Ofsted’s complaints policy was in the spotlight again last week as training provider UKTD Ltd remarkably overturned its ‘inadequate’ judgement following a botched inspection last year.
If approved, the changes will replace the cusrrent procedure that was put in place in 2020.
Here’s what you need to know…
1. Formal ‘checks’ with leaders during inspections
Ofsted said its inspectors already routinely check with leaders throughout an inspection if they have “queries or concerns”.
The watchdog has proposed formalising this by asking inspectors to check with leaders at specific stages of the visit, “where appropriate”.
These stages will be…
during the pre-inspection notification call or when an inspector arrives
at the end-of-day meetings
at the final feedback session
Ofsted said inspectors could then address any issues raised at the time, rather than after the inspection has taken place.
2. Direct line to a senior inspector
Providers will be given a “new opportunity” to call Ofsted on the day after their inspection to discuss “any unresolved issues”. It is understood this has been piloted in one region of England already.
The watchdog said this may include raising informal concerns about the process and its “likely outcome”, queries about what happens next or highlighting “information that they feel was not fully considered”.
Ofsted said these calls would be directed to senior inspectors “relevant to the type of inspection, but separate to the inspection in question”.
The inspectors “will then discuss any issues with the provider so that they can be resolved at the earliest opportunity”.
3. Two routes to address concerns
At present, complaints about Ofsted follow a four-step complaints process.
The first step is raising concerns informally shortly after inspection. The second, if issues are not resolved informally, is a formal complaint. The third is an internal review and the fourth is an external complaint to an official adjudicator.
Ofsted is proposing a new first step, with two routes. Leaders can either highlight “minor points of clarity or factual accuracy”, which will be considered “promptly” before the report is then finalised.
The watchdog said it expected “the vast majority of providers to follow this route”.
However, those that do will “not normally have a later opportunity to raise a formal complaint or challenge”, which is a change from the current approach, though Ofsted will consider each provider’s circumstances.
The other option is a formal complaint.
4. An inspector calls…
Formal complaints will be investigated by a member of Ofsted staff “independent of the inspection”.
This will involve a phone call to “explore their concerns fully and, where possible, resolve issues quickly”. Principals/CEOs can highlight information they feel was “not fully considered”.
There will be four possible outcomes to an investigation…
No change to a report
Changes to a report’s text only
Changes to a grade, including overall effectiveness
The inspection is deemed incomplete and confirmation of a further visit to gather more evidence
Ofsted said it would also revise complaint outcome letters to be “clearer for providers about the reasons for decisions made”.
5. Internal review process scrapped
Ofsted said it believed its proposals would help it achieve a “right first time” approach and “strengthen” complaints-handling arrangements.
As a result, the watchdog plans to scrap internal reviews of how it handles complaints, which currently form step three of its process.
Under the current scheme, schools, colleges and providers have to go through this internal review before they can ask for an external, independent review.
Under the new scheme, providers concerned that their complaint did not correctly follow the right process would be able to go directly to the Independent Complaints Adjudication Service for Ofsted (ICASO).
This will “reduce the burden on providers raising concerns”, the watchdog said.
“Instead of the current escalated levels of review, Ofsted will consider any formal complaints once, and thoroughly.”
6. External reviews of closed complaints
Ofsted also plans to introduce periodic reviews of how it handles complaints.
This will be done by taking a sample of closed complaints, which would be submitted to a panel of external reviewers, which will include external representatives from the sectors Ofsted inspects.
They can “provide challenge and transparency on how we have handled complaints about our work”.
Have your say by September
The consultation, which opened today, will run until Friday, September 15.
Ofsted said the “information you provide us with will inform our new post-inspection arrangements and how we handle complaints about our work”.
“We will publish on our website a report on the outcome of this consultation in due course.”
Unfinished audits and reclassification to the public sector are among the reasons why nine colleges have considerably missed the government’s deadline for publishing their annual accounts this year.
