The government believes schools and colleges should remain open for three quarters of students during strikes, leaked documents show, as ministers prepare to legislate for minimum service levels.
But the Department for Education stands accused of acting in “bad faith” and deliberately “collapsing” talks with unions aimed at reaching a voluntary agreement.
However The Sunreported last night that Keegan would pursue a legislative route, quoting a source saying she had “tried her best” to avoid the approach.
A discussion document from the talks about a voluntary agreement for MSLs, seen by FE Week, states that the government believes there is a “particularly strong case for ensuring face-to-face provision” for groups of learners making up three quarters of the school and college population.
They include “vulnerable children and young people” including looked-after children and those with SEND, disadvantaged pupils, students due to take public examinations, the children of critical workers and primary aged pupils.
These groups “add up to roughly 74 per cent of school pupils and FE students”. Unions were told to “consider” the DfE’s proposals.
DfE ‘collapsing’ talks in ‘bad faith’
Unions learned of the plans to legislate via media reports last night.
Paul Whiteman, from the National Association of Headteachers’ union, told FE Week’s sister publication Schools Week the announcement had come “completely out of left field” and while unions were “in the middle of talks”.
“We were waiting for our next meeting date. We had met them three times and there was nothing to suggest that they would just collapse it other than the spectre of Number 10 in the background.
“As far as we were concerned we’d had three meetings. We were in the middle of talks, difficult talks yes, but we were acting in good faith. It seems they have acted in bad faith.”
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, posted on X that “education unions attended every meeting the secretary of state requested. None of us ‘refused’. We were expecting more discussions last week and this week. Instead we get this.”
He added that minimum service levels “are a profoundly illiberal policy by a government that has lost the argument”.
“Nobody wants to go on strike. It is action that is taken as a last resort when all else has failed. But passing a law which effectively removes the right to strike from groups of employees is obviously done in order to weaken unions and the voice of employees over their pay and conditions.”
He said he feared the legislation would be used “to impose a miserly pay award next year which will further erode the real value of teacher pay and worsen a recruitment and retention crisis which is causing huge damage”.
David Hughes, chief executive of the Association of Colleges, said the DfE’s proposals have “potentially far-reaching implications for colleges”, adding that it is “critical that the unique and distinct position of colleges is fully recognised should any regulations be taken forward”.
A specialist college PE teacher of 30 years has been named FE lecturer of the year in the 2023 Pearson Teaching Awards.
Sixteen winners from across the UK’s schools and colleges have been honoured for their dedicated work in education.
Nine winners were presented their gold awards at a glitzy ceremony in London on Saturday, with another seven revealed during the week on the BBC’s The One Show.
Awards were presented last night by TV presenter Gaby Roslin, who also presented the first awards in 1999.
Now in their 25th year, the awards celebrate the best teaching across the UK and thousands of nominations were received for the gold award winners.
Education secretary Gillian Keegan said: “The impact of a teacher on a child’s life can be immeasurable – I know it was for me. I am so grateful to all the staff in our schools and colleges for everything they do.
“Teachers change lives and we should all feel a sense of gratitude to those we are celebrating today. Thank you again and congratulations.”
Sharon Hague, Pearson UK’s managing director of schools, added: “The hard work that goes into teaching and showing up for students day in and day out cannot be underestimated. Congratulations to all winners and thank you for your continuous efforts.”
Rachel Bown, SEND PE practitioner at Fairfield Farm College
Bown is “not only a Special Educational Needs teacher, with over 30 years experience, she is also a representative for Team GB in the Triathlon, a survivor of a brain tumour, a funeral celebrant, and a published author.”
She is an “outstanding teacher” who always “leads by example” and encourages her students to “reach above and beyond what they thought they could ever achieve.”
FE team of the year
HRUC Uxbridge College, Performing Arts Department
The performing arts team at HRUC Uxbridge College is known as the “heart of the college” due to their “vibrant performances and family-like bond” which is admired across the school.
With many of the team still performing professionally, they have been recognised as “truly credible role models and inspirations to students.”
Excellence in special needs education
David Jones, additional learning needs transition co-ordinator at Pembrokeshire College
Jones is described as “a very special guy” who supports young adults with additional learning needs and disabilities and other vulnerable groups of learners.
According to his colleagues, he “doesn’t stop supporting the young people in his care at the end of the working day; he will continue working in his own time, covering roles that aren’t on his job description, to make sure he helps the learners he supports.”
