Reversing the FE staffing crisis: How we built a teacher pipeline

In the realm of FE, the challenge of teacher and assessor shortages is a regular talking point in management meetings across the country.

At Wigan & Leigh College, we have transformed our approach head-on through the establishment of our Teaching & Learning Academy (TLA).

The academy was launched in 2021 after the success of a further education professional development grant pilot we ran, which supported subject-specific professional development and new educators. Over the past three years the TLA has become integral to our recruitment and retention strategy, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and excellence in teaching.

Switch to teach: Cultivating dual professionals

Our Be Brilliant – Switch to Teach programme identifies candidates with industry expertise and the potential to excel in education, regardless of formal teaching qualifications. We have attracted tradespeople including plumbers and electricians, and engineers in manufacturing firms. Some were self-employed.

This approach has led to 77 per cent of new staff appointments in 2024-25 being successfully filled on the first attempt. Four years ago our figure was around 50 per cent.

To support these new educators we offer financial assistance for teaching qualifications ranging from Level 3 to 7, aligning with individual aspirations. Over 75 staff members have completed these qualifications in the past three years, reinforcing the dual-professional model that is essential to FE.

Off to a good start

All new teaching staff participate in our six-week Be Brilliant Essentials induction programme which covers high expectations, effective planning and assessment for learning, culminating in a micro-teach session. This initiative fosters a sense of belonging and cross-college collaboration, with 165 staff members completing the programme.

New educators also benefit from reduced teaching timetables, departmental mentors and support from teaching and learning coaches to ensure a smoother transition into their roles.

Embracing technology

We invest in cutting-edge, research-informed platforms to enhance teaching practices. All staff have access to Teachermatic, an AI-powered tool that streamlines administrative tasks, with 186 members regularly using it to save time.

Additionally, the HOW2 platform empowers educators to take control of their professional development, with 1,972 pedagogical techniques currently being developed within the college and 800 successfully embedded to improve teaching quality.

Workload and retention

Recognising that administrative workload contributes to staff attrition, we have tailored our professional development offerings to include tools and training that alleviate these pressures. Our efforts have yielded tangible results: staff turnover stands at 14 per cent, 3.7 per cent below the Association of College’s benchmark.

First-year staff turnover is 17 per cent, 8 per cent below the FE sector average, while staff sickness rates are at 2.3 per cent, below the AoC average of 2.7 per cent.

Collaboration and sector influence

The TLA extends its impact beyond our institution through strategic collaborations. We are currently partnering with Gatsby, Edge Hill University and other FE colleges on the Industry Associates initiative, offering a free 12-week programme to industry professionals engaged with FE curriculum design and delivery. This initiative ensures high-quality curriculum input whilst inspiring potential educators.

As part of the Greater Manchester Local Skills Improvement Fund (LSIF) Education and Workforce project we are collaborating with the University of Manchester to integrate PhD researchers into FE teaching, particularly in STEM subjects. This innovative model not only addresses staffing shortages but also strengthens the FE-HE relationship, promoting a system-wide approach to bridging skills gaps.

The landscape of education is evolving, and traditional approaches to recruitment and retention are no longer sufficient.

Our Teaching & Learning Academy exemplifies how innovation, collaboration and a commitment to professional development can effectively address the challenges facing the FE sector.

By investing in our educators and embracing change we are not only meeting current demands but also shaping a resilient and dynamic workforce for the future.

Annus mirabilis for FE research…our sector is finding its voice

This year is proving something of an annus mirabilis for research in the FE and skills sector. Not only has the recent biannual conference of the Learning & Skills Research Network (LSRN) demonstrated the breadth of practice-based research in the sector, but a milestone book, Exploring Practitioner Research in Further Education, by Kerry Scattergood and Samantha Jones has placed it firmly in the public realm.

The year has also seen the reinstatement of the Education & Training Foundations’ pioneering Practitioner Research Programme at the University of Sunderland, many of whose graduates are moving onto doctoral research and taking up positions of influence in colleges.

The more recent Research Further scheme at the Association of Colleges is supporting others to develop their research ideas and encouraging college-centred research that can help influence policy and practice.