Education and Skills Funding Agency rules state that colleges must publish their audited accounts in an easily accessible location on their website no later than January 31 each year to “maximise transparency and to support accountability”.
However, 2022 accounts for nine of the 170-odd colleges in England are still yet to surface five months after the deadline.
Colleges have had to gain special permission – which will only be granted in rare circumstances – to borrow commercially since November 29, 2022, when the Office for National Statistics changed their status from the private to the public sector.
The overnight ruling resulted in many colleges having to put key campus projects on hold. In response, the DfE belatedly launched its own time-limited loans scheme for college capital projects, but this process is still ongoing.
A spokesperson for Plumpton College said: “Plumpton has completed its annual report and accounts, with a clean audit and approval by the corporation in December. The college is however unable to submit signed accounts until the DfE confirm a loan to replace its commercial borrowing for a capital project completed in April 2023.
“The DfE is aware of the situation and has extended the filing deadline pending their approval of the loan facility.”
As well as new rules on borrowing, reclassification to the public sector has opened colleges up to scrutiny of “novel, contentious, or repercussive transactions” such as those that are considered to be outside of colleges’ normal sphere of business or may cause controversy or criticism.
Lincoln College Group is among the colleges that attract the largest amounts of commercial and international income and is one of the nine colleges to not have published accounts for 2022 yet.
A spokesperson for the college said: “As with a few other colleges, transfer to the public sector has led to a delay in the filing of our accounts. We are working closely with the DfE and our auditors to ensure this takes place as soon as possible.”
Two of the other colleges with late accounts said unfinished audits had caused the delay.
South Gloucestershire and Stroud College said: “The ESFA via Mazars have undertaken a funding audit of SGS college provision of which we are still awaiting the final report. College accounts cannot be signed off until this report is received. The ESFA is aware of this, and accounts will be submitted when the report is provided. SGS college remains in good financial health.”
And Hull College said: “Hull College is currently undergoing an ESFA financial audit and is unable to submit and publish accounts until that audit process has been completed. The ESFA are aware and working with us to bring the audit to a conclusion.”
Kingston Maurward College, a land-based college in Dorset, is also yet to file accounts for 2022. The college has faced financial challenges over the past few years due to a big hit on its commercial income during the pandemic and associated lockdowns.
The college received a financial notice to improve as well as an FE Commissioner visit last year.
Principal Luke Rake told FE Week the “continued financial challenge” means that whilst his college works through the details with the ESFA and FE Commissioner teams together, the board is “not yet comfortable signing off the 12-month going concerns just yet”.
“We anticipate getting this resolved fairly soon,” Rake added.
Eastleigh College – which is expected to merge with struggling City College Southampton as well as Fareham College in August 2023 to create a “financially strong network” – is also yet to file accounts for 2022.
A spokesperson for Eastleigh would only say the college has “been working to deadlines agreed by the DfE” and that it “expects to publish accounts in due course”.
The three other colleges with late 2022 accounts – South Essex College, Strode College and Wakefield College – did not respond to requests for comment.
The Festival of Education, a highly anticipated event for teachers and educators, is set to take place at Wellington College on Thursday, July 6th, and Friday, July 7th. With an impressive attendance of over 5,000 educators across the two days, this festival promises to be an exceptional opportunity for professional development, networking, and inspiration.
Over 250 sessions from over 300 speakers
Spanning an extensive array of educational topics, the Festival of Education offers attendees the chance to choose from more than 250 sessions delivered by renowned experts in their respective fields. From cutting-edge advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) to racial justice advocacy, cognitive science to great teaching techniques, there is a rich tapestry of subjects to explore and engage with.
