Opinion

Colleges are at last getting the recognition they deserve

The outgoing chair of the AoC reflects on the past six years of FE policy and practice I was...

Evie Hayes
CAROLE STOTT
Opinion

Can Hinds beat groundhog day with new higher technical qualifications?

Will the higher technical qualifications be genuinely new, or a simple brand wrapper around what already exists, asks Tom...

Expert Contributor
TOM BEWICK
Opinion

The apprenticeship levy is public money that needs priorities – before it runs out

The Institute for Apprenticeships is forecasting a £500 million overspend on the levy budget by July 2019, rising to...

Pippa Allen-Kinross
NICK LINFORD
Opinion

FE colleges are the ‘national infrastructure’ for technical education

Education secretary Damian Hinds delivered a speech about ending “snobbery” over technical education to businesses this morning. He’s written...

Expert Contributor
DAMIAN HINDS
Opinion

Don’t play the blame game over the Baker clause

The lack of information about A-level alternatives will not be solved by cajoling schools into compliance, says Kevin Gilmartin....

Expert Contributor
KEVIN GILMARTIN
Opinion

Governors should ask more questions about teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are at the core of any college, says Jill Westerman – which is why governors need...

Expert Contributor
JILL WESTERMAN
Opinion

Reform higher apprenticeships, but beware of unintended consequences

Let’s not lump all higher apprenticeships together – some are genuinely about re-training and progression, says Iain MacKinnon The government...

Expert Contributor
IAIN MACKINNON
Opinion

Ofsted understands the challenges for further education

From funding problems to T-levels and the apprenticeship levy, Ofsted seems to have a good handle on the main...

Expert Contributor
DAVID HUGHES
Opinion

Ofsted figures reveal it is the new private providers letting the sector down

The drop in the percentage of training providers rate good by Ofsted is a direct consequence of the government’s...

Mark Dawe
MARK DAWE