Across the diverse sessions of LSRN’s research conference last month – from formal presentations to digital contributions – several recurring themes emerged. These included the evolving identity and roles of FE educators, new approaches to CPD and rethinking observation and feedback practices.

This surge of research activity hasn’t arisen by accident, of course. The gradual emergence of a sustained culture of research is the long-term outcome of many initiatives, driven largely by enthusiasts. The “grandaddy of them all”, to quote from Scattergood and Jones’s book, is LSRN, founded in 1997. It has remained independent and informal ever since and is driven entirely by the willing efforts of volunteers.

New research infrastructure

Those brought together through LSRN activity have gone on to set up further elements of research infrastructure. The Research College Group brings together colleges that have committed at the highest level to supporting and conducting research.

FE Research Meet, set up in conjunction with the National Education Union, provides an informal environment in which practitioners at all levels of experience in an area come together to share and develop their work. FE podcasts provide insights into the research culture, though interviews with researchers on topics such as lesson observation, mentoring and GCSE resits.

So, what does this buzz of activity suggest about the future of FE research? It is clear that the sector is beginning to etch out a distinctive approach to research. The increasing numbers of practitioners acquiring capabilities through practitioner research programmes and post-doctoral study means the capacity to design and conduct studies is growing.

Not only is this leading to greater quantity and quality of research. It also means that FE and skills practitioners are making their mark in the wider research community by contributing to journals and conferences and taking up roles within research organisations such as the British Educational Research Association (BERA). Key to the distinctiveness of this work, however, is close attention to the detail of contexts relevant to the sector – the classrooms, laboratories, workshops and salons that characterise education across the vocations, and in training and community settings for adults, language learners and offenders.

The inclusive approach extends to the pathway into research. Opportunities are being extended at every level for practitioners to follow up their curiosity, and embark on a journey with the support of colleagues already on that pathway.

Through informal networking and online sharing, the intimidation often felt about trying to engage with research is alleviated. Questions and challenges arising directly from one’s day-to-day teaching experience can be brought safely into the research arena.

As the research culture continues to develop from the bottom-up, it is possible to imagine a future in which serious, locally developed evidence will inform decision-making in our institutions as well as our classrooms. Governors and leaders, as well as people at the chalkface, may look to soundly based evidence to inform the decisions they take.

Deputy Jones to succeed CEO Booth at Luminate

Bill Jones has been promoted to chief executive of Luminate Education Group, effective from January.

The current deputy CEO of the organisation, which is one of England’s largest college groups, will take the helm when current chief Colin Booth retires at the end of the year.

Jones has been deputy at the group since 2015, as well as being executive principal of Leeds City College.

As deputy, he leads the college group’s initiatives across teaching, stakeholder engagement and institutional performance.

Jones said: “It is an immense privilege to be appointed as the next chief executive of Luminate Education Group. Having worked within the group for over 10 years, I’ve seen first-hand the impact our members, staff and students make across our communities every day.

“I am proud of what we have achieved together under Colin Booth’s leadership — and I’m excited to build on that strong foundation. As we look ahead, my focus will be on deepening our commitment to inclusive, high-quality education across both further and higher education, while exploring new ways to innovate, respond to local and national priorities, and strengthen our partnerships across sectors.”

With a career in education spanning nearly three decades, Jones began as an English teacher at the now-closed East Birmingham College.

He then worked his way up to hold senior positions at Rotherham College of Arts and Technology and Burton & South Derbyshire College. 

Before starting at Leeds City College, he spent six years at Sheffield College leading curriculum planning and quality assurance.

John Toon, chair of Luminate’s board, said: “This appointment follows a rigorous and highly competitive recruitment process, attracting interest from across the education and public sectors. 

“Bill demonstrated a clear vision for the future of Luminate, with a deep understanding of our values and the challenges and opportunities facing education at both a regional and national level. The Board is confident that he will provide outstanding leadership in the years ahead.”

The search for a new group CEO began in April when Booth announced his retirement after a 40-year career, ending with 10 years at Luminate.

Luminate Education Group is one of the largest colleges in England, with more than 30,000 students across its three FE colleges, one sixth from college and two higher education institutions. It generated £128 million in group income in 2023-24.

The group maintained a ‘good’ Ofsted rating following its latest inspection in February.

