But the Department for Education has confirmed today it has increased the rate to £2.58, a rise of 5p, or 2 per cent, and back-dated the increase to September.
Colleges, independent learning providers and sixth-form colleges can fund free meals for disadvantaged students between 16 and 18. Funding is also available for disadvantaged 19-year-olds who started their studies before they turned 19.
The policy was extended to the further education sector in 2014-15 after it was available to school children for decades. Disadvantaged students are those who, or whose parents receive at least one benefit from the government.
The funding rate was lifted for the first time last year, going from from £2.41 to £2.53. But principals warned at the time fell short of rising food costs.
There are 377 colleges and FE training providers currently in receipt of free meals funding, totalling £36,878,610 in 2024/25. A 2 per cent increase to £2.58 will increase allocations by £737,572.
DfE said providers will receive an additional payment in February and will receive their final one-third payment for the academic year in April as usual.
The proportion of general FE colleges that hold Ofsted’s top two grades took a big dip last year while independent training providers improved.
Official statistics published this morning show that 84 per cent of general FE colleges sat with a ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ judgment as of August 31, 2024 – 7 percentage points lower than in 2023.
Sixth form colleges meanwhile lost their 100 per cent record, dipping down to 95 per cent.
But independent training providers welcomed news of an uptick.
Last year, the proportion of those holding a grade one or two fell to 71 per cent – the lowest since Ofsted’s education inspection framework was introduced in 2019. This has now improved to 77 per cent.
Overall, the quality of the whole FE sector went up in Ofsted’s books. As of August 31, 2024, 82 per cent of all further education and skills providers were judged ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ – an increase of 4 percentage points compared with last year.
The stats were released today ahead of the watchdog’s annual report, which will be laid in Parliament on Thursday. Overall effectiveness grades will be scrapped next year, but Ofsted’s ‘state of the nation’ measure will continue for FE until then.
What happened with GFEs?
In 2023/24, Ofsted inspected 53 general FE colleges, of which 45 had been judged ‘good’ at their previous inspection.
Of these 45, 13 declined to ‘requires improvement’. Overall, 75 per cent of the general FE colleges inspected this year were judged ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ for overall effectiveness.
By the end of August 2024, 149 GFEs had an overall Ofsted grade, and of those, 125 (84 per cent) had the top two grades. This figure was 91 per cent in 2023.
The Association of Colleges has been approached for comment.
Enhanced inspection results
Enhanced inspections of colleges launched in September 2022 to include an assessment of how well the college is contributing to addressing skills gaps in the local, regional, and national economies.
The outcome of this assessment is not subject to a separate report but is included as a part of the overall inspection. Inspectors dish out one of three ratings for the skills contribution section – limited, reasonable or strong.
Out of the 104 general FE colleges inspected to date with this judgment, six were making a ‘limited’ contribution to meeting skills needs.
A further 59 were found making a ‘reasonable’ contribution, while 39 were making a ‘strong’ contribution.
SFCs lose 100% record
For the past two years all sixth form colleges held Ofsted’s top two grades.
But during 2023/24, two lost this rating. Cirencester College fell to a grade 3, and Newham Sixth Form College was hit with a grade 4.
Newham recently merged with its neighbouring general FE college so will have its inspection grade wiped in next year’s results.
Of those, 121 (49 per cent) had their first full inspection, of which 94 were judged ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’, and 27 were rated ‘requires improvement’ or ‘inadequate’.
Overall, there were 895 ITPs that held an overall grade with Ofsted as of August 31, 2024. Of those, 684 have the top two grades.
Simon Ashworth, deputy chief executive of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, said his membership body was “very pleased to see the significant step forward in ITPs achieving ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ inspection outcomes compared to the previous twelve months”.
He pointed out that over the last couple of years, aggregated outcomes for ITPs have been “weighed down by weaker outcomes for many new providers that should never have been given access to the market in the first place”, which has “taken a long time to wash through”.
Ashworth added that while there is a role for high-quality and robust new entrants, lessons “must be learned” by the Department for Education when considering the transition to the growth and skills levy and the “introduction of additional funded programmes expected next year”.