Eddie Izzard will provide a keynote on Day One
At the core of the event are the esteemed keynote speakers who will grace the stage, sharing their wisdom and experiences. The diverse line up includes keynotes from celebrated comedian and actor Eddie Izzard, naturalist and presenter Chris Packham, Ofsted Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman, educational psychologist Paul Kirschner, prominent politician Andy Burnham, and esteemed researcher Derron Wallace. Each speaker brings a unique perspective and expertise, ensuring attendees gain valuable insights and fresh perspectives.
These strands serve as thematic focuses within the event, allowing participants to delve deeper into specific areas of interest. Some of the captivating strands on offer include “AI in Education,” exploring the transformative potential of artificial intelligence; “The BAMEed Racial Justice Strand,” shedding light on the importance of diversity and equality in education; “Cognitive Science,” uncovering the latest research and insights into how students learn best; and “Great Teaching,” equipping educators with practical strategies to enhance their teaching practice.
Ofsted chief, Amanda Spielman
The Festival of Education aims to empower teachers and educators, fostering an environment of continuous growth and innovation. It serves as a platform for sharing knowledge, exchanging ideas, and sparking collaborations among professionals in the education sector. Whether attendees are seasoned educators or aspiring teachers, the festival promises an inspiring and informative experience for all.
Tickets on sale now
Interested participants can visit the festival’s official website (https://educationfest.co.uk/) to access detailed information about the event, browse the extensive program schedule, and secure their place among the thousands of dedicated educators who will gather at Wellington College. FE Week readers should use the following discount code for 20% off (SUB17865SW).
The Festival of Education stands out from other education events as it takes place amidst the picturesque grounds of Wellington College, creating a stunning backdrop for an immersive and unique experience.
Over 13 marquee venues are thoughtfully constructed, offering a diverse range of sessions and activities. What sets this event apart is its vibrant festival atmosphere, where attendees can soak in the energetic ambiance while exploring the various offerings.
To add to the festive spirit, there is even a cocktail van, ensuring that participants can relax and enjoy refreshments in between sessions. This dynamic blend of captivating content and a festival vibe makes the Festival of Education a truly extraordinary and unforgettable gathering for educators.
Historian David Olusoga addressing the Festival in 2022
By attending the Festival of Education, teachers will gain valuable insights, practical strategies, and inspiration to transform their classrooms and positively impact the lives of their students. With an abundance of sessions, renowned speakers, and diverse strands to choose from, this event is a must-attend for anyone passionate about education.
Don’t miss the chance to be a part of this extraordinary gathering of educators. Book your tickets now to secure your place at the Festival of Education, and join thousands of like-minded professionals in an enriching celebration of learning and innovation.
For more information and ticket bookings, visit the Festival of Education website at https://educationfest.co.uk/. FE Week readers should use the following discount code for 20% off (SUB17865SW).
Highlights video from the 2022 Festival of Education.
The former skills minister Andrea Jenkyns will be made a dame for “political and public service” despite serving in the role for just three and half months.
Jenkyns is among several Boris Johnson loyalists to receive honours and peerages in the former prime minister’s resignation honours list.
The MP for Morley and Outwood was first made a minister in July 2022 to replace Alex Burghart who was one of a string of ministers to dramatically resign from Boris Johnson’s cabinet last summer.
Jenkyns was first appointed by Johnson as parliamentary under secretary of state (junior minister) for skills, further and higher education. When Liz Truss became prime minister that September, Jenkyns was reappointed as minister for skills. A month later, she was fired and replaced by Robert Halfon by new prime minister Rishi Sunak.
In her brief stint at the Department for Education, Jenkyns served under two education secretaries, James Cleverley and Kit Malthouse.
Jenkyns said: “I am deeply honoured to have been awarded a Damehood (DBE) for public and political services, having been nominated by our Nation’s greatest Prime Minister since Margaret Thatcher, the Rt Hon. Boris Johnson, it was an honour to serve in his Government as a Minister & a Whip 🇬🇧”
Her appointment as an education minister attracted some controversy at the time of her first appointment to the DfE after footage emerged that showed her raising a middle finger to protestors in Downing Street.