Teacher of the year in a secondary school
Dr Jo Turner, early careers teacher lead at Callington Community College
Turner’s science students say her classes “make you feel indestructible.”
She is known to parents as being “a role model as a woman in science with a PhD, a dairy farmer, a fudge maker, and an inspiration for their children.”
Headteacher of the year in a secondary school
Farhan Adam, Headteacher at Crown Hills Community College
Farhan is a headteacher in Leicester who has made it his mission to “change the lives and extend opportunities for everyone in the school community.”
He is described as “a truly inspirational, humble and caring headteacher who leads by example, relentlessly driving his initiatives for the enormous benefit of his students and staff.”
Impact through partnership
Hope School
Hope School is a special school which “raises awareness of attachment theory and the psychological impact of trauma.”
Through its HEARTs project, and in partnership with the local authority, they are “sharing their skills and expertise to have a positive impact on other institutions, enabling them to have the best outcomes possible.”
Teaching assistant of the year
Lorna Cannon, teaching assistant at Margaretting at Church of England Primary School
In her 20 years of working at Margaretting Church of England Primary School, Cannon has “transformed the school with her creative flair,” making “hundreds of bright displays that proudly show off the children’s work.”
Some of her resources “have been so successful, they are now being used across the school trust.”
Unsung hero of the Year
Manjit Nahal, lead lunchtime supervisor at Bridgetown School
Nahal is “the beating heart of Bridgetown School where the children thrive due to her attentiveness and support.”
Her “Top Table award scheme at which pupils are selected to eat lunch with the Head Teacher on a table laid with linens, flowers and place cards” is a huge motivator for children.
Headteacher of the year in a primary school
Maria Carlton, executive headteacher at Bewley and Kirklevington Primary School
Carlton has “a magical, warm and welcoming approach combined with a firm moral purpose and a simple determination to provide the very best for her community.”
She has “created an environment, supportive of individuality and difference, where pupils, staff and the community are able to thrive.”
Teacher of the year in a primary school
Matthew King, deputy head of science at Trinity St Peter’s
King is known as a “joker” and “role model” who cares “deeply for the children in his care and the whole school community.”
He “sees things in the children that they don’t always see in themselves” and uses his “enthusiasm and energy to motivate the rest of the team as well as the children.”
Digital innovator of the year
Nino Trentinella, head of the art & photography department at Sutton Grammar School
Trentinella is a “USA Presidential Award-winning teacher and a recognised specialist in Blended Learning and Artificial Intelligence Art.”
She has “created an innovative curriculum and is the first teacher to embed cutting-edge technologies (Stereoscopy, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics) into the entire art and photo curriculum from Year 7 through Year 13.”
Making a difference – secondary school
Sharples School
Sharples School’s motto, “learn, dream, achieve”, is the “bedrock of all their work.”
In their community, Sharples is known for being so much “more than a school”. Each teacher goes “over and above to support the students” and to “open their eyes beyond Bolton” to see how they can contribute to the wider community.
Lifetime achievement
Sheelagh Rusby, quality improvement officer at Dumfries and Galloway Council
Rusby has been in education for 40 years and has been described as “the kind of person you would want in your corner through thick and thin.”
She has “championed community schools, enterprising schools, rural skills, and developing the young workforce before these terms became part of the more recent educational ‘lingo.’”
Making a difference – primary school
St. Oliver Plunkett Primary School
St Oliver Plunkett has the “highest aspirations for its students and looks to hard-wire the belief that they can achieve to the highest levels.”
The school “operates in stark contrast to the challenges the broader community faces, with a calm, orderly and nurturing atmosphere.”
Outstanding new teacher of the year
Zac Moxon, head of music at Chiswick School
Although starting out as a trainee maths teacher, “Zac was asked to take on the role of Head of Music at
Chiswick School and the impact has been truly remarkable.”
His lessons are “creative with endless elements of performance across all ages and abilities as well as being filled with academic rigour.”
Early years team of the year
The Woodland Nursery
Woodland Nursery is “embedded into the heart of the community” and has created a “unique environment that truly inspires children to learn and explore.”
It is here that “families, staff, and nature work in harmony to provide an enabling and emotionally safe environment.”
Skills minister Robert Halfon has continued to oppose calls for changes to the apprenticeship levy, despite the UK chancellor’s admission that he is “very open” to reforms.
