Jess Staufenberg | FE Week

Interview: Jon Collins

Jon Collins, who is six months in as chief executive of the Prisoners’ Education Trust, explains how prison teachers feel cut off from their college colleagues Perhaps it’s because Jon Collins, the new chief executive of the Prisoners’ Education Trust, is such a calm, precise and mild-mannered person that the scale of the scandal he […]

Make Black history matter for the other 334 days of the year

New networks in college are having a ripple effect, writes Arv Kaushal We make a big fuss of our children or partners on their birthday, but we actually do so because we love them all year round. This is the 95th year of celebrating Black History Month, and it’s time we looked at it the […]

The system should recognise successful college drop-outs

Successful outcomes should not just be grade-related, writes Alfie Payne I loved being in education, so when I had to drop out to focus on growing my business, I was gutted. I’d gone from being an engaged student to college drop-out in just a year. Now, ten months after dropping out, I’ve got six employees, […]

Double the cash incentives so more young people do apprenticeships

Since apprenticeship reforms, providers have had to front up more of the costs, writes Jane Hickie The pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on young people and their employment and learning opportunities. Since the advent of the 2017 reforms, fewer young people have participated in apprenticeships. So the right balance of incentives and funding […]

FE’s educational ethos is being overshadowed by market logic

The vocabulary of employability and finance is taking over, writes Zahid Naz In recent years there has been a shift away from the social values of education towards a form of economic rationality with two main concerns. This can be seen in the strategic direction of policy initiatives, such as the 2019 education inspection framework […]

Let’s have a collective post-18 system for HE and FE

The lifelong loan entitlement will fail if policy doesn’t remove other barriers for students, writes Tim Blackman Colleges Week marks the critical role colleges play in education and training, bridging skills gaps and equipping students of all ages to thrive in the workforce. The Open University (OU) has a long history of links with the […]

Interview: Baroness Tina Stowell

Baroness Stowell is a born-and-bred FE college alumna from the Midlands who ended up leading the House of Lords. Now she’s calling for an end to the ‘disrespect’ of non-graduates “I’ve spent a lot of time working in places where there are public crises and dramas. I’m not fazed by that, I don’t panic, I’ve […]

Paperwork threatens to take over the job I love

If all the documentation doesn’t benefit the apprentice, why is it necessary? asks Tim McHanwell I’m going to start with the most important point: I really, really enjoy my job. I enjoy working with the apprentices, supporting them and helping them to progress. The most enjoyable part of the experience is spending time with apprentices […]

Don’t confuse the Baker clause with actual careers guidance

Media reports about the Baker clause fail to understand it’s only one part of the careers guidance picture, writes Janet Colledge There is much that’s positive in the move to strengthen the teeth of the Baker clause. Coming from working-class stock, I particularly see the value in high-quality skills and technical education. I meandered into […]