The incident even sparked a complaint from Alison Peacock, the chief executive of the Chartered College of Teaching.
In those three months, Jenkyns found herself the target of scathing remarks from the mayor of the West Midlands, fellow conservative Andy Street, for telling the Local Government Chronicle that she was “not a proponent of elected mayors” and said she wanted to see that adult education powers are “being well used first, before giving more [funding] away”. The Department for Education was forced to row back on her comments.
Jenkyns was in post during the tumultuous period of exam results delays and blunders last summer affecting thousands of BTEC and Cambridge Technical students and some T Level courses.
Before being made a minister, Jenkyns served for ten months as an assistant government whip.
Receiving knighthoods are former cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg and Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant. Former home secretary Priti Patel is also being made a dame and Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen is to be made a lord.
Group Vice Principal Strategy & Business Development, TEC Partnership
Start date: June 2023
Previous Job: Director of Strategy and Business Development, Protocol
Interesting fact: Beth loves getting to know the locals whilst travelling: highlights have included swimming with whale sharks in Mexico, seeing sloths and turtles in Costa Rica and feeding elephants in Thailand
George Ryan
Associate Director: Skills Policy and Strategic Communications, Public First
Start date: June 2023
Previous Job: Press and Public Relations Manager, Association of Colleges
Interesting fact: In a year 10 school assembly, George performed a lipsync performance of Nina Simone – Feeling Good
High-profile workforce shortages in the travel industry haven’t stopped the government’s plans to defund rafts of popular courses. Jessica Hill investigates what’s next for travel and tourism training.
When stories about long queues at UK airports hit the headlines last summer, travel woes were blamed on staffing shortages across the industry. But with the government intent on removing funding for travel and tourism courses, which the sector relies on for its pipeline of future talent, its recruitment problems are only set to get worse.
The travel and tourism sector appears to have been all but forgotten in the government’s massive reforms to level 3 qualifications. You won’t find it mentioned at all in DfE’s guide to post-16 qualifications from 2025 – despite several courses facing the axe from 2025.
And yet classroom travel and tourism courses are popular with young people as well as employers.
Analysis of applied general qualifications by the Protect Student Choice campaign, led by the Sixth Form Colleges Association, found Pearson’s BTEC level 3 national extended certificate in travel and tourism has 3,510 young people aged 16 to 18 enrolled in 2022/23, with 1,010 enrolled on its national foundation diploma, and 600 on its national certificate.
Combined with other qualifications offered by other awarding organisations, around 7,500 students are studying travel and tourism, according to Association of Colleges estimates.
Skills minister Robert Halfon said removing funding from such qualifications will “ensure young people can feel confident that they are studying technical qualifications which will prepare them for jobs in their chosen occupation”.
But that does not appear to be the case for those young people eyeing a career in the UK’s lucrative – but currently struggling – travel and tourism industry.
City and Guilds has already made the “difficult” decision to discontinue its qualifications in aviation, travel and tourism from December 2023 and to “focus [their] industry-specific qualifications on a smaller number of target sectors in the future”.
“This is against a backdrop of widespread government qualification reform,” a spokesperson said. “Our refocused strategy also enables us to provide better support for learners and customers in the industries where we believe we can have the most impact.”
Unlike other industries, there are currently no T Levels or ‘alternative academic qualifications’ being planned to replace them, leaving learners, providers and the industry without any clarity or certainty over future training options.
The travel and tourism industry is worth over £250 billion to the UK economy, but it is struggling to recruit the staff it needs, especially for seasonal demand previously met by EU workers, and to replace those who left the sector when travel was disrupted during the pandemic.
A government report in March found that staffing shortages were a major factor in last summer’s travel chaos, with ground handlers struggling to recruit enough staff in time for peak season.
Travel and tourism teacher David Harvey described the industry’s vacancy rate as being at an “all time high” so the “loss of these vocational courses is only going to exacerbate the situation”.
