Legislation paves way for mayors to appoint ‘skills commissioners’

New legislation will give mayors powers to appoint “commissioners” to lead on delivery of their skills and employment policies.

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, published this month, proposes that mayors could directly hire up to seven “independent appointees” who would act as their “extension”.

This could include appointing an unelected “skills and employment commissioner” taking over adult skills policy delivery that is currently overseen by mayors or local authority leaders.

In the legislation, the government is proposing a devolution “framework” aiming for every part of England to be overseen by a “strategic authority” which can take local control of seven policy areas including skills and employment, housing and planning, economic development and transport.

A strategic authority is a new category of regional government – including combined authorities, the Greater London Authority and some large local authorities – which will have an automatic right to gain new local powers.

The government argues giving mayors the “option” to appoint dedicated commissioners for each policy area will enable them to bring in “external expertise and full-time resource” to help them politically oversee their expanding responsibilities.

Currently, combined authority mayors with devolved adult skills powers can give leaders of local councils a policy “portfolio” to oversee, such as adult skills.

However, a government impact assessment published alongside the bill argues this practice “does not work optimally”.

It added: “Constituent council leaders are very busy with work for their own council, which are significant organisations with powers and responsibilities in their own right.”

The government believes that London’s system of allowing its mayor to appoint up to 11 deputy mayors with similar roles to the commissioner proposal is “vital” to managing their “significant workload” and in some cases, avoiding conflicts of interest.

Political support, with caveats

West Midlands Combined Authority mayor Richard Parker told FE Week he is in favour of mayors being able to appoint commissioners.

He said: “The Devolution Bill gives us a real chance to shape skills policy around what our region actually needs.

“By putting trusted local experts in post – people who know our industries, our communities and our challenges – we can close the skills gap and unlock new opportunities for local people and businesses alike.

“And this is just one of the new powers we could put to work to connect our skills system with employers – working closely with government.”

But Alessandro Georgiu, a Conservative London Assembly member, said that while deputy mayors are necessary for helping the London mayor “run the administration”, their quality “depends on the mayor” who appoints them.

He added: “In theory deputy mayors can be a very good thing, but only if you have competent people. Otherwise you’re just paying £130,000 per year for political hacks who don’t do the job properly.”

Georgiou said having strong scrutiny arrangements similar to London’s would be “crucial” to ensuring there is democratic oversight of commissioners.

He pointed out that the London Mayor’s work is scrutinised by 25 “assembly members”, paid £62,761 per year, who run a range of committees focusing on different policy areas such as transport, policing, housing and planning.

In comparison, most combined authorities are scrutinised by a single overview and scrutiny committee, made up of councillors from local authorities, who are paid much smaller allowances, such as £3,159 per year in the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).

WMCA’s overview and scrutiny committee plans to meet only six times this year to scrutinise its mayor’s spending of about £1.2 billion each year, which adult skills is only a small part of.

Ambassadors for mayors?

The proposal to give mayors the power to appoint skills and employment commissioners has been welcomed by some devolution experts.

Sue Jarvis, co-director of the Heseltine Institute for public policy, practice and place, said commissioners could bring in a “level of expertise” that mayors or local authority leaders don’t have.

She added that commissioners could have more time than mayors to work “cross sector” with business, colleges and local authorities to raise awareness and “get people behind” new policies.

Alex Walker, a researcher at the Bennett Institute, said appointing commissioners “makes sense” as local authority leaders who are also portfolio holders are stretched by “other responsibilities”.

“I think on a practical level, the mayor can’t be everywhere at once. So, there is a rationale to having a commissioner who can act as a kind of focal point, as sort of like an ambassador, I suppose, for the mayor in that particular sort of area.

“But as the powers of mayors and suitable authorities increase, there does need to be a corresponding strengthening of scrutiny and accountability arrangements as well. 

“And I think these are woefully weak as it stands – you do have overview the scrutiny and oversight committees, but they don’t really kind of conduct inquiries in any kind of meaningful sense, in the way that you’d expect a Parliamentary committee or even the committees of the London Assembly to do.”

Sue Pember, policy director at community learning representative body Holex, said the bill’s “clear breakdown” of responsibilities of different authorities is “helpful”.

However, she said the new devolved system feels “overly complex and bureaucratic” with skills and employment commissioners adding “yet another layer” of administration that could draw more funding away from frontline education delivery.

