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
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 to FE commissioner will undoubtedly shape how she does the role, writes Jessica Hill
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, confidence to invest is already starting to fray
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 frontline services