Hundreds of Airliners Stored in the Arizona desert due to Covid-19 Pandemic, March 29,2021 Marana, Pima County Arizona, USA.
‘We cannot sleepwalk into this’
Similarly, BMet’s travel and tourism and aviation lecturer, John Garside, believes his students are “incredibly important to the sector”.
While he admits course numbers “took a hit” over the pandemic when holidaymakers’ travel plans were scuppered, this year they are “up massively” and “there continues to be great interest in travel and tourism because nobody knows it is being defunded”.
When he found out the news himself at the beginning of this year, he reached out to industry leaders and was alarmed to find they had no idea of DfE’s plans.
The Institute of Travel and Tourism said it had been “largely unaware until recently that this was happening” and described the defunding as “short-sighted and damaging to the sector”.
Clive Wratten, the chief executive of the Business Travel Association described it as “severely disappointing”, and Vicki Wolf, head of education and career development for ABTA, the Association of British Travel Agents, said it “strongly disagrees” with scrapping the courses for which there is “still high demand”.
Garside said: “Sometimes the government will say, ‘we’ve spoken to industry, we know what industry wants’. Well, it was quite obvious that nobody had spoken.”
“We cannot sleepwalk into this. The travel industry is really unhappy about it”.
John Garside, travel and tourism lecturer at BMet with Gabby Birch, Harry Bailey, Lily Condley and Evie Rimmer-Mcloughlin
The alternatives
An A-level in travel and tourism already exists (courtesy of Cambridge International), but unlike the other level 3 courses it is not widely taught at colleges.
And the A-level route does not suit everyone. Garside says that for most of his travel and tourism students, “if they’d wanted to do A levels they’d be doing them already”.
One of his students is 17-year-old Evie Rimmer-Mcloughlin, who admitted the “academic life” of A-levels “doesn’t really work” for her.
Compulsory units on the BTEC cover the travel and tourism industry, principles of marketing and global destinations with an additional 15 other optional units to choose from depending upon the course.
BMet student Gabby Birch, 17, believes the course, which involves lots of “role playing and group work”, is a “really good option for people who don’t want to just do exams and assignments”.
“The travel and tourism course has made me enjoy learning more,” she added.
Birch has since decided to go to university when she has finished her college course.
Classroom courses vs apprenticeships
The government is pitching new ‘occupational-entry qualifications’ as the way forwards.
Awarding organisations must map these to the Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education’s occupational standards to be eligible for funding, but you won’t find travel and tourism recognised as an occupational sector in its own right.
Instead, industry employers developing apprenticeships have linked travel and tourism jobs to occupational standards in other sectors. For example, the level 3 travel consultant apprenticeship falls in the sales, procurement and procurement route and the level 3 cabin crew apprenticeship comes under transport and logistics.
But to Runshaw College’s travel and tourism course leader Lisa Rowbotham, many of these apprenticeships cover “front facing, low-paid jobs that don’t represent the wider industry”.
Claire Steiner
The apprenticeships are also nowhere near as popular.
In 2021/22, only 50 16-18-year-olds took a travel and tourism apprenticeship, and of those just 20 completed.
Claire Steiner, chair of education and training for the Institute of Travel and Tourism, warned that “apprenticeships are not for everyone, and are not available in all areas in the UK”.
On the other hand, the travel and tourism classroom courses provide an overview of the broad range of opportunities available in the industry.
Steiner sees this broader approach as “vital”.
Rimmer-Mcloughlin said travel and tourism has “opened up new horizons” for her, as “every week there’s a new job we find out about”.
When she started the course last year, she was eyeing a career in cabin crew, but now wants to go into “planning tailor made holidays, or account management for airlines and travel companies”.
The course also teaches her about “different countries, and what’s going on in the world politically”.