The rulebook I never got: A neurodivergent teacher’s journey from masking to belonging

If someone was ever asked to describe me the words would be a bit quirky, weird or strange. Throughout my childhood and adulthood, it always seemed that no matter how hard I tried to fit in I never quite managed it. It was only until I started teaching psychology in an FE college this year that I started to understand neurodivergence and where I fit into that.

Working in the FE sector, I have been able to explore my neurodiverse background safely. Previously I went undiagnosed in fear of being discriminated against and occasionally was accused of being autistic as an insult. And while I have had issues in communication and misinterpretation generally it’s been one of the safest environments I have worked in. The idea of autism being a diffability rather than a disability is communicated through the CPD days to the openness of management.

There are several challenges I face as a neurodivergent teacher such as masking, social interactions and staff culture. Early on I felt like I needed to ‘mask’ and do a performance of what a teacher should be, such as always smiling, and energetic. Masking is a term often used in autism and even though the workplace is a theatre for most people for me it’s the inherent desire to try to appear normal. In trying to embody a ‘normal’ person I pay attention to every little detail to try to fit to expectations. I think about every sentence, every change of tone trying to decipher what it really means. However this was exhausting, and my weekends were often spent recovering from the week. Since then, I have been leaning into a more natural style and built relationships with colleagues who understand me which has helped with navigating the unspoken social rules of the staffroom.

Another challenge is following rules to the exact letter which sounds great on paper until you realise there are nuanced unwritten rules, especially in the workplace and then you realise that you don’t have the rulebook. I have also noticed that people don’t appreciate it when you tell them the truth, preferring the accepted social norms. People say one thing and then mean another; the spoken word is often a mask for the actual meaning, and I am taking every word literally.

In terms of supporting neurodivergent students, I understand the landscape they navigate through, having lived experience myself which means I can anticipate the situations in where they struggle such as transitions or feeling misunderstood. I also recognise the strengths of neurodivergence such as pattern recognition, deep focus and the different ways of thinking and encourage these as strengths and not obstacles to overcome.

How does this impact teaching? In terms of subject knowledge, I have to say I am pretty good, the hyperfocus has a place to go. Classroom management is something I have developed, having pattern recognition skills works to my advantage and I have learnt that predictability is key. It also gives me the added advantage in understanding that not everyone thrives in the same mode, so I give options into how much they want to participate in class. However, for someone who thrives in silence the constant chaos can be too much at times. In trying to create an inclusive environment for my students I sometimes find it hard to create one for myself. However, building quiet moments in the day to recharge has helped me.

When discussing inclusivity and neurodivergence, the college always makes it clear it’s for students and staff on the spectrum, and it is celebrated through training and storytelling. This is what an inclusive environment does and one that I hope my neurodivergent students will experience when they go out into the world of work. Autism is not a disability but rather a different way to view the world, and difference is something to celebrate.

The only tip for other neurodivergent teachers is to find an environment that suits you and lean into your strengths. Remember, you bring a needed perspective to a diverse community.

When kindness takes a seat in the exam hall 

She arrived late. Breathless. Tearful. And already defeated.

It was the morning of the GCSE maths exam. This student – an adult learner and a mother – had done everything right: taken her children to school, planned her journey, set out on time. But traffic was gridlocked. By the time she reached her college, she was distressed, unable to breathe steadily, and gripped with panic. She couldn’t stop saying: “I forgot my calculator. I forgot my calculator.”

She was directed to a seat in a side room, where two other latecomers sat silently, legs trembling under their desks. But there was one more blow: she was told she had lost her dyslexia entitlement to extra time. She whispered, eyes wide, “I always use all my extra time.”

Her body was present, but she was emotionally miles away from being able to take an exam. She needed to hear something urgently – something that wouldn’t be on the paper in front of her:

That she still had a chance to pass.
That this one hard morning didn’t define her entire year.
To be reminded that she was not a failure. Just a person who’d had a very human morning.

In FE, kindness is not optional

We rarely speak of kindness in the exam hall. It’s assumed to be a neutral space. But for many FE learners – particularly adult returners – exam halls can be spaces of acute vulnerability. As staff, we can make an enormous difference.

