In this episode of Policy Matters, hosts Franz Buscha and Matt Dickson are joined by Dr Lindsey Macmillan from University College London to discuss the role that education plays in social mobility.

Issues relating to education are never far from the policy agenda or the headlines – whether it is early years education, university tuition fees or the possible return of grammar schools. But what does academic research tell us about the role of education at each age and stage in improving life-chances of children from poorer backgrounds and what does this mean for policy?

Franz and Matt discuss these issues with Lindsey and also consider the limits to what education policy can achieve given the way that the UK labour market and wider society is structured.