Our survey says… all employers want more control over training

If you speak to any employer about the skills challenges they face, one message comes through clearly: we have a great opportunity to improve the current system to better serve both employers and learners.

In our latest report, Skills for All: Ten Key Insights from Employers, The St Martin’s Group (SMG) in partnership with Ipsos gathered the views of more than 800 employers from two surveys across England.

The insights are impossible to ignore. Employers want an inclusive skills system that works across all ages, levels and sectors, which reflects the realities they face and supports growth.

It chimes with the recently published Skills England report Sector evidence on the growth and skills offer, which looked at employers’ experiences of the apprenticeship system. Both reports found small and medium enterprises (SMEs) face challenges in delivering apprenticeships and content, and delivery frameworks can be too restrictive. They often don’t help address the skills gaps that employers suffer.

When confronted with a skills gap, most employers (52 per cent Ipsos; 54 per cent SMG) don’t default to recruitment. They upskill existing staff. Skills policy that ignores the existing workforce risks missing the point entirely.

That’s why nearly half of employers (47 per cent Ipsos; 59 per cent SMG) say a national skills policy that trains all ages and all levels would most benefit their business.

Employers are not asking for special treatment; they’re asking for a system that reflects how they operate. And with 55 per cent (SMG) and 49 per cent (Ipsos) of employers struggling to recruit for higher-level roles, the case for lifelong learning and upskilling is undeniable.

Equally important is the call for flexibility. Whether it’s the structure of apprenticeship programmes or access to levy funds, employers want greater control. Most surveyed (53 per cent Ipsos, 70 per cent SMG) chose flexibility over the content and structure of programmes – a strong signal that a one-size-fits-all approach is not fit for purpose.

The growth and skills levy is a step in the right direction. With 62 per cent of Ipsos respondents (70 per cent SMG) supporting its use to fund vocational and higher technical qualifications and management and soft skills training, the appetite is there. But any reform must ensure levy flexibility does not come at the cost of apprenticeship volume or quality.

That balance matters. Apprenticeships remain a vital pathway into skilled employment. 80 per cent (SMG) and 79 per cent (Ipsos) of employers surveyed said they are likely to hire apprentices in the future.

But we must not force every skills solution through the apprenticeship route. Employers want high-quality short courses, pre-employment soft skills programmes and modular training that reflects real-world needs.

That need is especially acute for young people. Only one third (33 per cent) of large employers responding to SMG find it easy to develop young people’s soft skills, compared to 58 per cent of those who feel confident developing technical ones.

So we must invest in access-to-work initiatives, career-readiness programmes and interventions that bridge the gap between education and employment.

We need a system that works for SMEs and large employers alike. Our polling shows marked differences between them in their government engagement, the training they value and their likelihood to adopt new programmes such as foundation or shorter apprenticeships. A responsive skills system cannot be centrally prescribed and locally irrelevant.

That’s why more than 62 per cent of employers surveyed by Ipsos and 74 per cent by SMG want skills policy coordinated at both the national and local level. Employers understand their local labour markets and know what works. Government’s role should be to enable and incentivise.

The creation of Skills England, the evolution of the levy and a growing employer appetite for training all create fertile ground for reform. But for reform to be effective it must be rooted in employer reality.

We must back a system that supports inclusive growth – one that helps young people move into work, enables adults to reskill and upskill throughout their careers and gives employers the tools they need to invest in their workforce.

Principal of cash-strapped college to retire

A long-serving principal has announced his retirement – two months after the Hampshire college he leads was placed in government intervention.

Havant and South Downs College (HSDC) boss Mike Gaston will step down from the post to “focus on my family and personal life”, he said in a statement today.

Gaston’s decision comes just shortly after the Department for Education hit HSDC with a financial notice to improve (FNTI) amid “serious cashflow pressures”. The college has warned there will be “substantial” redundancies as a result.

Gaston will stay in the post during a “planned transition period” until January 2026 to lead the college through its financial recovery strategy, the college said.

Gaston has been the principal and CEO of HSDC for over a decade. He led the group through two mergers: The South Downs College and Havant College merged in 2017, and Alton Sixth Form College joined in 2019. Gaston also steered the merged college group through two ‘good’ Ofsted inspections.

