English and maths, Results 2025

GCSE results expose a broken system, but adults prove what’s possible

For too many, compulsory GCSE resits are a treadmill to nowhere. Without proper investment in alternative pathways, the government’s...

Jessica Hill
Dipa Ganguli
AI

AI is moving too fast for colleges to go it alone

In FE, no single teacher, regulator or IT lead can keep pace with AI’s risks and opportunities. But together...

Jessica Hill
Michael Webb
Qualifications

Scrapping AGQs will create a qualification black hole

By banning AGQs, ministers risk pushing thousands of young people out of education and employers into a skills crisis

Jessica Hill
James Kewin
16-19, English and maths

When is a pass not a pass? When the system says so 

Our obsession with the grade 4 ‘good pass’ is blinding us to the achievements of those hitting grades 1–3,...

Jessica Hill
Sarah Ledger and Elmina Ferguson
T Levels

Forget the gloom, T Levels are turning a corner

Breaking the 90 per cent pass rate barrier, the falling drop-out rate and some excellent destinations are proving the...

Jessica Hill
Kate Ambrosi
T Levels

We still need to tackle the high T Level dropout rate

Rising retention rates are welcome but with one in four T level students still quitting early, this flagship qualification...

Jessica Hill
Robbie Maris
SEND

SEND colleges deserve better than off-the-shelf design standards

How can building design uplift neurodivergent students? We’ve identified key gaps in the government’s design guidance for SEND colleges,...

Jessica Hill
Craig Van-de-Velde and Paul Turpin
Skills reform

Skills England’s right about the shortages, but who will pay?

Skills England’s latest report maps UK skills gaps but without funding and action, its recommendations risk gathering dust says...

Jessica Hill
Heather Akehurst
Prison education

Learning unlocked: The rise of functional skills in prisons

Nearly half of prisoners arrive without qualifications, yet functional skills achievements in prisons are rising fast through a blend...

Jessica Hill
Mark Dewell