Other provider types
There were 34 inspections of adult community education providers in 2023/24, which includes local authority services and the institutes of adult learning. Nearly all, 32, were graded ‘good’ or better. There was one ‘inadequate’ and one ‘requires improvement’. That brought the overall headline grade down by 1 percentage point to 96 per cent ‘good or better’ for that part of the sector.
Today’s data shows that 89 higher education institutions had an overall Ofsted grade by the end of August. Of those, 83 (93 per cent) were judged ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’, an increase of 5 percentage points compared with August 31, 2023.
Independent specialist colleges continued their improvement journey.
Of the 110 with an Ofsted grade, 88 (80 per cent) held the top two grades, an increase of 3 percentage points. Just two independent specialist colleges are judged ‘inadequate’.
Results for prison education are dire and have continued to plummet.
As of August 31, 2024, there were 116 prisons and youth offender institutions (YOI) with an inspection grade. Overall, just 18 per cent were judged ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’. This is a decrease of 9 percentage points compared with 2023 and a fall of 18 percentage points compared with 2022.
The overall proportion of prisons and YOIs judged ‘inadequate’ at their most recent inspection was 42 per cent.
Industry placements are a major draw to T Levels for students but their “reality” has been “polarising”, with some learners blamed when work experience could not be secured, a report has found.
A ‘student voices’ report released by The Edge Foundation today to mark the government ‘T Levels Celebration Week’ drew on focus groups with 210 T Level students who began their courses in 2022 and 2023 and interviews with 24 college staff.
It found that many concerns raised in an Ofsted review of T Level students’ experiences who started in 2020 and 2021 – such as being “misled” onto the course, teachers struggling with content and disorganised placements – continue to exist.
Here are some of the key findings:
Work placements are a major draw
Each T Level includes a mandatory industry placement with an employer that must total 315 hours or 45 days.
Researchers found that this component was a “key motivator” for most students in signing up for the qualification.
Participants were “excited by the idea” that around 30 percent of the course was dedicated to work placements. They believed this would enhance their employability, give them valuable industry experience, and help their CVs stand out.
One student mentioned that a T Level course seemed “more professional” because of the work placement, which made it “more appealing” than a BTEC.
Students told researchers placements provided “valuable real-world experience” that helped them build confidence and communication skills.
They also helped them gain a “clearer vision” of which roles they preferred within the career path of their T Level.
But reality of placements was ‘polarising’
However, a “high proportion” of students felt “frustration and stress” over delays in securing the required placements.
There was confusion over whose role it was to secure the placement, with colleges struggling to guarantee when or where placements would be, and some students described being blamed for not securing placements themselves.
The local labour market also played a role, as “small-town areas” lack businesses willing to take on work placements.
Researchers found the “reality” of student work placement experience was “polarising for students, and placements did not always live up to the expectations set during induction”.
About half of students also said there was a “mismatch” between their expectations and the tasks they were given during placements.
One business, management, and administration T-level student expressed disappointment with “little grunt work,” such as sweeping up.
Other students echoed this “disappointment,” questioning whether they would have chosen the T Level had they known how “disorganised the course and placements would be.”
Students felt ‘misled’
The report said a lack of understanding or awareness about the qualification before they enrolled was a “recurring theme” from focus groups.
An “overwhelming majority” of T Level students said they would have considered taking BTECs, apprenticeships or other level 3 qualifications.
Many said they were “channelled” onto a T Level course, with “little information” about the structure or content of the course, leading to “mixed experiences”.
Some came to regret this after experiencing issues with their course’s delivery or late allocation into a work placement.
The report said that “many” students “felt misled in some respect”.
Students “lacked clarity” on key aspects of the T Level course, including the “balance between practical and theoretical learning, future opportunities, and the quality of work placements”.
Teaching delivered by unqualified teachers
The experiences of studying T-Levels were “highly variable,” depending on the college’s expertise, staffing, and teaching strategies.
Researchers wrote: “Students felt that the quality of the course was substantially influenced by the tutors’ expertise.
“This was often hindered by high tutor turnover and variability in tutors’ teaching styles, partially due to the limited past papers and resources to prepare students for assessments.”
Staff issues meant that there were sometimes periods without appropriately qualified teaching staff at all, as well as a higher workload for existing staff who took on the additional burden of absent staff, the report said.
Much of this variation in quality may be due to the “newness” of the course rather than an issue with the course itself, researchers added.