He said the decision was “not made lightly” after spending his 37-year career in the FE sector.

“Leading HSDC has been one of the greatest privileges of my career,” said Gaston. 

“Working alongside an exceptional team and inspiring students, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of further education. After 37 years in the sector and more than a decade at this college, I feel the time is right to focus on my family and personal life.”

He added: “When the time comes, I am confident that new leadership will bring fresh energy and vision to HSDC, building on the achievements of the past to create an even brighter future.”

The board said it will begin recruitment for the next principal “in due course”.

Clive Dobbin, chair of the corporation, said: “On behalf of the board, we extend our deepest gratitude to Mike for his dedication and leadership. His commitment to ensuring a smooth transition is invaluable, and we are confident that the strong foundation he has built will allow HSDC to emerge even stronger in the years ahead.”

Gaston warned last month of “substantial redundancies” to its 1000-strong workforce in light of the notice to improve.

Financial statements for the year ending July 2024 show a £550,000 deficit, a negative EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation) and a high staff-to-turnover ratio of 72 per cent – 7 percentage points above the FE Commissioner’s benchmark.

He told FE Week at the time: “While the challenges outlined in the FNTI are significant, they compel us to take decisive action, including a process of right-sizing that may, regrettably, involve a substantial number of redundancies. I want to be unequivocal; these decisions are never made lightly.”

We must do more than watch a TV drama to stop abuse on web

The last piece I wrote for FE Week, about the extremely troubling rise in misogyny and the damaging insidiousness of the ‘manosphere,’ was written before the TV drama show Adolescence was released. I have been reflecting on the resounding and widespread visceral reaction to that programme.

As you all surely must know by now, (who can have missed it!) the programme involves a young teenage boy committing an act of terrible violence against an innocent girl, following his radicalisation into incel ideology via the internet; or rather, by those promoting misogyny, violence and hatred on the web.

The programme provoked such an extraordinary reaction it was even discussed in parliament, with PM Sir Keir Starmer suggesting every child attending school should watch the series. If it is Question Time, Prime Minister, I am interested to know exactly what you think that would achieve?

The assumption that every child would relate to, understand and interpret the messaging in that script is a bold one. The 13-year-old perpetrator had a loving family, albeit with a slightly emotionally stunted father who couldn’t express his feelings very well. A pretty stereotypical portrayal maybe? 

Too many of our children and young people do not live in a loving, binary family setting, and concern about online behaviours is not on the radar of parental awareness. 

Maybe, I would respectfully suggest, an alternative response would be to introduce serious restrictions on what is permissible and available on the net and actually protect our children before they become the manipulated fodder of those who are making fortunes out of creating such bleak and devastating misery.

As reported by The Guardian, over 850 men are arrested every month for child abuse offences online, including police, doctors and teachers. The ‘spiralling global crisis’ saw the UK’s Internet Watch Foundation remove over 300,000 web pages last year, each containing hundreds and thousands of illegal images. The explosion of free-to-view pornography is creating a short and rapid pathway to serious criminal offending.

The Online Safety Act does not go far enough

The Online Safety Act does not go far enough to protect children. It does not ban harmful pornography, choking, strangulation, images of sexual violence or nuanced content which promotes child abuse or incest at the behest of the algorithms which control content. We are moving at a glacial pace when lives are at stake. It is not good enough.

The National Crime Agency is collaborating in a joint taskforce with counter terrorism to tackle the increasing threat of young men and boys being radicalised by misogynistic online content to the point of seeking out vulnerable girls and young women with intent to cause them harm. Serious stuff.

Yet this misogyny is not classed as extremism. It might appear, to the naked eye, that we have the power and authority to control this situation. But we are choosing not to do so. One rational conclusion is that the online industry is worth billions; and there’s the rub. If we allowed this content to be put up then surely we can also take it down?

I am grateful that Adolescence initiated so much discussion and awareness. But it does beg the question; do we need to make a TV programme before such topics are taken seriously? Have we not been shouting for years now about the danger our children are in from the unpoliced internet?