During my time in FE, I’ve met countless students with long histories of difficulty in maths – many with undiagnosed special educational needs, learning anxiety, caring responsibilities, mental health struggles, or past trauma from education itself. For these learners, an exam isn’t just a test of knowledge – it’s a test of resilience, emotional regulation and whether they can recover quickly enough from whatever the morning threw at them.

Kindness in these moments is not indulgent. It’s essential.

When I reflect on this incident, I’m reminded that compassion is not about excusing poor behaviour or lowering standards. It’s about making space for people to perform at their best despite difficult circumstances. Had that learner sat the paper without any support or time to reset, she would have been physically present but mentally shut down. Instead, with reassurance and a few moments of calm, she began to see the paper as a challenge she could face – rather than a punishment she deserved.

In FE, we rightly give ample attention to curriculum planning, attainment data, and qualification outcomes. These are vital parts of our work. But alongside that, it’s equally important to recognise how emotional regulation and a sense of psychological safety can affect performance – particularly for students with complex needs or fragile academic confidence.

When learners enter a high-stakes exam, they bring more than just a pencil case but memories of past struggles, negative thoughts, daily pressures. For some, all that reaches new heights in the exam room. Emotional distress isn’t always visible, but it’s real.

We don’t always have full flexibility around systems and structures, but we do have the power to be human in the moments that matter. Our presence, patience, and understanding can make the difference between a learner shutting down – or showing up fully.

And if we are serious about learner wellbeing, we must bring that same safeguarding mindset into the exam hall. That means training invigilators and staff to recognise signs of distress and respond with calm, compassionate presence. Sometimes a quiet nod, a moment of understanding, or simply being near is enough to steady someone when everything feels like it’s unravelling.

Our students are still forming a picture of whether they belong in that seat. Kindness, sometimes, is the thing that helps them stay in it.

Members revealed for white working-class kids inquiry

Two former education secretaries, union leaders and a college membership body boss have been named as members of a new inquiry launched to investigate the educational outcomes of white working-class children.

More details have been announced for the Independent Inquiry into White Working-Class Educational Outcomes inquiry, commissioned by Star Academies and run by consultants Public First.

The year-long inquiry will examine what is and isn’t working for white working-class children and young people through data analysis, polling, focus groups and immersive research with parents, teachers, children and young people.

It will be co-chaired by chief executive of Star Academies Sir Hamid Patel and Estelle Morris (pictured), who served as education secretary from 2001 to 2002. 

The project will be part-funded by Star alongside the Christopher and Henry Oldfield Trust, set up to support programmes which reduce offending and reoffending.

The inquiry was originally reported as being “ordered” by education secretary Bridget Phillipson, but that is not the case. However Sir Kevan Collins, the government’s school standards tsar, is a member.

Other members of the panel have now been confirmed. They are:

  • James Bowen, assistant general secretary, NAHT
  • Anne-Marie Canning, CEO, The Brilliant Club 
  • Dame Sally Coates, United Learning 
  • Professor Rob Coe, director of research and development at Evidence Based Education
  • Sir Kevan Collins, school standards advisor, non-executive board member, Department for Education
  • Steve Crocker, non-executive board member, Department for Education
  • Leora Cruddas, CEO, Confederation of School Trusts
  • Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary, ASCL
  • Lucy Heller, CEO, Ark
  • David Hughes, CEO, Association of Colleges
  • Professor Lindsey Macmillan, founding director, UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities (CEPEO)
  • Baroness Nicky Morgan, former education secretary (2014-16), member of the House of Lords
  • Baroness Sally Morgan, former director of government relations in 10 Downing Street, member of the House of Lords
  • Dame Lesley Powell, CEO, North East Learning Trust

Phillipson said last month white working-class children had “been betrayed – left behind in society’s rear-view mirror.

“They are children whose interests too many politicians have simply discarded. That’s why I have tasked my officials with bearing down on this schedule”.

Phillipson said data shows a “clear picture” across attendance, attainment and life chances that white-working class children “do exceptionally poorly”.

Bridget Phillipson

Of the 1,228 secondaries with more than 20 per cent white working-class pupils taking GCSEs, 1,061 (86 per cent) had a Progress 8 score for those youngsters of -0.5 or worse.

Just 21 schools (1.7 per cent) had a score of 0.5 or better. The rest had a progress 8 score of between 0 and -0.5.

