to attend uni
🔹 Higher dropout rates
🔹 Later/lower entry routes
Key recs: taso.org.uk/libraryitem/...
July 7, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Latest report reveals deep HE inequalities for care-experienced young people.
🔹 4x less likely to attend uni
🔹 Higher dropout rates
🔹 Later/lower entry routes
Key recs: taso.org.uk/libraryitem/...
🔹 4x less likely to attend uni
🔹 Higher dropout rates
🔹 Later/lower entry routes
Key recs: taso.org.uk/libraryitem/...
Reposted by Rob Summers
Two uncomfortable truths with the Lucy Connolly story:
1. Suspect the right are missing how deeply authoritarian the British public are. They tend to *like* these laws and sentences.
2. Most of the British political class liked them too, until they were applied to a middle class white woman.
1. Suspect the right are missing how deeply authoritarian the British public are. They tend to *like* these laws and sentences.
2. Most of the British political class liked them too, until they were applied to a middle class white woman.
June 1, 2025 at 7:57 AM
Two uncomfortable truths with the Lucy Connolly story:
1. Suspect the right are missing how deeply authoritarian the British public are. They tend to *like* these laws and sentences.
2. Most of the British political class liked them too, until they were applied to a middle class white woman.
1. Suspect the right are missing how deeply authoritarian the British public are. They tend to *like* these laws and sentences.
2. Most of the British political class liked them too, until they were applied to a middle class white woman.
Reposted by Rob Summers
"Katwala's paradox of racism"
In a demonstrably less prejudiced society (attitudes shifted, esp across generations), I am in receipt of much more racism
Minorities in 2020s have more equal opps than ever before - esp at very top - yet an increasingly unequal experience of more equal opportunities
In a demonstrably less prejudiced society (attitudes shifted, esp across generations), I am in receipt of much more racism
Minorities in 2020s have more equal opps than ever before - esp at very top - yet an increasingly unequal experience of more equal opportunities
May 24, 2025 at 9:14 AM
"Katwala's paradox of racism"
In a demonstrably less prejudiced society (attitudes shifted, esp across generations), I am in receipt of much more racism
Minorities in 2020s have more equal opps than ever before - esp at very top - yet an increasingly unequal experience of more equal opportunities
In a demonstrably less prejudiced society (attitudes shifted, esp across generations), I am in receipt of much more racism
Minorities in 2020s have more equal opps than ever before - esp at very top - yet an increasingly unequal experience of more equal opportunities
Reposted by Rob Summers
Our entire political culture is rooted in being so angry that money might go to those who aren't in need, that we're willing to suffer deprivation among those who are.
May 24, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Our entire political culture is rooted in being so angry that money might go to those who aren't in need, that we're willing to suffer deprivation among those who are.
Reposted by Rob Summers
I undertook some analysis of data from the National Pupil Database, linked with the Higher Education Statistics Agency, which I've published in my recent Data Insight publication for ADR UK...
April 14, 2025 at 9:54 AM
I undertook some analysis of data from the National Pupil Database, linked with the Higher Education Statistics Agency, which I've published in my recent Data Insight publication for ADR UK...
Reposted by Rob Summers
From RCTs to QEDs and matching techniques, @robsummers0.bsky.social, Research Manager at TASO, explores how we can estimate both actual outcomes and the counterfactual—what would have happened without the intervention.
Read the post: taso.org.uk/news-blog/es...
Read the post: taso.org.uk/news-blog/es...
Establishing impact using institutional data - TASO
Demonstrating that an intervention works requires estimating both the actual outcomes and the counterfactual – what would have happened without the intervention. Dr Rob Summers discusses methods inclu...
taso.org.uk
March 31, 2025 at 9:57 AM
From RCTs to QEDs and matching techniques, @robsummers0.bsky.social, Research Manager at TASO, explores how we can estimate both actual outcomes and the counterfactual—what would have happened without the intervention.
Read the post: taso.org.uk/news-blog/es...
Read the post: taso.org.uk/news-blog/es...
Reposted by Rob Summers
Struggling to create a theory of change? TASO’s upcoming tool will guide you step-by-step—from the initial idea to a fully developed Enhanced ToC.
Find out more in our latest blog post: taso.org.uk/news-blog/ho...
Find out more in our latest blog post: taso.org.uk/news-blog/ho...
How can we make creating a theory of change easier? - TASO
Pete Crowson, Evaluation Manager at TASO, teases a new tool designed to take the stress and confusion out of building a theory of change. Whether you're staring down a blank page or wrestling with tem...
taso.org.uk
March 27, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Struggling to create a theory of change? TASO’s upcoming tool will guide you step-by-step—from the initial idea to a fully developed Enhanced ToC.
Find out more in our latest blog post: taso.org.uk/news-blog/ho...
Find out more in our latest blog post: taso.org.uk/news-blog/ho...
Reposted by Rob Summers
I am American, born in NYC. I've been asked 'when was I naturalized', taken into secondary security 10+ times, including with my 3 month old child. I have been held for 90 minutes for refusing to provide my IMEI to track my phone last time Trump was elected. They will target citizens next.
March 10, 2025 at 10:57 PM
I am American, born in NYC. I've been asked 'when was I naturalized', taken into secondary security 10+ times, including with my 3 month old child. I have been held for 90 minutes for refusing to provide my IMEI to track my phone last time Trump was elected. They will target citizens next.
Reposted by Rob Summers
Our report, published today, presents research by the @reescentre.bsky.social that finds that young people are less likely to enter higher education if they had experience of children’s social care
taso.org.uk/libraryitem/...
taso.org.uk/libraryitem/...
March 6, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Our report, published today, presents research by the @reescentre.bsky.social that finds that young people are less likely to enter higher education if they had experience of children’s social care
taso.org.uk/libraryitem/...
taso.org.uk/libraryitem/...
Reposted by Rob Summers
Young people with experience of children’s social care face barriers to entering and succeeding in higher education.
Find out more in this TASO & @reescentre.bsky.social report: ‘Pathways into & through higher education for young people with experience of social care’.
taso.org.uk/libraryitem/...
Find out more in this TASO & @reescentre.bsky.social report: ‘Pathways into & through higher education for young people with experience of social care’.
taso.org.uk/libraryitem/...
March 6, 2025 at 8:05 AM
Young people with experience of children’s social care face barriers to entering and succeeding in higher education.
Find out more in this TASO & @reescentre.bsky.social report: ‘Pathways into & through higher education for young people with experience of social care’.
taso.org.uk/libraryitem/...
Find out more in this TASO & @reescentre.bsky.social report: ‘Pathways into & through higher education for young people with experience of social care’.
taso.org.uk/libraryitem/...