The majority of students noticed improvements as staff and colleges gained experience.
Huge content
Almost all students felt their tutors relied on PowerPoint presentations to deliver lectures on theory in a short period of time “leaving less room for interactive learning”.
Tutors agreed the scope of the courses were “huge”, partly because of the focus on substantive assessment in the first year.
Some felt this affected how accessible the course was compared to other level 3 courses, impacting learners’ motivation.
Tutors appeared to focus on content delivery because assessment “looms large” over the course.
Main destination of choice is uni
More than 70 per cent of T Level students told researchers they wanted to go to university.
Apprenticeships, work and “undecided” were the other most popular destinations for students.
Researchers noted the strong contrast between the popularity of the university route and the “initial policy intention” of T Levels – to prepare young people for work or an apprenticeship.
However, those wanting to attend university often wanted to pursue specialised careers such as nursing, teaching or business.
“Relatively few” students planned to enter employment without further education or training first.
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Our mission is to break down barriers to make sure young people get the skills they need to seize opportunity and kickstart great careers in the most in-demand sectors.
“We welcome the report’s positive findings, particularly that students have enjoyed and benefitted from the hands-on experience gained through industry placements, which are a unique selling point of the T Level.
“Learning from the early phases of rollout, we continue to make changes to T Level delivery.
“This has included expanding the resources available to teachers through the T Level Professional Development Programme and just this week announcing additional flexibilities to industry placements.”
The Office for Students has closed its register to new providers so staff can prioritise “severe pressures” facing existing higher education institutions.
The higher education regulator has also paused awarding any more institutions with degree awarding powers and will not process applications for a university title. These changes will be in effect until August 2025.
There are 18 providers whose applications to join the OfS register are in the early stages and have now been paused. And there are 20 providers hoping for degree awarding powers whose applications have been put on ice.
Degree awarding power applications for a further 17 providers that are already in progress will continue. There were no new applications for a university title at the time the pause was announced.
The OfS did not clarify which institutions have been impacted when asked, but they will include providers hoping to grow or expand into higher education provision and could include colleges wishing to gain or extend their degree awarding powers.
The OfS said affected providers have been notified.
Providers with time-limited degree awarding powers that lapse during the pause will have them extended, an OfS spokesperson told FE Week.
Phillipa Pickford, director of regulation at the OfS, said the regulator was prioritising its resources on protecting the interests of students in financially at risk providers.
Pickford said: “These are extremely difficult decisions and not ones the OfS has taken lightly. But our recent financial sustainability update provided evidence of the severe pressures facing the sector, and we need to prioritise our finite resources on this important issue.
“Today’s announcement will allow us to maximise the time our staff spend working closely with institutions at risk to ensure the interests of students are protected.”
This unprecedented step follows new analysis of higher education providers’ financial and student recruitment projections indicating that up to 72 per cent could be in deficit in 2025-26.
The OfS said small, medium and specialist providers are more likely to be struggling the most financially and it is these types of providers that would typically be seeking registration and/or degree awarding powers from the regulator.
Pickford added: “We recognise that these temporary changes come at a cost. Our decisions will have a direct impact on a small number of institutions that have recently submitted an application for registration or degree awarding powers and will have those applications paused. It will also affect those that may be intending to apply.
“But we must prioritise managing risks for students already in the system, ahead of the benefits that new institutions, or institutions with the ability to award their own qualifications, bring.”
A body representing independent higher education providers has urged ministers to intervene, accusing the OfS of directly jeopardising the financial sustainability of some of its members, and “prioritising one set of students’ interests over another”.
Alex Proudfood, chief executive of Independent Higher Education, said: “It is unacceptable that the OfS Board believes it can simply disapply its statutory duties as determined by Parliament, and we urge minister to remind them of their clear commitments under the higher education and research act.
“This decision will make OfS itself directly responsible for putting the sustainability of some institutions at risk – and not because of poor planning or the overoptimistic forecasting of unrealistic growth trajectories. If government policy has created a situation where the regulator feels that it cannot do the essential job it was given by Parliament, then government should intervene to fix it – not allow the costs of this failure to be paid by those who did nothing to earn it.”
Apprenticeship training provider Multiverse hit the headlines in 2022 for becoming the first apprenticeship-only provider to be granted powers to award its own bachelor’s degrees until December 2025. Last year, college group NCG became the first FE institution to be awarded permanent degree awarding powers.