David Hughes, chief Executive of the Association of Colleges and inquiry member, said: “At age 16 we see disproportionate numbers of young people from working class backgrounds disengaged and unmotivated by the education they have been offered, and colleges work hard to turn that around, with great success.

“Understanding how they do that and what works will be great learning for the education system in key stages 3 and 4.”

It is not the first inquiry into the issue. The education committee ran an inquiry in 2014 and again in 2021, with the latter concluding that white working-class pupils had been let down after decades of neglect.

Patel said the inquiry will “take a fresh, evidence-led look at the persistent challenges facing white working-class pupils and work towards practical solutions that can make a lasting difference”.

Ed Dorrell, an education practice partner at Public First who is also currently assisting the Department for Education’s communications team, added: “The issue of educational underachievement of white working-class is young people is one of the most urgent public policy challenges in this country.”

Skills providers can help firms tap into economically inactive talent

Across multiple sectors, UK employers face critical skill shortages that traditional recruitment channels can no longer address effectively.

Meanwhile, a significant workforce remains on the sidelines – the economically inactive population that has grown substantially since the pandemic. This misalignment represents both a challenge and an opportunity for businesses to pioneer approaches that solve staffing problems while addressing wider social challenges.

The economic inactivity rate for those aged 16 to 64 stood at 21.5 per cent between November and January 2024, with 9.27 million people classified as economically inactive. Many of these individuals possess valuable skills and experience but encounter barriers to workforce re-entry. This population represents a significant untapped resource for companies with positions to fill.

Long-term unemployed individuals can be supported in returning to work by developing training programmes that connect businesses with untapped talent.

Participants in these programmes often face multiple barriers to employment, including health issues, caring responsibilities, previous offending history, or insufficient skills and training.

But skills providers can work closely with employers to optimise their recruitment strategies to engage a more diverse range of potential employees.

Building a socially conscious recruitment model

Encouraging job applications from the widest possible sources creates a talent pool, rather than the talent puddle that businesses often select from due to overly narrow search parameters.

When developing a socially conscious recruitment approach, employers benefit from access to diverse skills and perspectives, which can support with driving innovation and productivity.

Many economically inactive individuals have substantial work experience in related fields. With targeted upskilling, they can quickly become valuable team members, bringing soft skills – reliability, communication, teamwork – that complement technical training.

Investment in these workers fosters loyalty and establishes a sustainable talent pipeline. An individual with no relevant electrical qualifications, skills or experience can be fully trained as a smart meter engineer within 12 weeks.

Despite the clear benefits, several obstacles prevent employers from fully embracing this approach.

Unconscious bias in recruitment processes remains prevalent, with many employers unwittingly favouring candidates from similar backgrounds or with traditional career paths.

Many firms also have short-term cost concerns that often overshadow the long-term benefits associated with initial investments in upskilling economically inactive workers, while inflexible workplace practices can exclude talented individuals with caring responsibilities or health conditions.

But skills providers can support employers to overcome these hurdles through designing bespoke training models or redesigning processes.

Specialist partnerships

Skills providers function as vital intermediaries between employers and potential employees. They understand businesses’ requirements and help develop both recruitment and upskilling strategies while identifying prospective candidates through community channels and job centres.

Tailored training programmes

Collaborations between skills providers and employers can strengthen programmes specifically designed to bridge skills gaps by considering how to accommodate the unique challenges these workers might face.

Supportive onboarding

Many economically inactive individuals encounter barriers beyond skills gaps. Skills providers can support employers to implement flexible working arrangements and comprehensive support systems that help these workers transition successfully into sustainable employment.

Clear progression pathways

Establishing visible career progression routes demonstrates to new recruits that they have a future within the organisation. This approach enhances retention and maximises return on training investment.

Creating lasting change

The challenge extends beyond simply filling current vacancies. What’s required is a fundamental shift in how businesses conceptualise talent acquisition and development – a shift that places social responsibility at its core.

Skills providers can be a central cog in this mission by providing tailored support to those businesses and ensure they consider the bigger picture in their recruitment strategies.

We’re redefining career opportunities for SEND learners

It’s a shocking figure but nationally just 5.1 per cent of adults with a learning disability known to social care find paid employment according to Department of Health and Social Care, highlighting the challenge faced by SEND young people when they leave education.