There is also concern that the defunding of level 3 courses will have a greater impact on students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Dr Shqiperim Reka, a lecturer in events management at Sheffield Hallam University, who has previously taught tourism modules, came to England as a refugee from Kosovo in 1999 and studied tourism at FE and HE level.
He believes that tourism and related courses “give such opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds, like myself”.
“I know the value of such opportunities for young people who do not see themselves in STEM degrees and need alternative routes to higher education and a successful career in the future.”
Garside believes a “significant number” of travel and tourism students receive a bursary and have a household income of less than £30,000 a year.
Rimmer-Mcloughlin’s course hours enable her to also work part time at TK Maxx, which is “important” for her with the cost-of-living crisis.
Cause for optimism
But an industry-led campaign to save travel and tourism courses is now gathering momentum.
A petition which currently has more than 1,500 signatories was launched by Dr Peter Robinson, head of the Centre for Tourism and Hospitality Management at Leeds Beckett University. It calls for the provision of “appropriate industry-focused post-16 qualifications” for the tourism, hospitality and events sector to be “identified within the T Level schedule”.
The petition claims that no awarding organisations are planning to provide the “strong evidence for the need for an academic qualification” required to introduce a sector-specific qualification for 2025/26.
However, FE Week understands a new level 3 technical occupational entry travel and tourism and aviation qualification for young people and adults has now been proposed by an awarding body.
But this is subject to approval from IfATE in its next cycle, and considerable work is required to get it over the line.
Last month ABTA hosted its first education and skills working group on the issue, which left industry insiders feeling more optimistic.
Wolf said that while some areas still “need clarification” from the government, it “appears that there will be a route for future FE courses specific to travel and tourism”.
Opportunity for change
Steiner said she has been “really impressed” with how the campaign has brought industry leaders together, and Rowbotham hopes to see similar campaigns spring up against the defunding of other level 3 courses in public services and sport.
Awarding bodies NCFE and Pearson appear to have been the most proactive in engaging with the industry. NCFE is currently running a consultation with educators and employers to understand which technical standards will be best to develop any course against.
Its technical education product manager David Rowley said: “We are standing by the travel industry. Part of our purpose as an educational charity is to ensure no learner is left behind, and we’re committed to ensuring career aspirations aren’t grounded because of changes in the education system.”
A spokesperson for Pearson said: “While T Levels are a welcome addition to the further education landscape, we have always warned that policymakers should not lose sight of what is working well already. We are in touch with ABTA regarding the Travel and Tourism BTECs, to support and explore how we can continue to meet the needs of their industry.”
The Student Commission on Racial Justice will soon publish its 2023 Manifesto for Action. Over the next five weeks, its commissioners will set out its five key priorities and recommendations exclusively for FE Week.
I’m 17 and study A level French, English language and drama and theatre studies at Barnsley College. I am also part of the Student Commission on Racial Justice, which has recently published its manifesto for action, with key recommendations for tackling issues around racial justice.
The manifesto focuses on five key priorities, one of which is teaching and learning. In this area, after hearing and sharing many stories from teachers and young people, our recommendation is to diversify the curriculum and improve teacher training. The young people we spoke to are clear: a lack of proper training is having adverse effects on us as students. On the other hand, some have experienced that effective teacher training can help to better our experiences.
Nobody seeks to deny that the writers centred within the English curriculum are anything other than talented writers. But Shakespeare and Dickens are far from the only writers who have written work worth reading in English. We need teachers to broaden our exposure to and understanding of literature. In fact, it should be required that our curriculum reflects Britain’s diverse culture and represents people of all backgrounds. Students in classrooms today report noticing and appreciating when this is applied.
I still recall having to read Of Mice and Men in year 8 as our focus for English literature. Published in 1937 and set in the 1930s, Steinbeck’s book heavily features the use of the ‘n-word’. As a 13-year-old black person, I wasn’t too bothered about the use of the word by my teacher, since she had warned us before that slurs were involved and how we might feel if she used it (albeit only in this context).
