Jess Staufenberg | FE Week

Advance notice of exam topics comes with problems too

The latest government intervention fails to take account of socio-economic inequalities, writes Rachael Booth This week we found out that students sitting assessments next summer will be given advance notice of topics and allowed to take in exam aids in an effort to offset learning disruptions caused by the pandemic. In colleges and schools, the […]

Introducing… Toby Perkins

The shadow minister for apprenticeships and lifelong learning explains his unconventional route to the front bench to Jess Staufenberg Toby Perkins, shadow minister for apprenticeships and lifelong learning, comes into focus on my screen with a huge, unidentifiable flag behind him. I know the Yorkshire flag, but apparently I don’t know the Derbyshire flag, which […]

Yes, but… no, but… Stop dithering – we need detail on the summer assessments

The Department for Education can’t delay any longer – contingencies and adaptations for next summer’s exams must be published immediately, writes Bill Watkin We are getting uncomfortably accustomed to a diet of divided opinion, it seems. Brexit, Trump, even wearing masks and lockdown, have all split views and raised the temperature in homes across the […]

What colleges need to know about clinically extremely vulnerable staff

Colleges need to think about how they will deal with staff who won’t return to work because they’re worried about their safety, writes Helen Dyke The national lockdown will end on December 2 and be replaced by a new system of tiers. That means that everyone who can work from home is expected to do […]

Here are two top tips for MPs looking into prison education

Changing legislation so prisoners can do apprenticeships would be transformative, writes Sally Alexander While there has been a lot of media focus on school pupils missing learning because of the coronavirus, there has been less attention on further education learners missing out – and particularly, learners behind bars in prison. That’s why, as a provider […]

Beware the ‘tidy mind’ when considering funding below level 3

Ministers must listen to the sector carefully if they want to avoid a post-16 quals fiasco, says Tom Bewick After months of phoney war, the Department for Education has launched its second round of consultation on which regulated qualifications below level 3 will be assigned public funding in future. The battle lines are clear: the […]

Are lifelong learner accounts back on the cards?

The government is flirting with the language of learner power reminiscent of an old New Labour policy. Jess Staufenberg looks at its chances of making a comeback For old hands in FE, Boris Johnson’s announcement in September of a “Lifetime Skills Guarantee”, resourced through a “National Skills Fund”, has echoes of an older, more ambitious […]

The government’s attack on the Union Learning Fund is purely political

As a former trade union education officer, I saw the real difference this fund makes, writes Lilian Greenwood “We must invest in skills, we must invest in further education”. This was the prime minister’s message to the country when he launched the Lifetime Skills Guarantee on September 29. Yet less than a month later the […]

Ofqual must work closely with employers for its bigger role in apprenticeships

The new system has the potential to strengthen the employer voice, but needs clear communication routes, writes Lee Pryor The announcement that Ofqual will now be overseeing a significant number of apprenticeship standards has been greatly welcomed by institutions such as ours. This is a significant move for organisations that provide end-point assessments and will […]