Since Harrison College was founded in Doncaster in 2019, that statistic has been a motivating force in developing a unique learning programme to equip students with the skills they need to flourish in the next stages of their lives.

From the minute students arrive their individual needs are assessed and met, which is something not always prevalent in mainstream schools.

As a former head of sixth form, I witnessed firsthand what was going on. What I saw inspired me to found Harrison College as a pioneering institution dedicated to providing specialist post-16 education for students with autism and special educational needs.

No limits on potential

With a focus on business, enterprise and employability skills, staff are now dedicated to unlocking the potential of every student. We ensure they are equipped for a prosperous future.

We place no limits on what can be achieved, regardless of a learner’s background or starting point. The college’s vision is to inspire learners to do more, learn more and become more, fostering a community where learners can thrive and exceed expectations.

Harrison College offers a curriculum tailored to the needs of its students, emphasising business, enterprise, and essential skills for work. This approach not only prepares students for the workforce. It also instils confidence and independence.

The eight essential skills they learn are listening, speaking, problem solving, creativity, staying positive, aiming high, leadership and teamwork. Each skill is broken down into 16 steps across four main stages – beginner, intermediate, advanced and mastery. This structured approach allows individuals to progress from basic to advanced levels in each area.

This learning programme has been able to thrive because of the dynamic, long-standing partnerships we have cultivated across a wide range of industries, from healthcare and construction to finance, retail and even the world of horse racing. Learners have accessed roles such as purchase leger clerk, customer service advisor, robotics engineer and warehouse operative at Genuit Group and in business administration support roles at Doncaster Chamber of Commerce.

Partnership work

As a result the college has built a robust and diverse ecosystem of employer collaborators who are committed to inclusion, innovation and impact.

Through bespoke internships, project-based learning and collaborative problem-solving tasks, employers work hand-in-hand with the college to provide meaningful, not tokenistic, opportunities, for young people with SEND.

They are involved in everything from business development and customer service to digital innovation and health care strategy. Our learners are not only exposed to the inner workings of these industries. They are contributing to them.

These partnerships are symbiotic. Employers gain access to a fresh, enthusiastic talent pool often brimming with creativity, attention to detail and out-of-the-box thinking.

In return, our learners benefit from genuine workplace exposure, mentorship and long-term employment or apprenticeship offers.

Overcoming financial barriers, building partnerships and even recovering from theft has required incredible resilience and adaptability.

The development of a skills-based curriculum that directly responds to labour market demands has been a bold move. It challenges traditional educational norms but ultimately equips students with real-world competencies.

What stands out most is the unwavering belief in the students and the way that the college’s values shape everyday operations. It’s not just about education; it’s about fostering confidence, independence, and opportunity.

This enterprise is about helping shape a future where businesses and communities are stronger because they are more inclusive. It’s a blueprint for how the system could, and should, work for young people with SEND. By aligning education with employability and ability with opportunity, the college is proving that the right support doesn’t just change lives. It builds futures.

How professional short courses are shaping FE’s future

FE colleges face growing pressure to help students move more quickly into jobs, and short, professional courses (or micro-credentials) offer a practical way to support that. 

This heralds a change in the market for colleges such as College of West Anglia, catering both for 16-18-year-olds and adults needing to balance work, home life and upskilling/re-skilling.

Short courses are flexible, easy to build into existing programmes and focused on the skills employers want. They also appeal to a wider range of learners, from adults retraining to younger students wanting more than academic results.

This shift is shaped both by employer demand and government reforms such as the lifelong learning entitlement and local skills improvement plans, placing a stronger focus on employability. Professional courses based on best practice originally developed by the government – like ITIL for IT management and PRINCE2 for project management – complement this agenda, helping colleges deliver better learner outcomes.

For example, Blackpool and Fylde College – as part of consolidating its business school offering and expanding its client base in the healthcare, local authority, defence and small business sectors – has added both tutor-led and self-paced PRINCE2 courses to its portfolio.

The demand that the college is seeing for project management skills means it is responding to the wider skills agenda and providing something that enhances leadership and management practice. 

And with so much uncertainty in FE, short courses allow the college to be more agile, reaching learners online in the North West beyond its Blackpool base and delivering income cost effectively with low risk.

