Apprenticeship reform may save money now but cost growth later Ministers’ proposals risk undermining leadership development, training infrastructure and employer engagement. A tiered co-investment model offers a smarter way forward
Adult education is also about strengthening our democracy Adult education has been reduced to an economic tool, but its real power lies in rebuilding connection, confidence and civic life at a time when democracy feels increasingly fragile
Apprenticeship reform risks solving the wrong problems Ministers want faster routes into work for young people, but defunding leadership apprenticeships and tinkering with clearing systems won’t create vacancies
SEND reform will reshape colleges, but workload shock is coming New individual support plans could finally embed inclusion in mainstream education, but they also shift legal responsibility and risk overwhelming colleges unless government gets the detail right
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 bottleneck that lets affluent families skip the queue
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 support. But success will depend on funding capacity properly and protecting learners from unintended consequences
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 judged on inclusion without being resourced to deliver it
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 statistics
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 apprenticeships may not meet the legal definition at all