Do we not already know that chat rooms are showing our kids how to kill themselves and hurt others? Do we not already know that sexual violence is becoming a dangerous ‘norm’ and that incel ideology is just one click away? And yet we are doing so little about it. And what we are doing has taken us years.

I understand how impossible it is to put the genie back in the bottle, but we can at least do our absolute best to put strict and rigid laws in place to protect our young people; including a total ban on certain content and legal definitions of misogyny and inceldom which are appropriate for the terror and harm they inflict.

It is our moral duty of care to do so, and do so quickly.

We must multiply the number of over-16s progressing with maths

Over the past quarter of a century, maths education in England has made huge strides. Today, four in five young people leave compulsory education with at least a standard pass in GCSE maths – up from around 50 per cent in the 1990s.

Maths is now the most popular subject at A-level. Globally, England sits among the top-performing countries outside East Asia. 

This is something to celebrate, and FE has played a crucial role. Colleges have enabled tens of thousands of students each year to achieve that vital GCSE maths pass.  

But for all the progress made, one problem stubbornly remains: most young people still stop learning maths at 16. 

In a world increasingly shaped by data, technology and AI, numeracy is a fundamental skill. Whether you’re managing a budget, weighing up risk or making sense of statistics, the ability to reason mathematically is more important than ever. 

That’s why the Maths Horizons Project is calling for a 16-19 maths entitlement: a commitment to ensuring every young person continues learning maths beyond age 16, whatever path they’re on. 

The aim of a 16-19 entitlement is not to push everyone into A-level maths. It’s about providing the right pathway for every learner – whether that’s core maths, a reformed resit offer or meaningfully embedded content in technical routes. It’s about ensuring every student builds fluency, confidence and the ability to apply maths in the real world. 

We know from our international counterparts such as Singapore and the Netherlands that it is achievable for over 90 per cent of young people to reach the equivalent of a GCSE standard pass by 19. In England, it’s around 80 per cent.

Too many students resit without adequate time to revisit the topics holding them back. Some are re-entered just months after their first attempt, with minimal additional teaching time. This is demoralising for learners and teachers alike.

“It risks skill loss just as employers are wanting more“

For those who do pass at 16, most will never study maths again, risking skill loss just as employers are expecting more. 

There is significant public support for a post-16 maths requirement. Public First’s polling for the Maths Horizons project found 72 per cent of respondents were in favour. Employers in sectors from engineering to retail report growing demand for numeracy, data literacy and quantitative reasoning.

Politically, this idea has come in and out of fashion. But it shouldn’t be partisan. While the last Conservative prime minister championed a version of this policy, the case for action is rooted not in ideology but principles of equity and national renewal. A 16-19 entitlement  aligns with Labour’s aims to deliver rising standards, prepare young people for the future and break down barriers to opportunity. 

Above all, this entitlement must be properly funded and flexible. That means continued investment in FE teaching capacity – including pay and workload reform – and clarity that this is a system-wide challenge, not something for colleges to shoulder alone. 

It also means ensuring qualifications work for students. At Get Further, we’re recommending a new GCSE step qualification for students who leave school with the very lowest prior attainment in maths – a one-year course focused on the fundamentals to support progression to a full GCSE by the end of their compulsory education.  

We must avoid creating alternative qualifications that lack the status or recognition of a GCSE. By signalling to employers who didn’t meet the required standard by age 16, this would risk cutting some young people off from opportunities – disproportionately affecting those with SEND and from disadvantaged backgrounds. Instead, we should make existing routes more meaningful and achievable. 

We’ve come a long way. But we won’t go further unless we build on the foundations we’ve laid. A 16-19 maths entitlement is the logical next step. We can become the country others look to on maths education and ensure every young person leaves the system with the skills they need to thrive. 

FE inquiry: College designations, postcode lotteries and student poverty

Post-16 SEND policy should sit with the skills minister, and the independent status of specialist colleges should be reformed, MPs were told today.

Natspec chief executive Clare Howard told members of the House of Commons education committee that specialist colleges routinely found themselves in a “policy vacuum”, particularly around capital funding, due to their independent status. 

The committee heard from eight witnesses this morning in the penultimate oral evidence session of its inquiry into the future of further education and skills. 