Employer requirements 

Employers are rethinking what they value, with practical skills, problem solving and real-world experience often judged more important than academic background alone. And colleges are adapting to meet this demand. 

Many now work directly with employers to shape courses that match skills needs, while government policy encourages stronger links between education and the labour market, with a focus on retraining, progression and routes into work.

In the College of West Anglia’s case, including ITIL among its IT and computing courses and certifications has had a dual impact on the college’s learner and employer community, in a geographical area experiencing digital poverty and needing better social mobility.

The college innovated by embedding ITIL into its existing T-level in digital support. It wanted students to be useful during their entire employer placement, and mixing Cisco networking, ITIL and practical skills with the T-level prepared them for the work they would do if employed.

Placing some of the T-level student cohort with global employers has given them a real-world taste of future work – and their added usefulness has led to interest in employing them full-time when the course is finished. 

Transferring professional practice  

Professional courses help strengthen what colleges offer, as they are based on real workplace practice; using the same tools, language and methods experienced and qualified professionals use every day. 

This makes the learning more relevant and – as the experience of College of West Anglia students shows – gives young learners early exposure to the expectations of working environments.

For learners, it is not just about knowledge. These courses help build confidence and critical thinking through applied learning. Students engage with real scenarios and case studies, gaining skills they can use immediately.

Taking on a professional qualification alongside a main course of study also signals something important. It shows commitment and initiative, telling employers that the student is serious about their development and future career.

For colleges, it provides skills and competencies without needing to redesign the whole curriculum – adding recognised value and supporting goals around progression and employability.

It’s not if AI will change FE, it’s how boldly we shape it

July is typically the time for many of us in the education and skills space where we process results and focus on getting our learners and apprentices to their next destination, whether that’s within education or employment.

For many of us AI has begun to deliver efficiencies within our processes and also challenges with plagiarism (although that’s always been an issue) and the sharing of live examination questions and answers in real time. However, it’s also a time to reflect and look at how we might do things differently – and why.

As the UK positions itself as a global leader in artificial intelligence, the further education (FE) sector finds itself at a pivotal crossroads. The government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, published earlier this year and the industrial strategy outlined a bold vision: to embed AI across public services, boost economic growth, and transform how people learn and work. But what does this mean for vocational education, and how can FE providers rise to the challenge?

AI is no longer a futuristic concept. It’s a present-day disruptor in a long line of disruption. For many years, the use of a ball point pen was frowned upon. From adaptive learning platforms to automated assessments, AI is reshaping how learners and apprentices engage with content; and how awarding organisations design it and educators deliver it. For vocational learners and apprentices, this gives us all the chance to open up new possibilities.

Can we create personalised learning pathways tailored to individual strengths and career goals and give them the ability to learn in a way that best enables them to reach their potential? For neurodiverse learners and apprentices this could be a gamechanger.

We’re already seeing the growth of AI-powered simulations for hands-on training in fields like healthcare, engineering, and digital media. We could do so much more to build mathematical skills with the right investment and imagination.

It also gives us the ability to provide real-time feedback and support which benefits educators in looking at their training and approaches and gives meaningful feedback to learners and apprentices, as well as potentially reducing barriers for neurodiverse and disadvantaged learners. It was good to note the industrial strategy backs this transformation with initiatives like TechFirst, a £187 million programme to bring AI and digital skills into classrooms and communities.

Despite the aspiration, the UK faces a significant AI skills shortage. The government has called for expanded education pathways into AI, including through FE and apprenticeships and not just higher education. This shift demands that we upskill all of us involved in designing and delivering education and skills, including employers, to confidently use and teach AI tools. We also need curriculum reform to embed digital literacy and data fluency across subjects. Hopefully this will be reflected within the curriculum and assessment review. Importantly learners and apprentices need to understand when to use AI, the risks involved and the need to interpret the information in a meaningful way – including accepting that it’s not always right (eh Grok!).

We also need to be able to modify qualification content and assessment at a quicker pace than we do currently, ensuring content is up to date and relatable. Stronger employerpartnerships will helpto align training with evolving industry needs, although employers also need investment into understanding AI.

