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 want to retrain
Mission statements are the holy writ no one reads In education, mission statements have become articles of faith. But where is the evidence that they improve teaching or learning?
We fail to score ESOL students’ real progress in real life ESOL progress often happens at cafés, work and everyday life long before it shows up in current data, so we must rethink assessment
We can do so much more to help students break invisible ceilings Qualifications and employer visits aren’t enough – we need to build students’ belief that potential next steps are for people just like them
Apprenticeships aren’t the alternative, they’re the engine of growth New funding, faster standards and better matching between learners and employers will help deliver tens of thousands more opportunities where they matter most
Britain needs fewer rip-off degrees and more apprentices It’s time to turbo-charge apprenticeships and give young people real choice about their futures
Inside FE’s lifeline for under-16s: Stepping in where schools fail More and more anxious 14-16 year olds not in school are starting afresh in colleges, but they are under-recognised, under-funded and potentially under pressure to get back to mainstream school classrooms
Essential skills are the missing test of the skills white paper Reforms to help more adults read, write and get online are welcome, but reversing a 60% drop in participation in essential skills learning won’t be easy
A top football coach gives us lessons to learn – and avoid Like Premier League leaders Arsenal, good teachers rely on great set pieces, but the real magic happens in the messy, unpredictable flow of the lesson