The wide-ranging evidence session also covered student attainment gaps, adult education devolution, mental health support and Skills England independence. 

Here are the highlights…

Redesignate specialist colleges

Howard was asked specifically about how further education special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) policy and funding could stop “falling through the cracks of ministerial responsibility”.

All of SEND and high needs policy currently sits with the minister for schools, Catherine McKinnell, whereas skills minister Jacqui Smith is responsible for education and training for non-SEND learners aged over 16. 

Specialist colleges share a similar status to independent training providers, despite being often the only viable option for students with complex needs. They legally tend to be constituted as charities or private companies. Howard said it was “illogical and inequitable” that they didn’t have a dedicated minister while learners were placed in “buildings falling apart”.

She said: “We’re very keen that the designation of specialist colleges is looked at. There is no alternative to mainstream FE other than specialist colleges so, in effect, they are the equivalent of maintained special colleges”.

MPs highlighted that specialist colleges are excluded from accessing funding through the Department for Education’s various  FE capital budgets. 

“I do think we need to bring specialist colleges into the FE sector and make them part of FE estates planning and the FE capital grant,” she said.

“We’ve got buildings falling apart and learners that are really missing out. [Specialist] colleges are looking at fundraising and private loans, and it’s very difficult for them.”

Better for everybody

Classifying specialist colleges as statutory further education bodies, with an integrated SEND and mainstream budget under one minister, could also help reverse the diminishing availability of local authority-funded transport for learners to get to college or work.

Local authorities’ statutory responsibilities for providing transport for education stop at age 16. As council finances have come under increasing pressure over the last decade, families have been asked to pay for transport services themselves, or services have been cut altogether.  

Howard said: “Colleges would like to do more in terms of their own transport, but they’ve not got the capital funding to do it.

“Member of our student voice parliament are hugely frustrated that their disabled bus passed can’t be used before 9.30 in the morning; they can’t get to work, can’t go to college, can’t get to a work placement”.

Skills England tension

The government’s new skills body, Skills England, launched a series of reports yesterday analysing the skills needs in the government’s ten priority sectors. 

Employer and adult education representatives were asked how Skills England should improve apprenticeships so they better meet the needs of local economies. 

Skills Federation chief executive Fiona Aldridge, who is also a member of the Skills England board, said the key to growing apprenticeships was to grow jobs.

“If you want to increase apprenticeships, we have to think about the labour market and what would encourage employers to offer those employment opportunities,” Aldridge said.

“But I would also say that apprenticeships, while they are brilliant, are not the right solution for everyone in every circumstance. It might not need to be an apprenticeship. We need to think about other things, short courses, modules, other types of provision that could be funded too.”

Susan Pember, policy director at Holex, pointed to Skills England’s position as an in-house government agency while simultaneously being tasked with advocating for the needs of employers. 

She said: “We’ve got Skills England. It’s supposed to be impartial. There is a bit of a tension and conflict because they’re also the owner and the deliverer of apprenticeships [policy]. So there will be a time where do they recommend government put spending into short courses that are not apprenticeships, or do they understand that they’re not meeting the apprenticeship target, and therefore they want to put more into apprenticeships.

“It’s a very difficult organisation.”

Devolution postcode lottery

Pember also criticised inconsistent adult education provision between devolved and non-devolved areas, particularly for ESOL and basic skills, citing cases where authorities had capped ESOL spending or removed community learning programmes altogether.

While supporting local control in principle, she warned that devolution has resulted in a “postcode lottery”.

“Wherever you look now, it’s a disparate mix. Now there could be a good reason for that, and that’s what localism is all about. But it doesn’t feel there’s a good rationale in all areas, and we are the ones working with people furthest away from the workplace, furthest away from the community. We can see funding for those being deprioritised and going to people who’ve always already been well funded by the state system. 

“We would like to see some framework so it doesn’t go to the extreme.”

Student vs the system 

Several panellists argued for improved student maintenance support in FE to reduce attainment gaps and mental health concerns. 

Qasim Hussain, vice president (further education) of the National Union of Students, told the committee he is seeing “more and more students juggling work with caring responsibilities and struggling to keep up with their courses”.