We know the government is investing in training 7.5 million workers in AI skills by 2030 through industry partnerships, expanding apprenticeships and modular learning, including skills bootcamps and higher technical qualifications and creating AI growth zones and regional adoption hubs to support local innovation. But AI must not widen existing inequalities. As FE institutions embrace tech-driven learning, they must also champion inclusive design, mental health support and flexible access. Micro-credentials, hybrid models and modular qualifications can help learners of all ages and backgrounds thrive. It’s important that the industrial strategy’s lifelong learning entitlement, launching in 2027, will help people upskill and retrain throughout their careers with the right support and guidance.

However, that’s two years away. The FE sector has a unique opportunity to lead the UK’s AI revolution – not just by teaching technical skills, but by reframing education itself. That means looking to embed green and digitalskills into every vocational pathway. We need to look more at supporting dual professionalism, where educators combine industry expertise with pedagogical excellence. And we need to drive policy innovation, especially around funding, qualifications, and workforce development.

As we look ahead to the next academic year and beyond, the question isn’t whether AI will transform FE but how boldly we choose to shape that transformation.

The silent chorus: When teachers’ secret romances turn tragic

There is still a love that dare not speak its name. Or, rather, one that everyone else will avoid talking about when the people involved step into the staffroom. That unspoken love lies hidden somewhere in the murky world of the workplace dalliance. 

Some such romances have all the innocence and purity of the students’ own fledgling relationships. I have seen young teacher couples gradually getting together while addressing each other formally in front of students. It has all been incredibly sweet. You can bet their classes noticed and glowed. And I have also seen other, older couples, beaten by life more than a bit and bruised by past broken hearts and hurts, slowly drawing close enough to allow themselves another last cautious start. My unalloyed best wishes have gone with them into their shared sunset. 

But there is a darker side to work relationships too, which I am sure is common to every workplace in the world where people with hormones and libidos work side-by-side. All of us with eyes to see will have seen it many times over. There can be something deeply unsavoury and unsettling for those of us standing on the sidelines, a strange and silent chorus who slink in the shadows and watch events unfold, unable to warn ahead of time of the car-crash we can all see waiting ahead. The Chorus are supposed to speak, to forewarn, to see all. This Chorus, however, do indeed see all but are unable to say anything at all. So we simply spy the dices’ roll and then watch as the fires burn and the towers inevitably fall. 

Many modern colleges are filled with glass. Receptions and atriums are open and visible. Classroom doors contain windows and classes can be seen from corridors. In a way, the modern college is a sort of panopticon. Everything can be seen. Or almost everything.

What is hard to avoid and harder still to describe is how very visual a teacher’s professional life is. Students watch you. Managers observe you. The world keeps its eye on you. You spend lessons putting on a show. Teachers are entertainers and academics at one and the same time, jollying things along to keep the learners’ focus sharp and keep their interest up. You are there to be seen. Until you have taught, it is impossible to know quite how much the students see of you. The students’ eyes see it all. Mercilessly so, sometimes. We, by contrast, can be blind.

Sometimes, though, we watch it all unfold. We see one unable to resist being adored. And one who wants much more. Late evenings follow behind locked office doors. Then, predictably, the surreptitious attraction sours. Sense prevails. On one side, at least. And regret puts paid to passion. So we, the silent wide-eyed Chorus, watch her withdraw. We see him plead in return. But she does not turn. And then we see his rage. And his mighty sulk. Then comes scorn. It is all played out on the college stage. We watch him seek some semblance of power if that is all that is left for him to have. They do not know that we know. But we see it all. So they stand somehow naked before us all now, secrets exposed and inner selves sadly revealed. In technicolour tawdry detail.

We silent members of the Chorus can see more which we don’t say, too. We can see through our windows up to the top floor where the lights in the support staff offices glow. We can see there the door of the head of HR. We can see where this might all lead. But what can a Chorus do when their warnings have not been heeded, when their song has not been heard? Then the Chorus becomes Cassandra. All that is left then is space, a vacuum. To be abhorred. That’s when tragedy stalks onto the stage and draws its dulled sword. When Fate steps into the scene. When Defeat is plucked from the jaws of short-lived Victory, Chaos severing Nike’s golden life-cord, and the one who was gifted by the gods with the chance to start again with an unaware wife who waits at home chooses instead the insane coup de grâce, the self-conflagration, the immolation of protest, the impotent bonfire of his own self-focused vanities. And we the silent Chorus turn away, afraid to see the children involved, at home and afraid as they watch their family fall.