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23 June 2026

Latest news from FE Week

Day in the life: ‘No young person is bad – you just have to listen to them’

After surviving cancer, West Thames College’s senior student experience coordinator Jazz Sidhu returned to the job she loves with a renewed sense of purpose.  From organising sports days, fairs and cultural celebrations, to mentoring vulnerable learners, she spends her days making sure their college is about so much more than classroom learning.

She explains what a typical day looks like for her.

5.45am

I start my day with prayers of gratitude because I’m very thankful to be here living the life that I do. I’m Sikh, but they’re not necessarily Sikh prayers – they’re simply a way of saying thank you.

Two years ago, I was diagnosed with renal cancer. I was supposed to be off work for two years while I underwent treatment, but I returned last year because my job makes me happy. I needed to come back.

Having cancer changed my perspective on life. There were complications following surgery, which meant I needed immunotherapy that left scars and dark blotches on my face and body.

To me, they don’t define me. They’re my battle scars and I’m not ashamed of them. I’m just grateful the treatment affected my skin, rather than my lungs or heart.

I’m happy because I’m alive, I’m kicking, and I’m here. Life is short, and when I see students who don’t want to engage, it makes me even more determined to go over and ask, “Come on, guys, what’s going on? Talk to me.”

They have so much life ahead of them. I want to help them become the best versions of themselves. I’m lucky. One of my colleagues had cancer at the same time as me and sadly passed away. Before she died, she messaged me and said: “Jazz, don’t lose who you are; just be yourself, whatever happens.” I always remember those words.

7am

I say goodbye to my children. I had my daughter when I was 18 after I got married, and she’s now my best friend.

My first job involved helping to organise music events ranging from reggae and Punjabi bhangra nights to Notting Hill Carnival parties for a recording studio. I loved the buzz of those events.

After a spell working in a secondary school and then as a learning support assistant in the college’s library, I jumped at the chance to apply when this role came up six years ago.

7.30am

I spend my drive to work singing along to some tunes to get myself energised for the day.

We have GCSE exams this morning, so last night I went shopping for croissants and fruit for the students. When the gates open at 8am, everything is laid out in the canteen before they head into the sports hall.

It’s a free service we provide to make sure they’ve eaten before the exam. We have a large cohort of looked-after children, including unaccompanied asylum-seeking ESOL students without family in the UK. Providing food for everyone also helps create a sense of belonging.

We’re lucky to have the grade II-listed Spring Grove House on our Isleworth campus. It was once home to the botanist Sir Joseph Banks, who sailed with Captain Cook. It’s a lovely old building with stained-glass windows, fireplaces and a conservatory. The only downside is that it gets very hot in summer.

The stained glass window at West Thames College

8.30am

The teachers start collecting up students’ phones and helping them get settled into the exam room.

I also oversee sports enrichment. On match days, I make sure fixtures are running on time and that staff know where they’re supposed to be. I also check that students have their kit because dry cleaners don’t always return everything when they’re supposed to.

At Isleworth, our students can play basketball, football, volleyball, badminton, and do boxing, fitness and yoga. We also have a skills centre in Feltham specialising in construction trades and motor vehicle maintenance.

In March, we held our first cross-college sports day. Students from the skills centre came to Isleworth for the first time. We were nervous about how they would react, because some of them lacked confidence. We spoke to them beforehand to reassure them that they were just as much a part of West Thames College as anyone else.

Many learners arrive from schools where extracurricular sport has been reduced in recent years, so joining clubs doesn’t come naturally to them. This year we deliberately targeted students who usually sit on the sidelines and don’t take part in activities, encouraging them to get involved.

Many were shy and rarely even entered the common room. Now some of those same students have joined volleyball and basketball clubs.

The sports day went brilliantly and the skills centre students won the trophy. They were absolutely delighted. Since then, some of them have come to Isleworth to play football and badminton. It has made a real difference.

Jaz Sidhi (far left) with students at West Thames College

10am

If I’m organising an event that day, I’ll first check that all the risk assessments have been approved. If they haven’t, the event can’t go ahead. Then comes the practical side: moving chairs and tables. Chairs always seem to be stacked in a way that makes them impossible to separate! The estates team are amazing.

I also organise Freshers’, Christmas, Valentine’s and summer fairs, as well as Black History Month celebrations. And this year our higher education fair was one of the biggest we’ve ever hosted, with around 30 universities attending.

My favourite day of the year is culture day because it’s about celebrating each and every one of our students for who they are. We do a fashion show, and they parade down the stairs with their flags, wearing their cultural attire – the atmosphere is buzzing.

It’s so important for their sense of belonging. Before, we used to hold Commonwealth Day, but it doesn’t resonate with everyone in the same way.

We ask local restaurants to donate food, and some staff also cook for the occasion. Last year, Oscar from South America brought in an amazing milk pudding, Myra brought in her Philippine dish, Dion brought in her Caribbean food, Pal brought in his Indian food and Pakistani kebabs, and all the staff dressed up – although not me, as I’m the one running around! The event has become so popular we even get people trying to sneak in from other colleges!

Jaz Sidhu playing pool with students in the common room

12pm

I open our common room, which quickly fills up with students.

I studied business at this college myself as a teenager, but it was a very different place back then. We only had a small hut as a common room and not much else. The student experience is much richer now.

Whenever I’m thinking about facilities or activities, I try to put myself in the students’ shoes. What would I have wanted when I was their age?

We try to make the space inclusive for everyone.

On Tuesdays, we black out the sports hall windows so girls who wear hijabs can remove them while playing volleyball, badminton or football.

We’ve also introduced girls’ tea and tell sessions in which we close off part of the common room and provide tea, games and a relaxed space where the girls can spend time together.

We reserve slots for supported-learning students too. They particularly enjoy singing and dancing. One student, Selena, sings at the top of her lungs and fills the room with energy.

We’ve got table football, pool, table tennis and board games, and we’re always looking at adding more, and hoping to get funding to redecorate and make it a brighter space.

The PlayStation is particularly popular. Students form teams and socialise together. I love the noise and excitement when they’re competing. We’ve arranged the sofas so it’s difficult for anyone to sit completely alone. They naturally end up talking to one another.

West Thames College main campus building

2pm

I have a meeting with the students’ union. Normally, I’m not a fan of meetings – I’m more of a doer – but I enjoy working with our student ambassadors and course representatives.

Recently they organised an esports event entirely by themselves that attracted around 50 students. And when the Lord Mayor held a curry lunch, we only needed 15 volunteers and were overwhelmed by the response.

We have many ESOL learners, some of whom arrive with little or no English. One of our student ambassadors is Ako, who arrived from Kurdistan as a shy teenager with no English at all. He worked his way up through ESOL, completed GCSEs, and progressed onto a Brentford FC community sports course.

Today, he often helps interpret for our parents who only speak Arabic. Watching his confidence grow has been incredible.

We want to involve more ESOL students in wider college life, whether that’s becoming ambassadors, attending meetings or supporting parents’ evenings.

3pm

On Fridays, I help mentor a group of foundation-level students.

There are around 17 learners in the class, and they spend an hour straight with the same teacher, so I try to bring in activities that keep them engaged.

A few weeks ago, we played a consent and boundaries game using “yes” and “no” cards placed around the room. It sparked some really thoughtful discussions.

I grew up in Southall as one of six sisters. We had plenty of arguments, but we always loved one another. I spent a lot of time helping one of my more rebellious younger sisters with her education, and I think that’s partly why I enjoy mentoring young people so much now.

4pm

I finish my reports and admin, which might involve arranging a workshop for our learners on knife crime or gang culture.

We’re not in a crime-ridden area, but we do have students coming from other areas who face being pulled into criminal behaviour by peer pressure.

A specialist youth worker from the charity Redthread, which is focused on breaking cycles of violence among young people, came in to speak to students on our Brentford Football Club sports course.

Some of these footballers see themselves as the bee’s knees, with the girls flocking around them. But only 1 per cent of them might make it as professional footballers, and mental health issues can arise for those who don’t.

The youth worker told these boys to make sure they get another skill. It was a really inspiring talk, and the students were all nodding along to what he was saying.

We also have Hounslow Council in, giving out free condoms and helping to support students around sexual health. We have STI kits we can discreetly offer too.

Our students are really affected by the cost-of-living crisis, so we’ve signed up for a fair share scheme that provides free food. We also work with hygiene business PHS, who provide toiletries for those that need them.

5pm

I drive home and catch up on whatever TV drama series I’m watching, although I have a bad habit of checking my work emails when I shouldn’t.

Most evenings we eat with my mum, either at her house or ours. She often brings Indian dishes or fish and chips. My favourite meal is quinoa with chicken curry on top.

I try to be asleep by around 10.30pm, usually after reminding my son to keep the noise down on his PlayStation.

I’m incredibly proud of our students. No young person is bad. If you take the time to understand them, listen to them and show that you care, it can make an enormous difference.

The most rewarding part of my job is seeing the change in them and hearing from staff about how well they’ve done. That’s what makes everything worthwhile.

 

Union stands down after City & Guilds offshoring assurances

Union officials have called off a workforce redundancy dispute with City & Guilds bosses that threatened to boil over into legal and industrial action.

Unite the Union said the awarding businesses’ management had provided “guarantees” that plans for mass redundancies and offshoring to Greece “will not go ahead”.

Unite is understood to have accepted terms offered by new owner PeopleCert that included voluntary redundancy for all 75 roles that were at risk, an additional payment equivalent to one month’s basic salary, payment in lieu of notice, positive references and “outplacement” support worth £500.

Employees will be asked to sign a “standard” settlement agreement with up to £500 plus VAT each available towards legal advice.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “City & Guilds workers will be breathing a small sigh of relief now that these guarantees have been given and a financial settlement reached.”

A spokesperson for the union confirmed that all threats of legal and industrial action had been called off following the settlement.

City & Guilds has about 1,300 staff in the UK, with many of the roles at risk of redundancy understood to be in the company’s business central support functions.

The agreement follows public criticism from union bosses that the firm allegedly advertised for jobs in Greece during negotiations, and failed to involve staff early enough in the redundancy process.

Awarding and training giant City & Guilds was bought by Greek-owned PeopleCert last October, after 148 years as a not-for-profit operation owned by the City & Guilds of London Institute, now known as the City & Guilds Foundation.

Details of PeopleCert’s plans to shed around one third of City & Guilds’ workforce were outlined in a presentation for investors published last year that appeared to have been accidentally published online.

The presentation suggested plans to relocate some staff roles to Greece, where personnel costs are “up to 50 per cent lower”, through “natural employee churn”.

Unite said bosses had now provided assurances that staff offshoring was off the table.

Unite regional officer Peter Storey said: “Unite will remain vigilant of the future direction of travel at City & Guilds under PeopleCert.

“Protecting the long-term security of City & Guilds staff is our top priority and I urge all workers that are still not members to join Unite: Strong unionised workplaces deliver stronger outcomes for workers.”

A spokesperson for City & Guilds Limited said: “Measures have been agreed to minimise the impact on affected colleagues, maximise opportunities for redeployment and voluntary redundancy, and provide enhanced financial and practical support for those whose roles are ultimately confirmed as redundant.

“Together, these measures represent a generous and supportive package that delivers a positive outcome for affected colleagues while supporting the organisation’s long-term needs.”

City & Guild Foundation starts own probe into PeopleCert deal

City & Guilds Foundation has agreed to hold an independent inquiry into the controversial sale of its City & Guilds awarding business.

The probe will seek a “clear, evidence-based understanding” of the charity’s decision to sell its business to privately owned PeopleCert for £166 million last year, including the rationale and governance processes trustees followed.

Findings from the inquiry, which will be led by a senior barrister, are expected to be shared with the charity’s advisory “council” this autumn and published publicly.

It will be separate from the Charity Commission’s ongoing inquiry into the sale, which is probing trustee decision-making and bonuses paid to senior executives after the deal went through.

Trustees sold the vocational and technical awarding operation, established 150 years ago, to the for-profit PeopleCert awarding business owned by Greek businessman Byron Nicolaides last October.

The charity has since faced intense scrutiny over leaked details of million-pound bonuses for senior executives involved in the deal, prompting the ongoing statutory Charity Commission investigation.

This week, PeopleCert concluded its own probe into the conduct of the senior executives, which accused the now-dismissed CEO Kirstie Donnelly and chief financial officer Abid Ismail of paying themselves bonuses of £1.7 million and £1.2 million respectively “without authorisation”.

Demand for answers

The charity’s announcement to hold an inquiry follows pressure from an action group made up of members of its advisory council, fellows and senior leaders, who demanded an investigation into how and why trustees agreed to sell the historic awarding and training business after 30 months of secret bidding and negotiations.

The advisory council, which includes representatives of historic City of London livery companies that co-founded the charity more than a century ago, is understood to have only been informed two weeks before the sale.

A spokesperson for the City & Guilds of London Institute, now known as the City & Guilds Foundation, said: “We’re really pleased to have been able to find a constructive way forward with representatives of our members and counsellors regarding the resolution at our yearly meeting.

“An independent inquiry, led by a King’s Counsel, will go ahead with the aim to establish a clear, evidence-based understanding of the factors behind the strategic decision to sell the charity’s awarding, assessment and training businesses, and to include the rationale and the governance processes involved.

“The independent inquiry will also identify lessons for strategic renewal that will strengthen future governance, transparency, and accountability consistent with our emergent strategy.”

The spokesperson added that the KC leading the inquiry was yet to be appointed and that the charity intended to publish his or her findings.

The move comes two months after the charity’s advisory council passed a resolution calling for an independent inquiry into “all aspects” of the sale.

Council member Neil Bates, who is also a member of the City & Guilds action group, said the group strongly welcomes the inquiry announcement.

He added: “I want to acknowledge the positive and collaborative leadership shown by the new chair, Jessica Leigh Jones, and her team in working with us to reach this point.

“Their commitment to an inquiry of genuine independence, led at the highest level, has been important in enabling this constructive way forward.

“This inquiry is not only about understanding what happened — it is a necessary foundation for rebuilding public trust and confidence as City & Guilds develops its future strategy and renews its role as a national institution.”

It also follows the appointment of chair Jessica Leigh Jones, who took over the charity’s trustee leadership role from Baroness Ann Limb in April.

Limb stepped down in January as she prepared to enter the Lords amid a controversy over inaccurately claiming she had a PhD.

 

Ringfencing post-16 SEND funding not ‘right approach’, says DfE

Ringfencing funding dedicated to college learners with SEND would create significant administrative burdens and risk fragmenting provision, the government has said.

The response follows recommendations made by the education select committee last year, which urged policymakers to create a ringfenced funding stream for special educational needs in FE after its inquiry found post-16 SEND students were “rarely seen” as a funding priority.

The committee said: “The Department for Education should introduce a dedicated and ring-fenced funding stream for SEN support beyond the age of 16. This would enable further education providers to recruit and retain specialist staff, provide tailored learning resources, and make the reasonable adjustments necessary to meet the diverse needs of learners with SEND.”

In its response, the Department for Education partially accepted the recommendation but said a separate funding pot was not the “right approach” as it would bring significant administrative burdens and reduce provider flexibility.

Officials explained: “Ringfenced funding risks fragmenting provision in ways that do not support the holistic, responsive support we want for young people with SEND and other young people with wider needs.”

The government said funding in the SEND system is already “too confusing” and “too tightly linked” to bureaucratic processes.

The DfE said colleges should have the flexibility to use core budgets to support learners with additional needs.

DfE also restated its intention to redirect more money into mainstream budgets from high needs block funding.

The reforms were proposed in its SEND consultation proposals in February, which committed £1.6 billion over the next three years to make mainstream settings more inclusive.

Officials also flagged to the education committee that more than 300 providers received a share of £73 million from the government’s inclusive mainstream fund, announced last week.

DfE is also reviewing the 16 to 19 funding formula, as previously indicated in the post-16 white paper in October, but explicitly said the assessment would support inclusive provision for all learners, including those with SEND.

Don’t expect statutory transport any time soon

Today’s report forms the government’s official response to the education select committee’s ‘solving the SEND crisis’ inquiry, which opened 18 months ago.

Committee chair Helen Hayes pushed for government investment in a universal free bus pass for under-22s and a review into home-to-school and college transport.

Councils are not obliged to fund transport for learners over the age of 16, but some continue to provide it with the addition of a financial contribution from families.

The committee has previously called for an extension of the statutory duty to FE SEND students aged 16 to 25 in their FE and skills inquiry.

DfE partially accepted the recommendation to review post-16 SEND transport.

But the department ruled out the idea of setting statutory criteria for post-16 transport as it would be “undeliverable” for councils without additional funding.

The report said: “We do not have current plans to [provide additional funding] because we do not think setting statutory criteria is the best route to sufficiently targeting those most in need or would further enhance the delivery of existing duties.”

Local authorities have a duty to publish and implement a transport policy outlining provisions to help over-16s to attend education and arrangements for financial assistance.

The department added that it was collecting voluntary data from local councils to “build” its understanding of current transport provision and costs, which it plans to publish this summer.

Susan Acland-Hood, permanent secretary in the DfE, previously told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that a “blanket” would be difficult due to the widespread provision across the country.

Revealed: The 99 winners of silver Pearson National Teaching Awards

College teachers, leaders and curriculum teams are among the 99 winners of silver Pearson National Teaching Awards.

Their names have been revealed to mark national ‘thank a teacher’ day, which sees the nation come together to pay tribute to educators transforming the lives of young people in classrooms, nurseries and colleges every day.

Among the winners is Hull College’s ESOL department for its world-first AI-powered model that has revolutionised access to education for refugees and asylum seekers. The team scooped one of this year’s awards for transformational use of digital technology alongside United Colleges Group’s digital development team and Joe Hopper, an esports tutor at York College.

Seven college teachers and lecturers from across the UK have been recognised in the FE lecturer of the year category. Another five colleges have won silver awards in the further education team of the year.

The silver winners will now make up the shortlist for the gold awards that will be announced later this year.

‘Thank you from the bottom of my heart’

Education secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “On thank a teacher day, we stop to appreciate the extraordinary lengths teachers go to, every single day, to inspire the young people in their classrooms.

“I know more than most how great teachers shape young lives. So, I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your dedication, your commitment and your hunger to help your pupils go on to live better, more fulfilling lives.”

Michael Morpurgo, the former children’s laureate and president of the Teaching Awards Trust, said: “The dedication and impact of those involved in educating young people is truly remarkable. Their influence extends well beyond the classroom.

“Long before children find their voice, their confidence, or their calling, there is usually a teacher who helped them get there, working patiently and persistently, and often without any recognition at all.”

Pearson UK CEO Sharon Hague said the silver winners “represent the amazing dedication and brilliant work that goes on in classrooms across the country, and we’re delighted to be celebrating them today”.

Further education lecturer of the year – supported by the DfE

  • Andrea Davies, modern history curriculum leader and A Level history lecturer, Gower College Swansea
  • Andrew Mallen, performing arts teacher, Croydon College, Croydon
  • Kim Beveridge, lecturer, New College Lanarkshire – Motherwell Campus
  • Florence Makinde, lecturer in health and social care, Newham College of Further Education
  • Belinda Laybourne, science teacher, East Norfolk Sixth Form College, Great Yarmouth
  • Stuart Hide, T Level course leader for design, surveying and planning, Runshaw College, Leyland
  • Stephen McGreevy, lead business skills manager and principal lecturer, South Eastern Regional College, Bangor (Northern Ireland)

Further education team of the year – supported by the DfE

  • The SBU Sixth Form health team, SBU Sixth Form, Brixton
  • The sports department, Bridgwater College
  • The foundation learning team, Barnsley College
  • The student experience team, USP College, Benfleet
  • The fashion team, East Riding College, Beverley
  • The SERC culinary arts lecturing team, South Eastern Regional College, Bangor (Northern Ireland)

Transformational use of digital technology

  • Ade Ikoli, creative media and tech literacy lead, Hopewell School (Harmony House), Dagenham
  • The digital development team, United Colleges Group, London
  • St. Mary’s Primary School Glenview, Maghera
  • Westbourne School, Penarth
  • ESOL Team, Hull College
  • Joe Hopper, E-sports tutor, York College

SEND and inclusive practice – supported by The Sunday Times

  • Haringey Learning Partnership, Haringey
  • Oladisun Majekodunmi, programme lead in foundation learning, Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College
  • Nic Crossley, CEO, Liberty Academy Trust, Kennington (London)
  • Alex Thomas, tutor coordinator for the Centre for Learning Disabilities Education and Percussion Orchestra project leader, City Lit, Covent Garden
  • Clare Mount Specialist Sports College, Wirral
  • King’s Academy Lord Wilson, Southampton

Outstanding new teacher of the year – supported by The Sunday Times & the DfE 

  • Ella Humphris, early career teacher, St Helena School, Colchester
  • Antonia Hart, PSHE teacher, Eastbury Community School, Barking
  • Hayley Harrison, early career teacher, Stockport Academy, Stockport
  • Lyndsay Venter, year 3 teacher, Chetwynde School, Cumbria
  • Joseph Saubolle, maths, DT teacher and careers lead, Mulberry Academy Hastings

Teacher of the year in a primary school 

  • Ceris Taylor, class teacher, Westfield Primary School Nursery Class, Berkhamsted
  • Katherine Prowse, prep school teacher, Bishop’s Stortford College, Hertfordshire
  • Bethany Gray, year 2 form teacher, Orchard House School, Chiswick
  • Paola Billingham, assistant headteacher, The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School, Manchester
  • Emma Thomas, year 6 teacher, St Mary’s RC Primary School, Manchester
  • Francessca Robinson, teacher  and key stage 1 lead, St Mary’s C of E Primary School, Rochdale
  • Hannah Franklin-Paines, year 3 class teacher and careers, extracurricular and geography lead, Ark Castledown Primary Academy, Hastings
  • Laura Wallis, class teacher, Milstead and Frinsted CofE Primary School, Sittingbourne
  • Louise Kendall, class teacher, Marlborough Primary Academy, Plymouth
  • Julia Grunill, history lead, Ringstead CofE Primary School, Kettering
  • Jacob Burns, year 6 teacher, Scotch Orchard Primary School, Lichfield

Teacher of the year in a secondary school 

  • SallyAnn Duis, art teacher and community lead, Crown Hills Community College, Leicester
  • Melanie Franklin, head of ESOL and IELTS teacher, King’s Ely, Cambridgeshire
  • James Tuck, head of music, Mayflower High School, Billericay
  • Shelley McCrory, head of religious studies, Saint Ambrose College, Altrincham
  • Rachael Robinson, assistant headteacher, Bolton St Catherine’s Academy, Bolton
  • Jodi Fusaro, English curriculum leader, Chorlton High School, Manchester
  • Abbey Tune, geography teacher, OneSchool Global UK, Caterham
  • Amy Payne, dance subject leader, The Whitstable School, Whitstable

Headteacher of the year in a primary school 

  • Andi Silvain, headteacher, School 360, Newham
  • Hannah Widdison, headteacher, Stanhope Primary School, Greenford
  • Juliette Lipshaw, headteacher, Sinai Jewish Primary School, Harrow
  • Jinnie Payne, headteacher, Churchtown Primary School, Southport
  • Matt Paterson, head teacher, Shears Green Junior School, Gravesend
  • Sumayya Patel, headteacher, Prince Albert Primary School Nursery Class, Birmingham

Headteacher of the year in a secondary school 

  • Chris Tooley, principal, The Netherhall School, Cambridgeshire
  • Jonathan Bland, executive headteacher, The Stanway School, Colchester
  • Ellen Walton, headteacher, Sandbach High School and Sixth Form College
  • Shaun Fenton, headmaster, Reigate Grammar School, Reigate

Teaching assistant of the year

  • Lewis Richards, teaching assistant, Haringey Learning Partnership, Haringey
  • Amanda Donnelly, classroom assistant, St Peter’s Primary School, Belfast
  • Tracy Papworth-Reynolds, teaching assistant, Ellacombe CofE Academy, Torquay
  • Hayley Hanson, teaching assistant, Brays School, Birmingham
  • Rifat Rehman, higher level teaching assistant, Heartlands Academy, Birmingham

Making a difference – primary school of the year 

  • Charles Dickens Primary School, Southwark
  • Lanchester Endowed Parochial Primary School, Durham
  • Christ the King Catholic and CofE Primary School, Macclesfield
  • Barton Clough Primary School, Manchester
  • Ark Castledown Primary Academy, Hastings
  • Malmesbury Primary School, Morden

Making a difference – secondary school of the year – supported by Step into Teaching

  • The Landau Forte College, Derby
  • The Forest Gate Community School, Newham
  • The Oulder Hill Leadership Academy, Rochdale
  • The Saint George Catholic VA College, Southampton
  • The Blue Coat CofE School & Music College, Coventry
  • The Q3 Academy Langley, Oldbury

School or college partnership of the year – supported by Pixl

  • North Cambridge Academy, Cambridgeshire
  • Tees Valley Education (PLACE Project), Middlesbrough
  • Ascent Autism Specialist College, Newton Le Willows
  • The Three Saints Academy Trust, St Ann’s CofE Primary School, Prescot
  • Imagine the possibilities, Fiveways Special School, Yeovil

Unsung hero of the year

  • Kerry Westbrook, trust counsellor, HEARTS Academy Trust, Wickford
  • Leninger Sarkis, artist in residence, Drapers’ Maylands Primary School, Romford
  • Simon Greenhouse, teacher and wellbeing lead, Brookland Junior School, Barnet
  • Andrew Peterson, site manager, Thornhill Academy, Sunderland
  • Sheila Wilding, lead cleaner, Winstanley College, Wigan
  • Robert Dixon, AV technician, St Margaret’s Academy, Livingston

Early years team of the year – supported by the DfE

  • Wild Days Lodge Forest Preschool, Mapperley
  • Willow Primary School and Broadwaters Children’s Centre, Tottenham
  • Dandelion Education, Norwich
  • Little Hearts Nursery, Redruth
  • Church Lane Nursery, Southwick
  • Ready Generations Nursery, Belong (Cheshire)

Lifetime achievement – supported by the DfE

  • Claire Pattison, vice principal, Bank View High School, Liverpool
  • Paul Quinton, headteacher, Caroline Haslett Primary School, Milton Keynes
  • Trudi Toms, executive director primary education, New Collaborative Learning Trust, Normanton
  • Alex Stark, headteacher, Tinto Primary School and Nursery Class, Biggar
  • Linda Magrath, chief executive officer, The Laurus Trust, Cheadle
  • Martin Brook, headteacher, Lipson Co-operative Academy, Plymouth

 

Jack Whitehall, Deborah Meaden and 300 more reasons to attend Festival of Education

The further education sector rarely gets the luxury of stepping back from the immediate demands of students and the curriculum, to focus on the longer-term questions shaping the future of education and skills.

The Festival of Education, returning to Wellington College on 2 and 3 July, offers a rare opportunity to do just that. Across two days, delegates can engage with big ideas about leadership, innovation, skills, and technology, while also exploring practical strategies they can take back to their colleges, training organisations and classrooms.

Among this year’s headline speakers is entrepreneur and Dragons’ Den investor Deborah Meaden. As one of Britain’s most recognisable business figures, Meaden’s perspective is particularly relevant to the FE sector, where preparing learners for the workplace and understanding the changing needs of employers are central priorities. Her keynote promises insights into leadership, entrepreneurship and the skills needed to thrive in an increasingly complex economy.

Closing the Festival is comedian, writer and actor Jack Whitehall. Best known for his role as Alfie Wickers in Bad Education, Whitehall’s appearance will bring humour and reflection to the end of the event, exploring the people and experiences that shape us throughout our education and working lives.

The keynote programme brings together voices from across education, business, science, media and public life. Delegates can hear from scientist Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock, broadcaster and BBC Director-General Tim Davie, Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes, former BBC producer Sam McAlister and novelist Elif Shafak, whose work features on the A-level English Literature syllabus. FE Commissioner Ellen Thinnesen OBE and Ofsted chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver will also address delegates, ensuring policy and accountability remain firmly on the agenda.

Yet the Festival experience extends far beyond the keynote stage.

For FE leaders, lecturers and training providers, the programme offers opportunities to engage with many of the issues currently shaping the sector. Sessions explore artificial intelligence and digital innovation, leadership and organisational culture, apprenticeships and skills, V levels, workforce development, inclusion, wellbeing, and governance. There are also opportunities to examine the relationship between education and employment, helping delegates consider how institutions can respond to changing economic and workforce demands.

One of the Festival’s greatest strengths is the variety of voices it brings together. A delegate might spend one session discussing leadership and organisational improvement, the next exploring evidence-informed teaching, before joining a conversation about emerging technologies, social mobility or the future of skills. The result is an experience that encourages fresh thinking and unexpected connections across different parts of the education landscape.

For senior leaders, that breadth is particularly valuable. Conversations about staff wellbeing sit alongside debates on accountability, organisational improvement and educational reform, creating space to reflect not only on operational challenges but also on the wider forces shaping learners, employers and communities.

Just as important is the atmosphere.

Unlike traditional conferences, the Festival is designed to encourage exploration and conversation. Between sessions, delegates gather across the Wellington College campus, meeting peers from schools, colleges, universities, training providers, charities and industry. Ideas that begin in sessions often continue over coffee, lunch or a walk across the grounds, creating opportunities for collaboration that extend well beyond the event itself.

That combination of intellectual curiosity, practical learning and informal networking helps explain why so many education professionals return year after year. It is as much a gathering of the education community as it is a professional development event.

For anyone working in further education, skills, training or workforce development, the challenge will not be finding relevant content, but deciding what to miss.

The Festival of Education takes place at Wellington College on 2–3 July.

To view the full programme and secure tickets, visit: https://educationfest.co.uk

Social media bans are no substitute for digital safeguarding

The government’s announcement of a social media ban for under-16s, including the possibility of evening curfews for 16 and 17 year olds, will understandably generate debate across education and safeguarding circles.

Alongside the proposed under-16 ban, ministers have also signalled wider changes to how platforms themselves are designed and accessed, which would also affect older teenagers. These include restrictions on infinite scrolling and autoplay features, potential limits on certain AI-driven interaction, safety settings being enabled by default, and tighter controls on stranger contact. Together, these changes point to a broader shift from user-led engagement towards more tightly governed environments for all young people.

For the further education sector, in particular those working with learners ranging from 14 to 19 years old, the question is not whether the policy is well-intentioned: it is. The question is what it changes in day-to-day safeguarding.

From our experience in observing Australia’s recent implementation, the answer is unfortunately additional diligence and effort.

The leaky gate of age verification

We know that age-verification technology is unreliable. In Australia, where a ban came into force in late 2025, most Australian children are saying that it doesn’t stop them from accessing social apps.

Whilst the Australian government reported large numbers of cancelled accounts, the rumour is that this was simply an expedient purge by the affected publishers.

The young people we want to protect are either walking through the leaky gates of age-verification or are moving to riskier places.

This raises a particular challenge for the FE sector. Many colleges and sixth forms already operate mixed environments, with 14-16 year old learners sharing some spaces with 16-18 year olds. They are often using the same types of devices, networks and social platforms.

So in practice, safeguarding systems are already having to account for different age thresholds within shared digital environments. Tightening platform rules and age-based restrictions risks adding further complexities. For colleges, this could mean ambiguity in monitoring, policy enforcement and digital safeguarding practice.

A worrying false sense of security

Our deepest concern is a false sense of security in online safety creeping into education and home settings, with parents and young people holding very different views on effectiveness.

In our hard-earned experience in digital safeguarding, parent engagement is crucial and a blunt ban is anathematic to that and good outcomes.

A move to darker places

Young people do not simply disengage from social media or the wider digital ecosystem when restrictions are imposed. They adapt, finding alternative routes, often moving into less visible, less regulated, and more harmful spaces online.

In Australia, early evidence suggests that whilst platforms have removed large numbers of underage accounts, safeguarding outcomes have not improved. The country’s eSafety commissioner has acknowledged no notable reduction in cyberbullying or image-based abuse complaints involving age-restricted accounts compared compared with the same period as the year before, which challenges the assumption that removing accounts equates to reduced harm.

Account access and the YouTube problem

Australia’s social media ban applies to YouTube, which is the most used education app in the world. Furthermore, the ban only applies to “accounts” not accessing the app (in a logged out state) itself.

This creates a perverse outcome: schools are giving access to YouTube without the ability to use Google’s embedded safety features, which require users to be signed in.

We have to do something

When pressed on the practical, behavioural and technical challenges of a social media ban, the Australian government and the backers of the plan typically retort that “we must do something”.

We’re not sure that action likely to generate confusion and harm is the right direction, especially when alternatives exist.

Parents face impossible challenges to protect their children, with many internet connected devices in the home and scores of apps being used. These platforms all have “parent settings” however they do not interoperate. This is not true in the business world where safety and security technology can be universally installed on user-devices and can interact with online platform tools.

How best to solve digital safety is a matter for another paper, but for now, we urge UK’s educators to be vigilant and double down on online safety education.

This means strengthening digital education for learners and staff, supporting parents with practical tools and realistic expectations, and placing clear expectations on technology providers to build safer, more transparent systems.

It also means recognising a core principle many educators already understand, that safeguarding is not achieved by removing access alone. Understanding where harm occurs, how learners experience digital spaces, and how risks evolve across platforms is essential.

A social media ban may be a positive step forward, but for FE providers working with highly digitally connected cohorts, it should not be mistaken for a complete solution. The real challenge lies in building a joined-up approach that reflects how young people actually live, learn, and connect in the digital world today.

 

 

If integration matters, why isn’t ESOL properly funded?

The results of the recent UK local elections have created a deeper shift in an already fragmented political landscape.

For ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) providers, this moment signals a significant change in the ways integration, migration and community cohesion are debated, and more importantly, funded.

For over 17 years, I have worked with marginalised communities providing access to lifelong learning for health, work and connection. In my role as head of strategic partnerships for the WEA, I see first-hand the impact ESOL learning has on new arrivals in supporting them to adapt to a new life and culture.

In the coming months, decisions will be made at local level to shape the future of the provision. For those working in ESOL, this is the moment to push for change and ensure investment in language learning is included in any serious strategy for building stronger, more connected communities.

Expectation vs capacity

Demand for ESOL is growing and has increased by 17 per cent since 2021. Yet funding for ESOL providers continues to significantly decline.

In 2024-25, there were 160,870 ESOL learners accessing courses in England, which covers just 4 per cent of all adults in the UK who speak English as a second or additional language. Integration efforts will be hopeless if provision is already failing to reach those who need it most.

The UK government’s proposed immigration policy states it will raise the English language requirements for most visa routes. Those seeking resettlement or citizenship would be required to show basic to upper-intermediate levels of progression in English to improve integration and employment.

ESOL providers are being asked to solve a political problem with less resource.

Bridging support gaps

When refugees and asylum seekers arrive in the UK, they bring with them a profound resilience forged through unimaginable hardship. Their arrival is not the end of their journey but the beginning of a complex new chapter.

Working closely with government departments – including the DWP, Home Office, HMRC and Ministry of Defence – the WEA has developed ESOL programmes that go beyond language alone, embedding learning around workers’ rights, gender equality awareness and understanding of local systems. These are not just “nice to haves” but are essential for participation in a new country.

True language learning is intricately linked to cultural understanding – providing it requires far more than a textbook. We can’t expect people who have faced severe trauma and displacement to simply sit at a desk and absorb a new language. This type of learning requires risk, vulnerability and confidence – traits often stripped away by the refugee experience.

This is where ESOL providers excel. Learning English is not linear and ESOL works because it adapts to the needs of the learner. This informal, community-rooted approach acts as a crucial stepping stone into further education, vocational training and employment; providing people with the foundations to successfully navigate life and work in the UK.

Learners will be left behind

English language skills are strongly linked to employment, health outcomes and community connection. The risk in this political environment is that language has become a marker of division rather than a bridge to inclusion.

Defunding ESOL won’t stop newcomers from arriving but it will isolate them once they are here, delaying their ability to enter the workforce, support their families and feel a true sense of belonging.

If we’re serious about integration, then investment in ESOL learning is the key to forming a bridge into society, not a barrier.