Government rules for T Level industry placements have been further relaxed in a bid to boost the number of students taking the flagship qualifications.
Learners on nearly all courses will now be allowed to complete 20 per cent of their 315-hour total placement remotely instead of a physical workplace – with this allowance increased to 50 per cent for students on digital T Levels.
Ministers will also allow placements to be carried out as “simulated activity” on the school or college’s own site, but only if this is overseen by their industry placement employer.
And placements will “no longer be restricted to the specific T Level subject being studied by students”.
Guidance detailing the changes will be published in January 2025 and will come into effect immediately.
The reforms come amid lower-than-expected enrolments, high dropout rates, and long-held concern that there are not enough employers willing to offer enough work placements when T Levels are fully rolled out.
Skills minister Jacqui Smith announced the move today at the start of the government’s “T Level Celebration Week“.
‘We have listened to businesses’
She said ministers have “listened to businesses and these changes reflect what they need to help them offer T Levels and our missions of boosting economic growth and breaking down barriers to opportunity”.
Smith added: “We are cutting red tape to make it easier than ever for employers and providers to take part in T Level industry placements while ensuring students benefit from meaningful, high-quality experiences.”
Each T Level includes a mandatory industry placement of 315 hours, or 45 days, that must be completed over the two-year course in order for students to pass.
Original rules had made clear that all placements “cannot be delivered virtually/remotely, except for work taster activities”.
The Department for Education first watered down this requirement in January 2023 by allowing 20 per cent of placements to be done remotely in six subjects.
Today’s announcement extends that hybrid working offer to all of the more than 20 T Level subjects except for education and early years, and dental nursing specialisms, which have specific requirements related to licenses to practice.
‘Simulated placement activity’
Ministers said the new “simulated placement activity” offer can include small group projects and will be “especially helpful for high-risk industries such as engineering and manufacturing where students will be able to develop their skills and experience in a safer, controlled setting”.
It is unclear what proportion of placements can be conducted through the “stimulated activity” flexibility at this stage.
A government spokesperson said placements will also “no longer be restricted to the specific T Level subject being studied by students”, meaning that students can “now gain experience across related subjects within their chosen route”.
“For example, within the agriculture, environmental and animal care route, students can use their placement to explore the shared principles behind animal care and management, and agriculture, land management and production,” the spokesperson said.
“This change offers greater flexibility, opening up a wider range of experiences and opportunities for students.”
T Levels, designed to be the technical equivalent to A-levels, have been rolled out gradually since 2020, with schools and colleges often reporting lower-than-expected recruitment figures. Around 16,000 students started the courses in September 2023. Recruitment numbers for 2024/25 haven’t been published yet.
Figures for previous years show around a third of T Level students drop out before completing their course.
Earlier this year, the DfE launched a “route-by-route” review of T Level content and assessment in a bid to boost recruitment and retention and to ensure the courses are “manageable at scale”.
I consider myself lucky to go to work each day and have the opportunity to support the next generation of inspirational young people looking to enter our industry. As we mark T Levels Week, it’s right to acknowledge how, even in their infancy, this new qualification is already helping to broaden access to rewarding and well-paid jobs.
It’s well known that financial services is an attractive and highly sought-after career option for many. However, pathways into the sector are not always accessible for all, which is why supporting T Levels is such an important venture.
Lloyds has been proud to support T Levels since 2022, when we offered our first six industry placements. Though at first there was some apprehension internally about providing T Level industry placements, for example around safeguarding responsibilities for young people, any concerns we had were quickly allayed, and we’ve worked closely with our college partners to design our placements so that students feel supported all the way through their journey.
Our support for T Levels has since grown to offering 70 placements in 2023 and over 100 this year. As well as helping us recruit from a wider pool of talent, supporting T Levels is also helping us welcome more people from diverse backgrounds into the sector. Sixty per cent of those undertaking a placement with us come from Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic backgrounds.
As well as providing great opportunities for students, their work with us has also delivered real benefits to the business. The T Level students working with us have for example helped to design new web pages, create new dashboards and even develop a chatbot that is still in use today. We’ve even been recognised externally by winning T Level employer of the year at the National Apprenticeship and Skills Awards.
Above all else, providing industry placements has helped us create a real affinity with the next generation of those interested in working in financial services in the communities where we operate.
The access to talent placements provide is at the heart of our recruitment strategy
I am proud of the fact that we have offered an apprenticeship role to half of those who have undertaken an industry placement with us and completed their T Level. The access to talent that hosting T Level placements provides is now at the heart of our recruitment strategy.
As we look back on the success of the placements since 2022 and the benefits these have delivered, we have two key priorities during this year’s T Levels Week.
First, we will be using our own social media channels to share as many stories as possible of those who have completed their placement with us, to show other young people that this could be an opportunity for them in years to come.
Second, and reflecting the fact that parents are key to informing their children’s post-16 education choices, we will be hosting a series of webinars with our college partners to showcase to parents and guardians what T Levels are, how they could provide a pathway into employment for their child, and the industry placements offered by Lloyds.
Alongside the efforts of fellow T Level advocates, we hope that this will open the eyes of even more people to the benefits that studying this game-changing qualification can offer.
So my message to fellow employers in financial services this T Levels Week is a simple one: if you’re considering offering a T Level placement, don’t wait any longer before taking the plunge.
There may be some initial challenges, but the benefits both to the young people you work with and to your organisation will be significant. And as Lloyds’s experience shows, aall of this can be realised in just a short period of time.
Unionised teachers have lodged four more strike dates due to the government’s “failure to resolve a clear pay discrepancy” between staff in sixth form colleges and schools.
National Education Union officials have added an extra strike date later this month as well as three days in the new year to protest the Department for Education’s pay award snub.
More than 2,000 NEU members will walk out tomorrow, marking the second day of striking following last week’s march on Parliament.
The industrial action originates from the summer announcement that schools and academised sixth form colleges would receive £1.2 billion to fund a 5.5 per cent pay rise for 2024/25. But no funding for pay was announced for standalone sixth form colleges and further education colleges.
Unless ministers come to an agreement to extend the funding to non-academised sixth form teachers, the union will strike on the following days:
December 3 (previously announced)
December 4 (previously announced)
December 13
January 7
January 8
January 9
Last month, 32 of the 39 sixth form colleges voted in favour for strike action, achieving 97 per cent of the ballot vote.
Swathes of striking teachers marched to Westminster last week, to take their issues straight to the education secretary.
A crowd, led by NEU general secretary Daniel Kebede, gathered at the DfE headquarters to chant, cheer and boo officials for excluding them from the 5.5 per cent pay award.
Sixth form teachers told FE Week they’d expected better of a Labour government.
“No Labour government worthy of the name performs actions like this,” said Ian Morton, accounting teacher at WQE and Regent College in Leicester.
Kebede said Thursday’s strike action should have been a “wake up call” to DfE ministers that the NEU “will not back down on this issue”.
He added: “The responsibility for these strikes lies with government not teachers. No teacher wants to be taking strike action. They want to be in classrooms doing what they do best: teaching. We remain as always willing to resolve this dispute with government. However, in the face of yet more silence our members will continue with their action.
“Government needs to recognise this absurd situation needs to end and that they must quickly address this inexcusable pay divide. Let there be no doubt the strike action will continue into the new year unless sense prevails, and our members are given the pay they deserve.”
Sixteen teachers, leaders, schools, and colleges have been honoured for excellence in education at the 2024 Pearson National Teaching Awards.
Dubbed “the Oscars of the teaching profession,” eight ‘gold awards’ were announced for the first time on Saturday at a glitzy ceremony in London, with the rest revealed during the week on the BBC’s The One Show and in The Sunday Times.
Categories awarded individuals and institutions from early years, primary, secondary and further education that go above and beyond for their learners, having a lasting impact on their lives, on the profession and in their local communities.
Judges selected the winners from thousands of nominations, revealing shortlisted ‘silver award’ winners in June.
Education secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “I want to congratulate all the winners – your unwavering support and dedication to children and young people, giving them the chance to achieve their ambitions and thrive in the process, is hugely inspirational and deserves celebration.”
Sharon Hague, managing director of school assessment and qualifications at Pearson UK, added: “It is an honour and a privilege to be able to recognise and celebrate all of those who work in education.