At Treasury questions in the House of Commons last week, Conservative backbencher Luke Evans asked chancellor Jeremy Hunt to “look at red tape around the apprenticeship levy” which he said was making hiring apprenticeships in his constituency “very difficult”.
Hunt replied that he was “very open to reforms on the apprenticeship levy, providing they stick to the fundamental principle that any investment is not within in-house training that would otherwise have happened but is transferable, passport-able training that someone can take with them if they move to another business”.
However, Halfon doubled down in defence of government policy, which he described as focussing on “quality, not just quantity”, in a Westminster Hall debate on the levy this week.
Halfon faced three further fellow Conservatives calling for apprenticeship reforms, including from former ministers. Thérèse Coffey, who was briefly deputy prime minister under Liz Truss and was fired as environment secretary by Rishi Sunak this month, said the “lack of flexibility has been a consistent complaint from many employers”.
Among Coffey’s suggestions was diverting more “surplus” levy funds to small businesses and supply chains.
“The apprenticeship levy was critical in providing a pathway for individuals to realise their potential and for businesses to thrive in that ever-evolving landscape. The regulation and the design of the scheme needs to evolve to keep at pace,” she said.
Level 7 apprenticeships were also in Coffey’s sights. She asked Halfon to carefully look into the issue of firms developing apprenticeships just to use their levy.
“I ask the minister to really interrogate what is happening, particularly with level 7 qualifications. I have heard stories, although I have not actually got the proof to back it up, that the police superintendents’ course had become a level 7 apprenticeship so that police forces could use their levy. That is not really what it was designed for.”
FE Week could find no evidence of a level 7 apprenticeship for police superintendents.
This week’s debate was secured by Stoke-on-Trent North MP Jonathan Gullis, who was briefly minister for schools last year. Gullis currently co-chairs the all-party parliamentary group for apprenticeships and earlier this year published “The New Conservatives’ plan to upskill Britain” along with fellow tory MP, Lia Nici.
Gullis argued that red wall constituencies have “been hit especially hard” by the decline in apprenticeships going to young people and small businesses.
“In northern and coastal constituencies, the number of apprenticeships has fallen, while it has grown in places such as Wimbledon and Chelsea,” he claimed.
Any unspent levy funds should be spent on “training home-grown talent that will help close the skills gap” and the amount levy-paying businesses can transfer to smaller businesses should be increased from 25 per cent to 35 per cent, he argued.
And Conservative MP Peter Aldous, chair of the all-party parliamentary group for further education and lifelong learning, said the levy has been “successful in creating higher-level apprenticeships in larger firms” but reforms were now needed to “provide apprenticeship opportunities for younger people and new labour market entrants.”
Aldous made the case to extend the two-year expiry date for businesses’ levy firms, which he said leads to “rushed financial decisions, rather than strategic workforce development.”
He also argued for an increase to the apprenticeship minimum wage to improve retention and a “flexible approach” to the 12-month minimum duration.
Halfon launches ‘operation machete’
Other than shadow skills minister Seema Malhotra, no other Labour MPs were present for the debate. Halfon admitted the government was “trying” to slash regulation.
“I have a phrase that I use in the department: I call it Operation Machete. I do not like regulation, and there is too much of it. We are doing a huge amount in this area,” he said.
Removing the cap on small business apprenticeship starts, and “significantly reducing” red tape onboarding new apprentices and the new expert provider group were cited as examples.
He also referenced the latest figures on apprenticeship achievement volumes improving by 20 per cent compared to last year. Full-year apprenticeship achievement rates are not due to be published until March 2024.
But he made no commitments or indications on calls from his own side for levy reforms, pointing out that “98 per cent of the apprenticeship budget was spent in the last two years”.He concluded: “Yes, we always have to look at our reforms and make sure things work, and I have listened to everything hon. Members have said in the chamber today. However, it is vital that we give employers and providers the time and stability to deliver gold-standard apprenticeships across even more apprenticeships and that we offer a ladder of opportunity to every young person and to those who want to train and retrain throughout their lives.”
Last week, I was at the Association of Colleges conference, where I attended a breakout session called ‘English and maths, the elephant in every room’. For me, having spent almost 30 years working in the adult education sector, the real elephant in the room is the lack of investment or priority given to those adults in the community who lack basic literacy and numeracy skills.
Don’t get me wrong. It was heartening to hear the government’s commitment and investment in English and maths education, including the perceived benefits of the Advanced British Standard. We were told that 64 per cent of young people who don’t achieve good English and maths grades at 16 go on to achieve them by the age of 19. That is truly remarkable and clearly the policy drive to see all students study English and maths to 18 is working.
And yet. What about the 36 per cent who become adults still having not achieved good grades in these vital subjects? Eight million adults in the UK have maths skills lower than those expected of an eleven-year-old, meaning lots of rewarding and high-level jobs will likely never be available to them. These are the adults who come to institutions like mine to improve their skills, yet there has been no funding increase for adults over 19 requiring English and maths for 10 years.
Adult participation in English and maths is declining nationally but the need is not. What is stopping adults from gaining these essential (functional) skills? We know that addressing the numeracy and literacy needs of adults is a multifaceted investment that pays off in terms of individual wellbeing, economic development, social cohesion, addressing inequality and overall national progress. So why is there a lack of investment?
Adults who have been through the school system and perhaps two years of college without achieving a ‘relevant qualification’ deserve a different kind of intervention. It is possible a sizeable proportion of adults who lack essential English and maths skills have an undiagnosed learning difficulty and disability. Other factors that contribute to low literacy and numeracy may be socioeconomic or health-related.
There has been no funding increase for 10 years
Meanwhile, at a time when participation in ESOL is growing exponentially, have we considered that adult learners with an ESOL need may not be lacking in numeracy skills? Language barriers are hindering the development of literacy and numeracy skills, yet no focus or priority has been given to the appropriateness of maths education for people for whom English is not the first language.
Measuring the achievement or competence of adults against a qualification framework may be where our problem lies. If what adults truly need is functional maths and English, why do we measure their success through the lens of an outmoded assessment model?
For example, I had a learner in my level 1 functional skills maths class who was elated that she could help her son with his primary school maths homework without feeling inadequate. Incidentally she did not pass her exam and is part of the national statistic, but in her eyes she had succeeded. I am sure across the country every college and adult community education learning organisation will be able to give an array of examples of learner successes that are not related to passing an exam.
The flexibility of Multiply funding is helping to address some of these issues in maths teaching. Colleges are effectively using Multiply to bridge the rigidity of the maths curriculum by recognising the diverse reasons adults may have low numeracy. Only time will tell if these tailored and flexible approaches to adult education will deliver the sort of measurable results politicians look for when making funding decisions.
What’s certain is that further investment is needed right now for adults lacking basic skills. They are today’s workforce and today’s parents. Improving their numeracy and literacy skills will not only enhance overall productivity and economic competitiveness in the short term but enable them to more fully participate in activities with plenty of medium- and long-term benefits too.
We all know that the pandemic has left an inerasable mark on the education landscape which, in parts, we are still mopping up. While this year’s cohort of year 12 learners are the first to have returned to sitting full GCSE exams, I am quite confident that all of you reading this would agree that in the aftermath of the pandemic, they are not the same as the year 12s we used to teach.
A new type of learner has emerged, one whose skills and experiences differ from those of the pre-pandemic era and one whose pastoral needs and requirements outweigh those of their pre-pandemic counterparts.
But this isn’t an article to join in with staffroom complaints about our new type of learner. This is my call to ask you as educators to recognise and celebrate their emerging skillsets and to embrace the need for adaptation and empathy.
Indeed, the comparison itself is counterproductive. Instead, by embracing the skills that learners have acquired during the pandemic rather than those we think they have lost, we can create environments where they feel valued and understood. This, in turn, can foster a more positive and supportive learning experience.
The student becomes the master
One of the most significant changes the pandemic brought about is the acceleration of digital proficiency among students. Whether they were attending virtual classes or engaging in remote learning, students had to become tech-savvy at an astonishing rate.
This newfound digital literacy is an invaluable asset. It allows students to access information, collaborate and communicate in ways that were previously unimaginable. As educators, we should recognise and continue to harness this digital proficiency despite most teaching returning to pre-pandemic methods.
The difficulty is that most young people’s digital skills have now surpassed their tutors’. The right response isn’t to bury our heads but to encourage them to share their technological skills with their peers while we continue to integrate technology into our lessons (and hopefully catch up).
Shift + CTRL
In addition to digital proficiency, the pandemic forced students to respond to rapidly changing circumstances, making adaptability one of their most valuable skills. The ability to adjust to unexpected situations and find creative solutions is a trait that will serve these learners well in life.
In the classroom, we can remind learners of these skills they already possess and create opportunities for students to showcase this adaptability. Encourage them to solve real-world problems and adapt their learning methods to suit their individual needs. By doing so, we empower them to become resilient and resourceful individuals.
The pandemic period also altered the locus of control for many learners. They were tasked with managing their own schedules and staying on top of assignments independently. This experience has cultivated improved time management and self-discipline.
As educators, we should not only recognise these skills but also help students refine them further. Encourage the use of planners, time management techniques and goal setting. By doing so, we equip learners with essential life skills that extend beyond the classroom.
A unique diversity
The disruption of traditional teaching methods during our learners’ secondary school years gave rise to a wide array of learning experiences. Students engaged with diverse resources from online platforms to hands-on projects to meet their educational needs.
This diversity of experiences has nurtured an awareness of different learning methodologies, approaches and practices. We can leverage this to create more inclusive classrooms in which they can take ownership of their learning journey.
Embracing the post-Covid learner requires a paradigm shift. We must move away from comparing students to the pre-pandemic ‘normal’ and instead focus on nurturing their unique skillsets with empathy and flexibility.
The world of education has changed and will continue to do so. Rather than resisting this, we should be at the forefront ensuring students’ needs are what drives its evolution.
The ‘new normal’ is here to stay. Comparing what is to what was only stops us from enacting what could be. After all, the one constant in all this turbulence is our responsibility to ensure our educational approaches reflect the needs and strengths of our learners, whatever their backgrounds and experiences.
The 2017 reforms to the apprenticeship system were ambitious, and rightly so. They demonstrated two fundamental understandings: first that for apprenticeships to succeed they needed a long-term, sustainable funding source, and second that they had to be rigorous if they were to win the confidence of employers and learners. The apprenticeship levy was designed to deliver the former while a host of other measures would ensure the latter.
From my conversations with some of the country’s leading apprenticeship employers, it has become increasingly clear that several of the provisions within the 2017 reforms that were aimed at driving growth and quality are now proving counter-productive and restricting take-up.
A recent roundtable discussion on the topic hosted by Ofsted outstanding apprenticeship training provider, MBKB and attended by some of the country’s leading apprenticeship employers repeated many of the calls I have heard from industry.
What’s the rush?
While the levy has successfully driven employer-funded apprenticeships, there is a feeling among some in industry that the two-year expiration on levy funds is inadvertently encouraging the adoption of a ‘spend it or lose it’ mentality. This leads to rushed financial decisions rather than strategic workforce development.
We need a more nuanced and flexible approach to the levy. Extending the expiration period could encourage more thoughtful expenditure, aligning training initiatives with long-term business strategies.
Tailored to suit
There is also a common feeling that reform is needed to address the rigidity of apprenticeship minimum duration requirements.
The 12-month minimum length of apprenticeship, for example, while suitable for some programmes, does not necessarily align with the operational demands of others. For instance, I have heard that certain schemes, such as in retail and customer service training, would be more effectively delivered in shorter, more intensive programmes – to the benefit of apprentices, training providers and employers. Meanwhile, others are being completed too quickly.
A reform to the system that legislates for a more flexible approach to minimum length requirements would enable better tailoring of apprenticeships to specific job roles and industry needs.
Pay and progression
Poor retention rates in apprenticeships also demand attention. The feedback from industry leaders suggests that a combination of factors (including the apprenticeship wage structure and lack of clear progression pathways) contributes to high drop-out rates.
Some have argued that increasing the apprenticeship minimum wage could positively impact apprentice retention rates by providing financial stability and demonstrating the value of their contributions. In turn, this would enhance job satisfaction and commitment. This is an option, among many, that the government could consider to improve retention.
A changing world
The way forward is not to dismantle what we have built but to listen, adapt and refine. This refinement is not just about making minor tweaks; it is about ensuring our apprenticeship system remains relevant, responsive and effective in a rapidly changing economic landscape. Modifying our approach as the circumstances change is a cornerstone of good policymaking.
Continuous examination reforms in the UK since 1986 underscore a crucial lesson to policy makers: complex policies demand calculated, large-scale improvements over time, ensuring long-term benefits and stronger foundations for future generations. There is no reason this dynamic logic of policy making should not be applied to improving the apprenticeship system.
As we see a shift away from traditional emphasis on university degrees, apprenticeships stand to play a pivotal role in filling the skills gap. This will only happen if they are attuned to the evolving needs of learners and employers.
While the foundations of the 2017 apprenticeship reforms are robust, targeted amendments are necessary – and will continue to be. By refining the levy, introducing flexibility in programme lengths and addressing retention challenges, we can ensure that our apprenticeship system remains a key driver of skill development and economic growth.
