Colleges Week

Let’s build a brighter future for adults this Colleges Week

As Colleges Week 2025 unfolds, let's spotlight the often overlooked yet vital role adult education plays in achieving many...

Jessica Hill
Dipa Ganguli OBE
Apprenticeships

Apprenticeship reforms mirror Scotland – and that’s good

England’s scrapping of mandatory functional skills for adults and a reduction in apprenticeship length where necessary shows a pragmatism...

Jessica Hill
Stuart McKenna
Apprenticeships

No more shocks please DfE over apprenticeship achievement rates

A shock demand from the ESFA meant some providers had to close programmes last year – the FIN wants...

Jessica Hill
Kerry Boffey
SEND

Collaboration was our way of solving a local SEND crisis

Organisations have their own targets to hit, but pooling resources between our LA and trust boosted delivery

Jessica Hill
Abrilli Phillip and Dr Sam Parrett CBE
financial literacy

Students need protection from the wealth of misinformation

The popularity of social media ‘finfluencers’ with dubious credentials should be tackled head-on by colleges

Jessica Hill
Sarah Porretta
GCSE resits, The Staffroom - opinion

Maths resitters aim for bullseye on darts day

Numbers have been brought alive at Nescot with classroom dart boards and a visit by three Darts stars –...

Jessica Hill
Julie Kapsalis
Apprenticeships

New apprenticeships will boost flow of plumbers

We’ve consulted with industry to develop apprenticeships that will help solve plumbing skills crisis

Jessica Hill
Kevin Wellman
Colleges

Research on EMA support has defied common sense

My EMA initiative helped disadvantaged students stay in education and was widely praised—until recent research questioned its long-term impact....

Jessica Hill
David Blunkett
Colleges, Long read

Searching for a hire power

High vacancy rates continue to blight FE, with courses scrapped and agency costs soaring. We examine teacher recruitment problems...

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill