Starmer wants education to shatter the ‘class ceiling’

Sir Keir Starmer will pledge to fight the “pernicious idea that background equals destiny”, with plans to “end once and for all” the “academic and vocational divide”.

In a major speech this morning, the Labour leader will warn a “class ceiling” is stifling opportunity for too many young people, and call for education to give all young people a “grounding” in both “skills and knowledge”.

The address in Gillingham, Kent, follows a series of policy announcements by the party over the past week for schools.

They have pledged to pay early career teachers £2,400 retention bonuses, require all teachers to have or work towards qualified status and create new “school improvement teams” across England.

Education is the fifth of Labour’s five big “missions” as it prepares to form a potential government, and Starmer will use the speech to set out his broad vision for reducing equality.

‘A snobbery that extends into adulthood’

He will warn of a “pervasive idea, a barrier in our collective minds, that narrows our ambitions for working class children and says, sometimes with subtlety, sometimes to your face – this isn’t for you”.

“Some people call it the ‘class ceiling’ – and that’s a good name for it. It’s about economic insecurity, structural and racial injustice – of course it is.

“But it’s also about a fundamental lack of respect. A snobbery that too often extends into adulthood. Raising its ugly head when it comes to inequalities at work – in pay, promotions, opportunities to progress”.

Starmer will explain why the mission is his “core purpose and my personal cause”.

“To fight – at every stage, for every child – the pernicious idea that background equals destiny.

“That your circumstances, who you are, where you come from, who you know, might shape your life more than your talent, effort and enterprise. No – breaking that link: that’s what Labour is for. I’ve always felt that. It runs deep for me.”

Starmer wants to ‘modernise’ the curriculum

He will set out plans to modernise the school curriculum “so that it properly prepares young people with the knowledge, skills and personal qualities needed to thrive in work and life”.

And he will speak of the need to “strengthen the teaching profession – so that we end the recruitment and retention crisis that is doing so much damage to standards in schools and ensure every child has an excellent specialist teacher in their classroom”.

Starmer will also set Labour a goal of changing Britain so children’s future earnings are “no longer limited by those of their parents”.

Leadership unions welcomed Labour’s focus on inequality, but warned its goals would not be achieved without proper investment in education

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said education “has been on the fringes of policy-making for too long and it is encouraging that Labour appears to recognise how central it should be”.

“One thing is for sure, unless the issues of pay erosion, inadequate funding and unmanageable workloads are addressed then there are not going to be enough teachers and leaders working in schools and colleges to enact the positive changes we all want to see.”

‘We must open our minds to AI’

The Labour leader will also warn today that “the race is on for the jobs and industries of the future” and Britain must “grow the talents of every child” to succeed.

This is the “world of artificial intelligence, of genomics, of technologies that stretch the boundaries of our imagination”, he will say, and we must “open our minds to meet that. Turn our eyes towards our children’s future. Make sure – we are preparing them for life and work in their Britain.”

The opposition leader will also talk of the need to end the “divide” between academic and vocational education – a “sheep and goats mentality that’s always been there in English education”.

“The ‘academic for my kids; vocational for your kids’ snobbery. This has no place in modern society. No connection to the jobs of the future.

“No – for our children to succeed, they need a grounding in both. Need skills and knowledge. Practical problem-solving and academic rigour. Curiosity and a love of learning too – they’ve always been critical.

“But now – as the future rushes towards us. We also need a greater emphasis on creativity, on resilience, on emotional intelligence and the ability to adapt. On all the attributes – to put it starkly – that make us human, that distinguish us from learning machines.”

Welcoming student refugees will help develop vital workforce skills

The escalating refugee crisis was brought into focus by the incomprehensibly tragic news that a fishing boat carrying up to 750 refugees sank off the coast of Greece this month. While many are affected deeply by this news, for those of us who have made similar journeys, with a different outcome, it is uniquely painful.

I find some comfort in the role education plays in telling a different story. Reflecting on my own experience and the opportunities we’re providing across NCG, amid undeniable darkness, there are beacons of hope and support.

As project coordinator for NCG’s ‘Our Community is Your Community’ programme, I have the privilege of witnessing and contributing to the transformative power of education for refugees like me.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as of November last year, the UK is sanctuary for about 231,597 individuals. The growing refugee population, catalysed by the crisis in Ukraine, brings both challenges and opportunities.

As education institutions, it is our duty to extend our support to the vulnerable, and ‘Our Community is Your Community’ is NCG’s commitment to do just that, as both a lifeline for those seeking refuge and a tool for their empowerment.

Every refugee has their own story, but the hardships they have endured don’t define them. They may have been doctors, engineers, teachers, musicians or possess other skills that require translation. Or they may just be brimming with potential.

We aim to create a safe haven where they can learn, grow, and integrate into their new society. It’s not merely about education but about creating a sense of belonging and agency over their futures. For this reason, we provide spaces for connection, such as monthly coffee mornings. At Carlisle College, this has been extremely popular, particularly with women. We also build relationships through activities such as cooking classes, sports events and charitable activities.

Amid undeniable darkness, there are beacons of hope and support

In addition, we help our students to understand and navigate the complexities of our education system and provide additional support, from navigating application processes to accessing ESOL courses and pathways to employment or university. We help them access housing and benefits, or with contacting utility suppliers.

This support extends beyond ensuring they can use the skills they’ve brought with them to also finding ways of assimilating to a new culture – one that varies from college to college and community to community. For example, in Newcastle College, we ensure our ESOL courses discuss the unique dialect of the North East, something the students appreciate.

And the help we offer doesn’t end at Newcastle, Kidderminster and Carlisle Colleges. The project is currently in action at these colleges, but all seven of NCG’s colleges share in the commitment to assist refugees. Together, we form a network of support, redefining what is possible for these storied and sometimes traumatised individuals.

Collaboration and shared learning are essential to our success. As we strive for better, we observe and learn from other institutions’ efforts to support refugees, whether that’s in education or beyond. For instance, Scotland has become a source of inspiration with its outstanding support to refugees.

Our endeavours extend beyond our campuses and beyond those who have arrived in our communities. As part of the ‘Good for Me, Good for FE’ campaign, we’ve set up donation collection points across our colleges. These stations benefit local charities including foodbanks, but they also collect donations specifically to support those who remain in Ukraine, and recently those affected by the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. It reflects our wider commitment to humanitarian efforts and shows just why colleges are community assets – here to support everyone.

Pastorally, we are a team that may have different stories, but our origins are the same. We each wanted a chance to have a better, safer life; recognising that in each other builds a deep understanding of one another.

We aim to intertwine education with empathy and community solidarity, making a tangible difference in refugees’ lives. And in that, we hope to be a source of inspiration and precedent for others.

Managing the risks and maximising the opportunities of AI for apprenticeships

Barely a day goes by without a prediction of how advances in artificial intelligence are going to (take your pick) destroy humanity, put us out of work, help us lead more fulfilling, productive lives or solve climate change.

A group of school leaders recently formed a body to advise and protect schools from the risks of AI, but in the world of apprenticeships there has mostly been silence. The DfE’s policy paper in March, titled Generative artificial intelligence in education, mentions research into the skills needed for future workforce training, but includes not a word on apprenticeships.

There is now a DfE call for evidence, which closes on 23 August, but in the wider economy things are moving much more quickly. AI is already being used for tasks previously done by entry-level staff. In legal services, AI tools can draft and summarise documents. Automated code generation, code analysis and debugging are encroaching on the work of software writers. Customer service roles are being replaced by AI-powered “bots.”

The jobs, apprenticeships, and T levels where change is most likely are at levels 2 to 5. In 2021/2, there were 306,000 apprenticeship starts at these levels. Those involving physical labour or where tasks are performed outdoors are at lower risk. All of which makes for an uncertain future, but there are things

providers can do now to prepare.

Experimentation as standard

All apprentices should use AI at least once. It doesn’t matter if it’s to prepare a first draft of research, to improve a document or email or to write some code, as long as it’s relevant to their job role.

This will allow them to safely explore the benefits and risks. AI is great at producing first drafts or suggesting amendments, but it gets things wrong. Have the apprentice check their work using authoritative sources. This leads to wider ethical conversations – about identifying fake news, plagiarism, how to spot AI “hallucinations” or problematic outputs.

In short, it’s an excellent primer on AI’s capabilities and on why we need to exercise caution and responsibility to use it productively.

Focus on what AI can’t do

Apprenticeships should complement strong foundational knowledge development with an increased focus on skills and behaviours where AI is poor, such as teamwork and higher-order thinking skills such as critical analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and creativity (as opposed to memorisation, repetition, and imitation).

Over two years ago, Damar partnered with O Shaped to embed its competency framework within the paralegal apprenticeship. The framework focuses on areas such as emotional intelligence and trust, problem solving and identifying opportunities. These are human-centric skills and behaviours where AI is unlikely to compete any time soon.

Use AI to widen access

Through Damar’s technology partnership with BARBRI  on solicitor apprenticeships, AI is adjusting the pace of learning to reflect individual strengths and weaknesses and help widen access to the legal profession.

This is just the start. AI can already create lesson plans for students at different levels and make sensible suggestions on syllabus sequencing. This gives us the chance to better personalise the learning journey, whether through recognition of prior learning, adjustments for SEND or other individual characteristics. We aren’t quite at the point of AI developing full, individually tailored training plans, but AI-assisted elements can already sit within a standard delivery model.

We can also use AI to improve marking and student feedback and help teaching staff manage their workloads and improve work/life balance. By asking students to use AI to evaluate their essays for ideas, content, sentence structure and organisation, we free up time for more detailed and valuable feedback and can spend longer on the highest impact teaching and coaching.

While some assessment methods will have to change, apprenticeships are well-placed to cope with concerns about “cheating”. Most end-point assessments feature a professional discussion where the assessor probes the apprentice’s understanding, so the apprentice cannot hide behind a nicely scripted AI presentation.

So, while we should be cautious, educators have less reason to be fearful than some may think. AI is here to stay, and apprenticeship providers who rise to the challenge will quickly see the benefits.

Collaboration is key to ensuring teaching and learning meet the needs of employers

It can be difficult to find the time to take a look at what is happening outside of your classroom, lab, or workshop. However, collaboration, when well planned, can make a huge difference in how we teach.

I moved into FE teaching following a career in aerospace manufacturing and knew immediately that I’d found the right job for me. It gave me the opportunity to share my passion for engineering with a diverse group of learners, and support them into exciting careers. It was – and still is – hugely rewarding.

I have been fortunate to experience diverse teaching across the country at all levels and in different roles. I began at Fareham College and went on from there to Warwickshire College and then to north east Scotland, before moving to Birmingham, where I have been for ten years – first at Solihull College & University Centre, and now at University College Birmingham.

I have taught core skills maths, worked within a quality team and then as a curriculum manager. More recently, I’ve managed employer engagement and partnerships, working closely with our apprenticeship team. In this role, I’ve had the opportunity to explore ways in which collaboration can support teachers’ professional development.

One of the challenges with teaching in further education is the lack of ‘off-the-shelf’ resources to support teaching. This means that we are all busy creating our own resources, which can mean less time to think about innovative delivery. This is particularly challenging for very specialist subjects, who also have fewer opportunities to collaborate internally.

In 2017, I joined a consortium of three colleges, four universities and several engineering employers to develop a proposal for one of England’s first institutes of technology. We were awarded a license to operate as an Institute of Technology (IoT) in 2019, with the objective of increasing level four and five provision to support the advanced manufacturing and engineering sector in Greater Birmingham and Solihull. I was appointed to lead the new company and the collaborative work between educational institutions and employers.

It was a key priority for me to ensure that the collaboration was effective at all levels so that our lecturers, teachers, and technicians would benefit from working more closely with neighbouring colleges, universities and employers.

Specialist subjects have fewer opportunities to collaborate

With DfE funding, we invested in a ‘Learning Factory’ in Birmingham City Centre, available to engineering students across the consortium. We’ve been able to invest in industry-standard software and CPD, and our academic teams benefit from collaborative training sessions.

All partners can access a digital twin of the Learning Factory too, meaning that engineering and digital students can simulate the factory environment at their own campus before travelling to test their designs.

Recruiting teachers familiar with these specialist industry requirements can be difficult, but we invest centrally in experts who can train and update our college teams, ensuring we meet employer requirements. Our teachers value this new academic network and our learners benefit.

The IoT was also seeking ways in which collaboration could enhance outreach activities to encourage more female engineering students and learners from diverse backgrounds with different experiences and non-traditional qualifications. I was honoured to be awarded an ETF-Royal Commission Technical Teaching Fellowship to support this research, and that award has allowed me to evaluate what works well and share my experiences.

As a result, the IoT was able to attract additional funding to launch a new regional digital platform – The Hub – showcasing engineering careers in education.

As well as supporting regional partnerships in responding to employer requirements, my position at an IoT has provided me with broader influence, as vice-chair of the National Network of Institutes of Technology.

The launch of new engineering and construction departments at University College Birmingham is also a direct response to the regional and national skills gaps that collaborative activity has identified. The effect of all this is that our learners are developing the skills and behaviours identified by industry.

As satisfying as all this has been personally and for colleagues, it is that, more than anything, that underscores how incredibly important collaboration is.

Getting LSIPs right. Why adjusting the current model could reap rewards for skills in England

Across England, employers, providers and stakeholders have been working together to develop local skills development plans (LSIPs) for their region, designed to improve skills provision to meet identified local needs and support local economies.

And it’s clear that they are needed – there is an urgent requirement to improve the skills of the UK’s workforce, not just for the sake of those local economies, but for the wider economy too. Statistics show that there has been a steady decline in skills investment over the last two decades with employer-funded training dropping dramatically. Overall, UK employers invest just half of the EU average in training – a trend which is damaging the UK’s productivity and ability to keep pace with international competitors.

Investment in skills could change this. However, it is not clear that the system of LSIPs will be equipped to tackle the existing problems.

The work and employment expert group, ReWAGE, has published Getting LSIPS Right, a new report that advocates for LSIPs but argues that their existing remit is unlikely to fully address the UK’s skills problems, suggesting three key ways in which it could be adjusted.

Employers as stakeholders, not customers

First, employers need to take a more active role. They do feature largely in the LSIPs system, but as customers setting out their requirements.

In many regions, great efforts have been made to gather employers’ requirements, but only limited responses have been received. The truth is that many employers, especially SMEs, don’t have the skills or resources to set out their future staffing needs in any detail.

LSIPs also aim to link local education and training suppliers more closely to employers. In theory, this encompasses all aspects of both academic and vocational education but in practice most of this activity is linked to FE colleges. Although many FE colleges have positive links to employers, few have dedicated time or resources allocated to these relationships. While LSIPs will provide colleges with resources, if this is another temporary ‘pot’ of funds then it is unlikely to result in long-term impact.

A far better model has employers as co-producers, fully involved in skills delivery and implementation, with appropriate checks (training hours, number of apprenticeships) on activity and quality. Activities could further be strengthened, following the German system, by including worker representatives, trade unions and local authorities as co-producers.

Retraining our focus

Second, there needs to be a greater focus on enhancing the skills of established workers as well as those of new entrants to the labour market. Both are important for the UK’s future competitiveness.

New entrants are a small fraction of the labour market as a whole. and limiting training activity to new entrants means that existing skills shortages are not addressed. Also, it is common in the UK for young people to experiment with various occupations and sectors once in work, so targeting training primarily at young people in the hope that they will stay in the area in which they have been trained is a far from perfect solution to skills shortages.

Training efforts focused on this group will be helpful but they do not make major inroads into overall levels of workforce skills. For that we need to look to employers to provide training for people already in work.

Better guidance for all

Third, good careers guidance needs to be introduced for everyone in work. A previous ReWAGE paper explains the benefits of making effective careers guidance available to everyone of working age. In essence a well-connected and established skills system with career guidance at its heart will support the labour market in meeting future employer demands.

Any investment in England’s skills infrastructure will need to be supported by improvements in a range of other areas, including job design and organisational strategy. And the wider complexities of the UK’s job market also need to be considered; in some sectors, such as social care, it is unattractive pay, terms and conditions that discourage workers and that result in high turnover.

Expecting training and recruitment to solve this problem is a little like pouring more water in to a leaky bucket. It could result (at least temporarily) in more water in the bucket, but it would be far more effective to fix the leak.

Lifetime Training CEO next in line for the chop

England’s largest apprenticeship provider is set to part ways with another one of its top leaders – this time the chief executive – as it prepares to bring in a turnaround specialist.

Jon Graham (pictured right), who has held the top job at Lifetime Training for just over a year, will leave the company next week.

The company told FE Week that Graham is leaving “to pursue other endeavours”.

New Lifestime Training CEO, David Smith
David Smith

Graham will be replaced by David Smith, who comes from outside the FE sector having led big-name companies like Parcelforce, Royal Mail, City Link, Serco and most recently estates management company The Bellrock Group.

The CEO switch comes a week after Lifetime Training’s executive chair Geoff Russell (pictured left), who used to head up the Skills Funding Agency, suddenly left his post.

Both Graham and Russell were brought in from another large training provider, JTL, last year. Their departures come months after Lifetime Training was taken over by its lender Alcentra.

The provider has experienced a rocky year including a critical ‘requires improvement’ Ofsted report, an ongoing government audit dispute that could result in a £13 million clawback, and around 60 job losses.

Graham, who is also currently an Association of Employment and Learning Providers and Education and Training Foundation board member, took over the top job at Lifetime Training in June 2022 following the departure of Alex Khan who had led the company for a decade.

His replacement, Smith, worked at Parcelforce Worldwide in the 2000s where he was said to have played pivotal role in the turnaround of the company. He then moved to head up the Royal Mail before leaving to lead the struggling courier firm City Link in 2011.

Smith could not save City Link from collapse however and was charged before being acquitted of criminal offences after allegedly failing to notify the business secretary of the company’s closure in 2014.

Smith said: “Throughout my career, I have witnessed first-hand the profound impact of apprenticeships on the success of organisations. Joining Lifetime presents a tremendous opportunity for me to make a tangible difference. 

“My experience at Bellrock highlighted the critical role vocational education plays in addressing the UK’s skills gaps, particularly in engineering, healthcare, hospitality, and retail. 

“I firmly believe in the power of vocational education to drive social mobility and contribute to solving these challenges.” 

The provider has also announced University of Bristol finance director Jason Smerdon as its new chief financial officer.

Lifetime Training delivers training mostly in retail and hospitality and has been attempting to recover from the financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, which hit the provider’s apprenticeship start numbers hard.

The provider recorded 23,020 starts in 2018/19, before falling by more than a third to 14,980 in 2019/20. In 2020/21 Lifetime’s starts further slipped to 12,910 but increased slightly in 2021/22 to 16,720.

Lifetime has however remained the provider with the most apprenticeship starts in England. In the first two quarters of 2022/23, the firm achieved 7,280 starts – almost two thirds more than the second largest apprenticeship provider, the British Army.

The falling starts numbers contributed to large-scale redundancies in 2020 and 2023.

Accounts for the 18-month period ending January 31, 2022, show the firm’s turnover increased to £71.1 million compared to £59.9 million in 2020. But its EBITDAE (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortisation and exceptional items) fell from £9.391 million to £2.249 million over that period.

The accounts also show the company made a loss for the financial period of £9.2 million, compared to a profit of £6.8 million in 2020.

More research needed into GCSE resit teaching methods, charity says

Alternative methods of teaching GCSE resit students need to be explored and tested to improve pass rates, an education charity has said.

The Education and Endowment Foundation has today published a review into English and maths GCSE resit practices in sixth forms and colleges in collaboration with the University of Warwick and think tank Centre for Education and Youth.

Current policy means that students who do not gain a grade 4 in English and maths in their first attempt must continue to study these subjects post-16. However, in 2022, just 15.2 per cent of learners resitting their maths GCSE gained a grade 4, while just 24.1 per cent did so in English. 

The EEF’s review found that the ability of FE institutions to recruit and retain practitioners with the right subject expertise was the biggest barrier to ensuring that these learners receive high quality teaching.

The charity was also concerned to find a lack of “well-developed evidence-informed programmes and interventions” to support learners and professional development for those teaching resit classes.

Joe Hallgarten, chief executive of the Centre for Education and Youth, said the findings show how those 16- to 19-year-olds who struggle with basic maths and English face a “double disadvantage”.

“Having arrived at a new sixth form or college branded as GCSE failures, they are too often: given too little curriculum time; taught by teachers who may not have the subject expertise or the professional development to teach these young people adequately; and supported by academic and pastoral interventions that lack a strong enough evidence base of their impact,” he said.

The report explained that the existing evidence base for post-16 practices is “much more limited than for pupils in schools”, and there is a lack of “high-quality” programmes targeting 16- to 18-year-olds.

The research, which involved a desk-based review, site visits and interviews with college leaders, found that while there are “numerous, diverse practices and approaches to improving provision and outcomes” in post-16 GCSE resits, there are “relatively few ‘packaged’ interventions designed specifically for this cohort and context”.

“No clear trends emerged in relation to any particular techniques, tools or systems of assessment which colleagues are engaging with at this stage,” according to the report.

It said that the review found examples of effective pedagogy from other phases and subjects using “relatively well-established, evidence-informed principles” related to formative assessment, cognitive science like spaced learning, or mastery approaches.

But “we need to know more about how these principles and practices can be effectively adapted and translated into post-16 resit contexts,” the report added.

The report recommended that the EEF should “sustain and grow its focus” on post-16 English and maths for low-attaining and disadvantaged learners – including, but not limited to, GCSE resits.

“The persistent underperformance of resit learners coupled with the relatively poor evidence base on interventions in this space reaffirm the rationale for investment, which, in terms of outcomes, could lead to sustainable, systemic change and improvement,” the report said.

EEF chief executive Becky Francis said: “We know gaps in outcomes between socio-economically disadvantaged pupils and their classmates grow as they progress through school which means they’re at their widest when students enter post-16 education.

“This phase is our ‘last chance’ to try and minimise these gaps before most young people leave the education system. We also know the importance of a Grade 4 or above at Maths and English GCSEs for young people’s future life chances. So for us, finding better ways to support teaching and learning for GCSE resits is a crucial part of this.”

Winners of the 2023 Festival of Learning awards announced

Learners who have had to deal with family tragedy, severe brain damage and homelessness are among this year’s Festival of Learning Awards winners.

Ten students, tutors, colleges, providers, and employers were recognised for their inspiring stories as part of a celebration of lifelong learning at an awards ceremony run by Learning and Work Institute and supported by Phoenix Insights.

“This year’s Festival of Learning award winners are truly inspiring,” said Stephen Evans, Chief Executive at Learning and Work Institute.

“Their stories demonstrate the many ways adult learning holds the key to improving people’s job and career prospects, increasing health and wellbeing, widening participation in society, and much more besides.”

The award sponsors were NOCN, the ETF, City Lit, and the Skills and Education Group.

Illness didn’t hold back award winners

Jackie Butterworth was diagnosed with bowel disease ulcerative colitis in 2013 and had a stoma fitted the following year.

The LWI awarded her the learning for health award after she took part in support groups and courses. She has now set up her own group to support others going through similar challenges.

The new directions award went to Jason Richards, who was recovering from severe brain damage and years of homelessness when he found training opportunities through Newground Together.

Following his learning, Jason found not only work opportunities, but also got the chance to reconnect with his family.

Paul Eeles, chief executive at Education and Skills Group, the award sponsor, said the award highlights one of the best things about lifelong learning, allowing people to make a fresh start and follow a new path.

“Life can lead you in unexpected directions, and continuous learning is vital to taking the opportunities that come your way,” he said.

Learners overcame unimaginable struggles

Fakhra Irfan was awarded the English language learning award.

When she first moved to the UK, Fakhra didn’t speak any English and lacked the confidence to explore beyond her home environment.

She pursued adult learning and gained newfound independence after her husband died shortly after she gave birth to her third child.

Meanwhile the return to learning award was won by Tyrese Williams.

Tyrese found school extremely challenging and left without any GCSEs. But her life changed when she was referred to a first steps to learning course at Buckinghamshire Adult Learning, which is aimed at young parents developing English, maths and digital skills.

“People coming back to learning at any point in their lives is something to applaud. The knowledge, skills, joy and fulfilment they gain is something that changes and improves lives immeasurably,” said Mark Malcomson, CEO at City Lit, the award sponsor.

The winner of the patron’s award, chosen by LWI patron Princess Anne, was Margaret Porta. She won after gaining new IT skills through tutoring with the Open Age DigitALL Project and successfully put together a digital campaign to promote her first ever art show.

Tutors make ‘transformational’ impact

The tutor award went to Emma Iliffe for her dedication and passion for deaf culture and the deaf community. Emma is a teacher of British Sign Language (BSL) at City Lit.

“The transformational impact tutors, trainers and educators have is not limited to learners,” said Katerina Kolyva, chief executive at Education and Training Foundation, the award sponsor.

“It extends beyond the learners to their families and communities. In a world where we are all contending with diverse and rapidly-evolving challenges—ranging from the accelerating impact of technology on work to a cost-of-living crisis—this has never been more important.”

The winner of the learning for work award, sponsored by NOCN Group, went to Geoff Carter.

Geoff secured employment on the HS2 project after an extended period of unemployment followed by a family tragedy. Judges said his construction training not only brought him skills and qualifications, but it also empowered him to show his children what a good working life looks like.

Employers were also celebrated at the ceremony. One such award went to charity St Giles Trust, which won the president’s award for its London Peer Hub. The programme trains and supports learners to ‘turn a past into a future’ and achieve a level 3 NVQ in Advice and Guidance – usually the first qualification that they have ever attained.

Nuneaton Signs won the employer award, sponsored by NOCN Group. Since 2021, the company has offered supported internships for young people with special educational needs and disabilities in partnership with North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College (NWSLC).

Meanwhile, Fircroft College was selected to win the Learning Provision Award. As one of only two adult residential colleges in England, judges found the college provides a safe and welcoming environment for learners with multiple and complex needs.

MPs blast DfE for refusing to pause BTEC cutback

MPs have hit out at the government’s refusal to pause its controversial bonfire of BTECs after they warned it could deepen skills shortages and restrict student choice.

The cross-party education select committee urged the Department for Education in April to “place a moratorium” on defunding applied general qualifications (AGQs) due to problems with T Levels that were raised by expert witnesses during its inquiry into the future of post-16 qualifications.

The committee said AGQs “should only be withdrawn as and when there is a robust evidence base proving that T Levels are demonstrably more effective in preparing students for progression, meeting industry needs and promoting social mobility”.

But in a response published today, ministers refused the moratorium request and failed to address the lack of evidence that T Levels have yet been proven superior to BTECs and other AGQs, simply stating that “our reforms will increase outcomes for learners and build a strong pipeline of skills for the future”.

Robin Walker (pictured), chair of the committee and Conservative MP for Worcester, said the DfE’s response was “disappointing”.

“[The DfE’s response] gives the impression of prioritising saving face over ensuring its reforms are carried out in the interests of young people,” he added.

The DfE is moving towards a streamlined system for students finishing their GCSEs which pushes them to study either A-levels, T Levels, or an apprenticeship from 2025.

Alternative AGQs like Pearson’s popular BTECs will only get funding from August 2025 onwards if they do not overlap with the other qualification and pass a strict approvals process.

The committee argued in a report in April that defunding other AGQs risks “constricting student choice and deepening the skills shortages that these reforms are meant to fix”. It said government should wait to make sure T Levels are a “more effective” replacement.

But the government is standing by its plan.

It argued it is reforming the qualifications landscape because many of the existing level 3 alternatives “have low and no enrolments”, are not based on the employer led occupational standards set out by the Institute for Apprentices and Technical Education, and do not push students to follow up their qualifications with relevant occupations.

It claimed that students with BTECs are nearly twice as likely to drop out of university as those that have A-levels.

The DfE response said feedback on T Levels had been “positive” and that 92.2 per cent of the first cohort achieved at least a pass grade.

But the committee said government “failed to address” that a fifth of that cohort had dropped out of the course.

Risks ‘exacerbating existing inequalities’

While Walker said his committee “welcomed” the ambition of having a higher value vocational qualification system, he said MPs “remain concerned that T Levels may not adequately fill the void that hastily withdrawing AGQs may create”.

“There is insufficient evidence that T Levels will be an achievable option for swathes of young people who do not achieve the top grades at GCSE, or who have SEND,” he added.

“Failing to take this into account runs the risk of exacerbating existing inequalities.”

James Kewin, deputy chief executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association which leads the Protect Student Choice campaign, said: “The government’s risible response to the education committee’s report shows that ministers remain in denial about the viability of their plans for reforming level 3 qualifications.

“Despite facing almost universal opposition to its plan to scrap most AGQs, the government continues to press ahead while ignoring the serious concerns raised by students, the education sector, employers and now the education committee.”

Appear to be ‘setting targets’

T Levels will all include 45-day industry placements as a core part of their curriculum. The committee called on the DfE to publish forecasts on the demand for and any shortfall of industry placements, to prepare industries for the wider T Level rollout.

Though the DfE said it would “consider” that request, it said it will “need to be careful” as it would then appear to be “setting targets”. 

The DfE did commit to publishing data on the employment or education destinations of the first T Level students in late 2023 or early 2024.

The committee’s report also called for a “wholesale review” of funding for 16 to 19 education and more targeted support for disadvantaged students. But it said the DfE did “not directly” address that point in its response. The department said it would “continue to keep 16 to 19 funding under review”.