“The cost of living crisis is having a huge impact on students’ education, especially those who are coming from lower income backgrounds. We’re seeing mental health decrease, there’s cases where learners are struggling to get to college, to get to their place of work, to keep up with meals,” he said.

“We’re starting to see learners feeling disengaged with college and feeling like it’s a system where its them verses college.”

Nuffield Foundation’s Emily Tanner said a targeted student premium, similar to the pupil premium, would “enable extra support and intervention” to help improve experiences for disadvantaged students. 

There was some disagreement about whether reintroducing the Education Maintenance Allowance, which funded disadvantaged students directly, would be preferable to a student premium where the extra funding went to colleges.

Tanner seemed to land on the premium as a better option because it could be used on “wider issues around funding, around teacher pay as that has an enormous influence of disadvantaged students”.

Hussain however said the financial pressures on students were so broad, encompassing travel and living costs as well as study costs, there are always some that miss out on exiting bursary policies. 

He said it was “more important to direct money to students rather than institutions … giving students the power and autonomy would go a long way”.

SeaRegs Training makes waves with first Ofsted ‘outstanding’

A marine training provider has been awarded top marks by Ofsted after inspectors witnessed apprentices filling the skills gaps left by an “ageing workforce”.

Plymouth-based SeaRegs Training was handed an ‘outstanding’ rating today following its first ever full Ofsted inspection.

The watchdog heaped praise on the provider’s success in its highly ambitious curriculums and “carefully considered” pathways to accelerate apprentices’ knowledge and progress.

As a result, “almost all” apprentices complete their studies and obtain a “comprehensive” suite of qualifications to develop careers in the marine industry with their employers.

Ofsted said: “Highly skilled mariners are in great demand in both the public and private sectors. Searegs’ leaders work skilfully with employers to teach apprentices the skills they need to fill the skills gaps left by an ageing workforce.”

At the time of the April 30 to May 2 inspection, SeaRegs had 33 apprentices on the level 3 small commercial vessel (crewmember) apprenticeship and 20 apprentices studying the level 3 boatmaster apprenticeship.

Eight apprentices were aged under 19 during the inspection. Simon Jinks, director of SeaRegs Training, told FE Week that the provider attracts apprentices of all ages from 16 to 56 by sponsoring local football teams and talking to local sailing clubs.

Jinks, who runs the ITP with wife Vicky, said although it was their first Ofsted inspection, they were used to being inspected every six or seven weeks by a number of accredited regulators.

“We were delighted,” he said, reacting to the Ofsted outcome. 

“Realistically, I can’t thank the staff [enough]. As a training centre, we are as good as the teachers that are teaching for us and the staff who are backing it up with making sure that the paperwork and the processes are there.”

Ofsted was impressed by the “highly valuable” curriculum taught by instructors, who give apprentices additional learning options such as extra yachtmaster skills so they can further their knowledge.

“This prepares apprentices well for future job opportunities that interest them,” inspectors said.

The report commended teachers for their “well-honed” expertise which they apply to their own practice, which makes apprentices learn the context and potential dangers of working on maritime vessels.

The report also found that leaders worked “expertly well” with employers to plan and shape the curriculum so apprentices learn about the wide range of employers and vessels in the maritime industry. 

One example is the adaptation of the curriculum for both motor and sail-powered vessels so that apprentices can specialise in either discipline, which Ofsted said “widens the opportunities” when apprentices complete their studies. 

Jinks said: “We’ve put in a lot of time with employer and trade associations who have been responsibility for putting the apprenticeships together.

“We try and future-proof the apprentices because it’s a very certificate-led industry. When they do come out into industry, often we’ve found they’re the most qualified people in their organisation.”

Inspectors also spotted this and noted in their report that that apprentices achieve “a comprehensive suite” of industry-recognised qualifications throughout their apprenticeship. 

This suite includes safety and survival qualifications needed before any mariner can work. 

The report added: “Almost all apprentices complete their studies and all who remain on the programme pass their final assessments. Most remain with their employers and continue to develop their careers in the industry by undertaking further training.”

Jinks said his next plan for SeaRegs was to focus on recruitment and training staff.

“Let’s not go running and jumping to try and rule the world. Just consolidate and make sure that what we’re doing, we’re doing well,” he added.