Books with racial slurs embolden those with inclinations towards racism to express it
But in spite of her warning that none of us were supposed to say it, certain students did – directly to me and my mixed-race friend. Reflecting on this, it’s clear there were many problems before we even started reading. Why is a book with slurs part of the curriculum? Was it necessary to say the slur at all? I didn’t realise how much it upset me until a year later, trying to work out why I did not want to go back to school after lockdown.
No matter how you present it, books with racial slurs embolden those with inclinations towards racism to express it. They normalise language that is taboo for good reason. There are better ways to explore the great depression, if that’s what we want to do with our precious curriculum time.
Diversifying the curriculum means drawing from a wider variety, not just of writers, but of perspectives too. There is a wealth of outstanding writing in English. It sets the bar of expectation low to say nothing more appropriate can be found than a book with racial slurs, and it makes the inclusion of black students a lesser priority than the comfort of repeating the curriculum.
At least I can say that I don’t have many experiences that I can attribute to inefficient teacher training, but I can say that the Student Commission have discussed this a lot. Too many have had worse experiences than me, and improving teacher training has been a really important topic for us. Improving training would mean informing and preparing teachers on what to do if/when there is discrimination taking place in the classroom, as well as encouraging and appropriately supporting students to have conversations about race and inequalities, whether in the classroom or in tutorials.
Good teacher training in racial equity would mean students felt safer and more confident about approaching their teachers for advice. It would help to promote more trusting student-teacher relationships, and might just put a stop to the kind of verbal abuse I and so many others have been the victims of.
The evidence from our commission is clear. When it comes to teaching and learning, diversifying the curriculum and better preparing teachers to tackle racism and racial inequalities are crucial to improving education for students from minoritised ethnicities. That’s as true for French as for English, and for theatre studies as well as any other qualification – academic or technical.
As the newly appointed Head of Equality and Diversity, I took a moment to think where do I start? What if I made a mistake in this role? All these unanswered questions encouraged me to reach out to colleagues at other colleges.
I was very fortunate that I had made contacts in across the West Midlands due my work in safeguarding. Those people were able to point in the direction of others who, like me, were responsible for equality and diversity. In some cases, in fact, this was the very same person.
Like me, other equality and diversity leads had found themselves isolated in the role, so they had set up working groups which were also able to put me in touch with the right people. Where I couldn’t find anyone from a specific college, safeguarding or equality and diversity policies on their websites pointed me towards the best person to reach out to.
I had never worked with other colleges before, but like sustainability, equity and diversity is among a raft of new challenges that call for a culture shift with a focus on collaboration. Everyone I reached out to was welcoming and supportive because we are travelling a similar journey. We built up closer relationships that have allowed us to share good practice and tried-and-tested resources.
This saved a lot of effort, and it saved money too. Arranging for EDI specialists to come into colleges can be expensive, and we have so much expertise between us. Considering the financial constraints on colleges, this is a very positive, practical and effective move.
We began with a West Midlands Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Network, meeting online two or three times a year to talk about activities and events we were proud of and then discuss areas of development we would like to work on. The experience of colleagues has sped up identifying and implementing solutions and been so effective that we now meet face to face and even visit each other’s settings to build on those benefits.
I know this has helped me grow and develop my confidence in the role. I’m braver for it when introducing new ideas, because I know I can trust the recommendations I work with. The result is a cost-effective and positive experience for all our staff and learners.
The hardest thing is to make the first contact
It’s also made us want to go further. We have no also launched a BAME network which provides an opportunity for BAME staff to meet up with colleagues from across the region to share their experiences. This helps to increase the confidence of BAME staff to break down barriers to talking about race and ethnicity, and to give voice to their experiences. It also supports talented BAME staff who wish to progress in their careers in sector that remains unrepresentative. Our network helps them by promoting training courses and other opportunities which may not have been highlighted to them.
