Long read

New FE commissioner Ellen Thinnesen heralds a new dawn for oversight

From revelation in Grimsby to tackling racism head-on in Sunderland, frontline nursing to testy mergers, Ellen Thinnesen’s unorthodox path...

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
Apprenticeships

A year of change for apprenticeships – the good, the bad and the worrying

Recent funding changes have made apprenticeships more affordable and flexible for SMEs, but without a clear, stable long-term plan,...

Jessica Hill
Sarah Beale
Apprenticeships

One-size-fits-all foundation apprenticeships just won’t work

Early delivery data signals that an eight-month model may suit policy design, but it doesn’t suit fast-moving sectors or...

Jessica Hill
Charlotte Bosworth
Apprenticeships

Builders need older apprentices, not school leavers alone

Policy has narrowed its focus to school leavers which risks overlooking a large pool of motivated, capable people who...

Jessica Hill
Nicola Hodkinson
The Staffroom - opinion

Mission statements are the holy writ no one reads

In education, mission statements have become articles of faith. But where is the evidence that they improve teaching or...

Jessica Hill
David Murray
Adult education

We fail to score ESOL students’ real progress in real life

ESOL progress often happens at cafés, work and everyday life long before it shows up in current data, so...

Jessica Hill
Dr Nafisa Baba-Ahmed
Colleges

We can do so much more to help students break invisible ceilings

Qualifications and employer visits aren’t enough - we need to build students’ belief that potential next steps are for...

Jessica Hill
Ellisha Soanes
Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships aren’t the alternative, they’re the engine of growth

New funding, faster standards and better matching between learners and employers will help deliver tens of thousands more opportunities...

Jessica Hill
Praful Nargund
Apprenticeships

Britain needs fewer rip-off degrees and more apprentices

It’s time to turbo-charge apprenticeships and give young people real choice about their futures

Jessica Hill
Saqib Bhatti MP