And by continuously drawing on the wisdom of industry, we can sustain them as the pivotal and adaptive avenue for career advancement today’s ever evolving world requires.
Previous Job: Assistant Principal – Teaching and Learning, Barnsley College
Interesting fact: Outside of education, Rachel enjoys musical theatre
John Toon
Chair of Governors, Luminate Education Group
Start date: November 2023
Previous Job: Partner – Head of Commercial Tax, DWF
Interesting fact: One of John’s first jobs in practice was for Leeds City Council, helping investigate and then registering the titles to hundreds of back-to-back houses which used to stand where Leeds City College’s Quarry Hill campus is now
Demands on unpaid college chairs are growing. Waltham Forest College chair Paul Butler tells Jessica Hill about the importance of finding college governors who are rooted in their communities.
College governors are told to ask challenging questions. But preparing interview questions to ask a highly experienced college governor is a tough ask. And Paul Butler is one of the biggest names in college governance.
Yet his online footprint is virtually non-existent: he’s not on X or LinkedIn and didn’t give much away in the only interview he’s done before this – a set-piece Q&A with the Education & Training Foundation (for whom he is a governance adviser) about his position as chair of Waltham Forest College.
Butler is slightly wary of me as a journalist. In a former role as a Department for Education civil servant, he had rigorous media training and is very careful in his use of words. He tells me that he “doesn’t see the necessity” of having an online presence.
“All my career has been focused around community and education, but I feel no need to present myself on the web in that way. I get my joy and satisfaction from the work that I do.”
Paul Butler at Waltham Forest College
Working for free
Butler’s main career has always been either in the civil service or the voluntary sector. It is hard to fathom how he has time for his many commitments. He is currently chief executive of the Selby Trust, a community hub in Harringay, and is “really excited” it has just secured levelling up funding with the council to build a new community centre and housing.
He also holds FE roles with the Education and Training Foundation and the Association of Colleges, which involves advising colleges through governance reviews and providing “mediation where there are difficult issues”. There is also his (unpaid) chairmanship of Waltham Forest College.
The position takes up more time than it used to 15 years ago when he took on his first chair role, for Leyton Sixth Form College. That’s because “there are now more expectations from government and regulators in terms of how many activities I need to get involved with as a governor”. A “marathon meeting” the night before our interview took close to three hours, although such a long session is fortunately “unusual”.
Butler “could” spend a day and a half a week on the role. It’s an admirable thing to give up your time for free, but it’s harder now for colleges to find people willing to do so. But, he has no gripes about the lack of remuneration.
He spent five years as a councillor for ACAS (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service), which was paid, and believes that “sometimes if you professionalise a sector, it becomes extremely competitive. I’d rather we place the emphasis on people’s skills, energy, and genuine commitment to FE.”
Paul Butler, Waltham Forest College
Diversity with purpose
Butler is passionate about making FE more diverse. But for him, diversity is not necessarily about hiring more senior people from ethnic minority backgrounds. He recalls recently advising a college board in a diverse community, who told him they were concerned they had no ethnic minority representation.
There was “deafly silence” when he responded that he was “unsure why you think you have a problem”. Butler wanted the board to first question “why they want diversity”, in the same way they might consider gender balance and people with experience in HR or digital skills.
“I wanted them to think about the lived experiences and skills missing from not having those people around the table, as opposed to ‘we just need to get someone’.”
Butler then told them: “‘I’m sure you didn’t appoint me as your governance advisor because I am black’. Then they understood, because if that’s all I brought to the table then why have me?” He believes “as much effort” needs to be put into thinking about the “support structures” required to retain people from minority communities, as goes into recruiting them.
He is also co-chair of the policing panel for Enfield and Harringay and notes the problem police forces have with retaining ethnic minority officers. “Because if they feel isolated, then people will leave”. But diversity is not a problem for Waltham Forest College’s board.
Its 13 governors include a finance company chief executive, two auditors and two former directors from ETF and DfE. Around 50 per cent of the board and senior leadership are from ethnic minority backgrounds. Butler is the second oldest, with most members still being “in the heights” of their careers. Such a diverse board is “extremely unusual” in FE.
“You’re not going to survive our recruitment process if you can’t demonstrate an understanding of not just what the local economy is about, but what the community’s needs and challenges are.”