We also invite guest speakers to share insights about what is happening in the FE sector more broadly, and how diversity is driving improvements in other sectors too. And this collaborative work to amplify the collective voice of BAME staff means our own expertise is being more widely recognised. We support and feed back to other organisations such as Colleges West Midlands, Association of Colleges, Education and Training Foundation and others.
This is a powerful approach that should be adopted in other regions. It’s delivering better practice, more cost effectively, and the ultimate beneficiaries are our students. The hardest thing is to make the first contact, but you’ll be surprised how quickly it builds from there. Promoting events and network meetings on social media is a great multiplier too. When people see what’s happening, it encourages them to come forward.
I have personally found these networks extremely beneficial and inspiring. It is a privilege to work with talented like-minded staff from other colleges – staff I would never have had the opportunity to collaborate with in the past. Wherever you are in the country, I guarantee others are clamouring for the same experience.
It’s a little over three years since the beginning of a wave of lockdowns to combat the Covid pandemic. By now many of us are back to business as usual. But for a whole generation of young people whose education and early career opportunities have been stifled the journey has not been quite so smooth.
According to a recent report from City & Guilds, there are over 800,000 young people in the UK who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). While this figure is shocking to some, we educators know all too well that young people have been among the hardest hit by the devastating aftershocks of that period.
In response, we need nothing less than a seismic shift in how we think about education. It’s no longer a case of retaining our students, but of reintegrating them and offering them a much-needed second chance.
Implementing programmes nationally to capture the nearly 16 per cent young people currently classified as NEET is not without its complications. The government’s spring budget recognised the role that economically inactive people could play in filling the 1.3 million vacancies in our economy today. However, consistent underfunding means that existing services and programmes are already under immense strain, and not operating at the scale required to solve the problem.
One such programme is NEET re-engagement programme at Leeds City College, which aims to improve young people’s skills while helping them prepare for their next steps. Further education colleges are unique in their ability to provide a ‘one-stop shop’ for careers advice, pastoral support, education and work experience. Other organisations offer some of these services, but it’s rare to find one that has it all.
Our bespoke programme helps students aged 16 to 24 to develop skills in essential subjects, particularly maths and English, all while engaging them in enrichment activities and supporting them with progression.
The move to online learning during the pandemic deepened the chasm of access to quality education. For some of our most vulnerable young people, the amount of lost learning was substantial, leaving them wholly unprepared for further education or employment. In crafting and delivering our programme, we focus on removing such barriers.
We need a seismic shift in how we think about education
It’s not just in the classroom that young people are facing struggles. Mental health charity, Young Minds reported in 2021 that 67 per cent believed that the pandemic will have a long-term negative effect on their mental health. Issues of low self-confidence have been directly linked to long periods of social isolation; I’ve had countless young people tell me they simply don’t feel up to the challenge of employment.
One of the young people on our programme had always dreamed of pursuing a career in creative arts, but was too anxious of being around so many people after lockdowns to pursue their ambition. This example is repeated everywhere across the country.
We often think of young people as highly social, but in reality the thought of stepping back into a classroom for the first time in over two years has been undeniably overwhelming. We are fortunate enough to have a smaller facility that can host our programme, and have implemented shorter session times to make them more manageable.
But by far the most common barrier is finance, with the rising cost of living meaning many young people are undertaking temporary, part-time work at the expense of their studies. As part of the programme, students are offered meal cards and free bus passes to minimise cost and support with their responsibilities outside of the programme.
Even in its infancy, I’ve seen this programme make a real difference to those who had nowhere else to turn, and with 14 new referrals already this month, it’s clear there’s demand. Like many others across the sector, we are proud of the work we’re doing and we know more needs to be done.
Put simply, the UK’s labour market cannot afford to disregard the potential of so many. Colleges are a natural place to invest in the multi-faceted work this challenge requires, and failure to reengage those who do not currently have the resources to fulfil their potential constitutes a huge missed opportunity for policy makers.
