Inclusion

SEND reforms spell diet EHCPs and red herring funding

Replacing EHCPs with a three-tier system could end the Gladiators-style Gauntlet parents face, unless ministers fix the diagnosis...

Jessica Hill
Chris Quickfall
Inclusion

SEND reform must mean better support, not fewer rights

The government’s new SEND reforms offer a rare chance to fix a system that forces families to fight for...

Jessica Hill
David Hughes
Apprenticeships, Inclusion

As SEND needs rise, apprenticeships face an inclusion reality check

New ILR data shows a sharp rise in apprentices requiring additional learning support, leaving providers at risk of being...

Jessica Hill
Mark Abrahams
Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships were never just for the young – history proves it

As ministers rethink apprenticeship funding, they risk forgetting a simple truth: apprenticeships were designed for mastery, not youth unemployment...

Jessica Hill
Rob May
Apprenticeships

Stop blaming level 7 and management apprenticeships. Non-compliance could be the real problem

Before ministers swing the axe at “inappropriate” apprenticeships, they need to confront an uncomfortable truth: too many levy-funded adult...

Jessica Hill
Jonathan Bourne
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