Paul Butler as a baby with his parents, Sadie (who was in the NHS) and Gilbert (a carpenter) Butler.
The brave soldier
Butler knows those challenges well, as he’s lived in Waltham Forest most of his life. His dad was a carpenter for the local council and his mum a nurse, “so pretty typical of the Windrush generation”.
Waltham Forest has many English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) learners who came to the UK as refugees or economic migrants, and in some ways, Butler can relate to that.
When he was 12, his family moved to Jamaica (where his parents are from) for several years.
Attending a school where 90 per cent of the teaching staff were black made him reflect years later on the importance of role models for young people, “to be inspirational about what they can achieve.”
Butler got to know his large extended family in Jamaica – both his grandmothers had 14 children.
Moving back to the UK several years later was hard. He recalls trying to walk back to his grandfather, a farmer, for a final farewell. He told his grandson to “turn around and walk like a brave soldier”.
“I still wish I’d had that last hug from him, because he died the year after. Those impressions count.”
Back in the UK, Butler had planned to study full-time. But because his family had been abroad for over three years, he was classed as a foreign student and had to earn money too. At first, he had to claim benefits, the first time anyone in his family had done so. “It burned me, I literally cried,” he recalled.
But “things happen for a reason”. Two weeks later, he was offered a job at the same job centre marking the start of a 16-year civil service career.
He rose through the ranks to become a DfE senior training development manager, where he had “absolute flexibility to do things and not be too concerned about resource”. (Nowadays, “resource is always an issue”.)
Butler left DfE because his office moved to Sheffield, and having just got married he was reluctant to up sticks. He moved into the voluntary sector, taking on director roles for the Council of Somali Organisations and the East London Training and Enterprise Council.
Paul Butler as a toddler
Needing time out
The most difficult moment in Butler’s life came when he ran a national charity, Path National, focused on addressing under-representation of ethnic minority groups in the public sector. There were “ongoing challenges around resources and bidding” and it was “quite a competitive environment”. But he “absolutely loved” it.
In New Year 2004, just when the charity was at the height of success, Butler recalls he and his wife looking out their front room window together and reflecting on how their eldest daughter, then 15 (now 34, and working for a law firm) would soon be taking her A levels. Their other daughter was 12 and their son was 8.
A month later, his wife was diagnosed with a brain tumour and died three months later.
It was a “nightmare”. Butler still doesn’t know how he got through it. But he was back at work within two weeks.
His first move was to buy a double freezer for the garage, so when he was home late, his daughters could sort out dinner. Now, Butler believes he should have taken more time out to heal.
He did make some work-life changes though. After taking Path National into a merger he became a consultant, which gave him flexibility to work from home.
The pandemic further mellowed his views around work life balance. Before that, he would never have allowed an employee the flexibility to move out of London and work remotely. Now, three of Butler’s senior managers work flexibly, including one who moved to York.
“Covid taught me that family life and flexibility is more important than I thought previously. That’s part of my learning.” He applies that flexible thinking to colleges too.
Learners who miss lessons to work more hours “because cash doesn’t quite stack up for them” should be helped, through “systems which allow them to then dip into other modules to do at different times”.
“I don’t think we have much choice but to embrace that [flexibility] if we’re going to retain those learners.”
Paul Butler, Waltham Forest College
Current challenges of boards
All colleges must commission an external governance review by July 2024 and every three years going forwards. Butler has been involved in three of these in the last year.
The one he’s just completed took 11 days over eight months. During that time Butler conducted interviews, including with external stakeholders, and sat in on committees that his “desk research” compelled him to observe.
He feels the biggest challenge facing college boards is “succession planning”, with too many boards having “a great number of people who retired years ago” who “may not have the currency of current workforce issues.”
Boards need “refreshing” regularly, because “things can get quite cozy if you’re not careful”. He’s also wary of colleges that merge into large groups without putting structures in place allowing them to “understand their different community needs”, particularly in the context of devolution where a group sits within two areas.
Paul Butler, Waltham Forest College
Horizon scanning
He also emphasises the importance of “visioning” for boards. “If you’re unable to horizon scan, then you’re going to be in trouble.” Reclassification means colleges can no longer borrow privately, making forward planning harder when it comes to capital projects.
Butler believes some colleges made “high risk” borrowing decisions in the past which caused “problems”. But when DfE announced colleges’ return to the public sector last year, they should have given them more “lead in time” to understand the “alternative” funding solutions available. “That could have been better planned.”
