ESOL addresses skills shortages; cutting it’s counterproductive National policy around improving people’s English needs a sharper focus or it risks being undermined by opposition at regional and local level
When you look, suicide dangers are everywhere in our colleges Given the numbers of students who take their own lives, we must seek answers to the crisis unfolding across the FE estate
How a £25m crisis and intervention forced us to rebuild – and made Brooklands stronger Six years under FE Commissioner intervention pushed our college to the brink. But the debt, disruption and scrutiny forged a new culture, a new identity and a renewed confidence, proving that intervention can be transformative
What LSIPs need to cut through the noise and make an impact in 2026 With new guidance and a crowded policy landscape, the next wave of LSIPs must cut through competing priorities and focus on the occupations that genuinely shift local economies
If everyone is a SEND teacher FE needs to train them, and fast Recruits arrive with little training in inclusive pedagogy. As Ofsted raises the bar on SEND provision, the government must confront the workforce gaps it created
Let’s ensure this youth guarantee works for every young person The government has finally put serious investment behind young people. Now the FE sector, employers and local systems must prove we can turn this ambitious blueprint into a universal right, not a postcode promise
SEND first class: How groundbreaking partnership are rethinking SEND support The Sutton Life Centre is one of several partnerships between colleges and external partners, where SEND learners are prepared not only to access education, but to build a future beyond it
Specialist colleges transform lives yet remain invisible in policy For many young people, specialist FE is the first place where education truly works. But without regulatory recognition, equitable funding and a workforce plan, we risk failing those who need it most
Work experience gap is a driver of inequality we cannot ignore Government, national and local, employers, schools and colleges need to pull in the same direction, amplifying the importance of high-quality work experience