At last night’s meeting, Waltham Forest governors discussed how their college is “bursting at the seams”. Whereas previously it might have borrowed to “buy a new site”, this is “currently challenging [and] we need greater clarity about what those [borrowing] processes are.”
Paul Butler, Waltham Forest College
Reviewing the chair
Butler is “not friends” with his principalJanet Gardner, although they “could have a coffee and chill”. He believes in keeping that professional distance, because “I’m also accountable to the rest of the board”.
Butler also believes that to dish out scrutiny, a chair should be able to receive it in return. So he gets his board to review his own performance regularly – an exercise that not all boards undertake.
When asked what he’s most proud of in his career, Butler squirms and says the question “sounds like one of those LinkedIn things that people post”. He evades answering. But it is evident that Butler has much to be proud of.
Faith has always been important to him, and it shows in his commitment to values. “Integrity, honesty and inclusivity – those things will be always close to my heart.”
Ofsted will go ahead with four proposed changes which will make its post-inspection complaints process “quicker” and “increase transparency” following a consultation with the sector.
It follows the inspectorate admitting its current policy wasn’t working, as first revealed by FE Week, amid widespread criticism.
The consultation, which ran from June to September, received more than 1,500 responses from providers in all sectors it inspects.
In a report published today, that watchdog said this was an increase of over 150 per cent from a consultation it ran on the same subject in 2020.
Of the respondents, 934 were from schools and 85 were from further education and skills providers.
The changes include “enhanced” on-site “professional dialogue” during inspections to address any issues and the scrapping of its internal review process.
They will come into effect from January and April next year.
Ofsted’s chief inspector, Amanda Spielman, said the inspectorate had piloted enhanced professional dialogue and allowing providers to contact Ofsted the day after the inspection “and these worked well”.
“I’m confident these changes will help resolve complaints more quickly, reduce the administrative burden on those making a complaint, and increase transparency in the process.”
Enhanced on-site professional dialogue
Ofsted said it would provide all inspectors with guidance on “developing and formalising” enhanced professional dialogue during inspections.
Under the change, inspectors will be asked to check with headteachers at specific stages of the visit “where appropriate”, including at end-of-day meetings and the final feedback session.
It said this would help inspectors “address any queries, misconceptions or concerns as soon as possible”.
It added that responses to the proposal were “very positive”, with 84 per cent of FE and skills respondents agreeing it should enhance professional dialogue during visits.
This will be rolled out from January.
Contacting Ofsted the day after inspection
Providers will be given an opportunity to call Ofsted the day after the end of an inspection visit if they have “unresolved issues”.
Previously the watchdog said this may include raising informal concerns about the process and its “likely outcome”, or queries about what happens next.
Ofsted said that “noting the comments received and wanting providers to be confident in contacting us”, it believed the call should be with an experienced inspector who is independent of the inspection in question.
“Where appropriate, this inspector may contact the lead inspector to help understand the context of any issues raised”.
Of the FE and skills providers who responded, 84 per cent agreed with the proposal.
It will also come into effect in January.
New arrangements for finalising reports
This change will see a new first step in the complaints process, with two routes, introduced.
Heads can either highlight “minor points of clarity or factual accuracy”, which will be considered “promptly” before the report is finalised.
Or they can submit a formal complaint.
Ofsted said some respondents acknowledged “the benefits” of separating existing processes and that most cases “are likely to involve providers raising minor points”.
But some were concerned they would not be able to make a formal complaint if they already chosen to highlight only minor points.
The watchdog said it would offer “clarity” so that providers could understand how the new arrangements will work “in new policy documents in due course”.
Three-quarters (78 per cent) of FE and skills providers agreed with this change.
It will come into effect from April.
Ofsted internal review process scrapped
The watchdog will scrap internal reviews of how it handles complaints, which currently form step three of its process.
Under the new scheme, providers concerned their complaint did not correctly follow the right process will be able to go directly to the Independent Complaints Adjudication Service for Ofsted (ICASO).
Ofsted will also introduce periodic reviews of how it handles complaints.
Its consultation report said many respondents said this would make the process “easier to navigate” and “reduce the stages that they have to go through”.
But some noted that ICASO’s role was to “review whether the complaints process was carried out properly, not to review the inspection itself”.
Ofsted said it welcomed the “independent scrutiny” the changes will bring, and believed that removing the internal process would “reduce the burden” on providers.
Of the FE and skills providers which responded, 88 per cent agreed with this change.