“The impact that teachers have on students in undeniable, and so too is the hard work and dedication that educators show each day. Congratulations to all of the winners, and a huge thank you.”
Nominations for the 2025 awards are open until February 28. You can submit an entry here.
FE Lecturer of the Year
Alexis Dabee-Saltmarsh, Lecturer in Automotive and Aeronautical Engineering at Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone
Dabee-Saltmarsh is passionate about nurturing the next generation of engineers and promoting STEM subjects. She now lectures in motorsports, aeronautical, and composite engineering at Coleg Gwent and teaches a range of skills in advanced technologies, additive manufacturing, and Industry 4.0.
The judges were also impressed by her outreach work in local schools and commitment to her professional development through a Master’s degree and Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, all while managing a long-term disability.
FE Team of the Year
Culinary Arts and Hospitality, Westminster Kingsway College
Westminster Kingsway College’s culinary arts and hospitality team is a cornerstone of excellence among employers, training 40 per cent of London’s catering apprentices.
With industry expertise, sustainability in the curriculum, and opportunities like placements and guest lectures by top chefs, they empower students, transform their lives, and prepare them for success in the industry.
Teacher of the Year in a Secondary School
Oli McVeigh, Assistant Headteacher and Director of English, Ethics and Media at Ferndown Upper School, Dorset
McVeigh’s “inclusive and positive” approach inside and outside the classroom won plaudits from the judges.
His contribution to changes in the English department at school is said to have resulted in “fantastic” GCSE and A-level outcomes.
Outside of school, McVeigh is a local and national advocate for boys’ education, spearheading several initiatives aimed at closing the gap in GCSE outcomes and improving boys’ mental health.
Teacher of the Year in a Primary School
Natalie Poornomansy, Reception Teacher at Woodlands Primary School, Doncaster
Poornomansy, an outstanding reception teacher at Woodlands, inspires excellence through high expectations and innovative teaching.
Inside the classroom, her lessons are described as “a joy” and “a place where children feel inspired to succeed”. Meanwhile, school improvement advisers and SEN teams have highly commended her role in establishing SEN provision, particularly the school’s nurture room.
Excellence in Special Needs Education
Becky McClean, Special Steps Ltd
McClean is the founder of Special Steps, a SEND exclusive nursery for 19 children aged 1-5, catering to a variety of needs, including physical disabilities, autism, anxiety and palliative care.
Shortages of provision locally led McClean to sell her home and galvanise the community’s support through crowdfunding to give Special Steps children access to the facilities they need.
In addition to her full-time role as an owner-manager, she hosts a youth club, Sunday school, and SEND stay-and-play group.
Digital Innovator of the Year
Antoinette Hamilton, Digital Curriculum Lead at The Stour Academy Trust
Hamilton has spent most of her teaching career championing inclusion and accessibility through technology to benefit “100 per cent of the children, 100 per cent of the time”.
Classrooms across the trust have been kitted out with devices and tools to enhance teaching and learning. Hamilton runs a trust-wide mentorship programme to support fellow teachers and works directly with parents who worry about screen time.
Outstanding New Teacher of the Year
Ciara Mulholland, Early Career Teacher at Saint Patrick’s College, Maghera, Derry
Early career science teacher Mulholland has made an “incredible” impact at Saint Patrick’s College, inspiring pupils as a role model —especially girls—in STEM.
Alongside her outstanding teaching, she leads a popular science club, supports study skills initiatives, and even helps train the senior camogie team. Deeply rooted in her community, she also volunteers at a local primary school’s STEM programme.
Teaching Assistant of the Year
Jo Wyatt, Ysgol Bryn Gwalia, Flintshire
Wyatt is said to have “transformed lives” at Ysgol Bryn Gwalia through her unique and innovative techniques, which benefit pupils, staff, and parents alike.
Among them are her therapy dog, Bella, and her “wellbeing warriors” initiative, which encourages pupils to build their confidence while supporting others.
A trauma-trained higher-level teaching assistant and family liaison officer, Wyatt also runs parenting classes to provide life-changing support for families facing trauma.
Impact through Partnership
Woolenwick Infant and Nursery School
Woolenwick Primary is a dynamic, outward-looking school fostering creativity and confidence through real-world experiences.
With a focus on music, the arts and outdoor learning, the school leads initiatives like the Primary School Music Strategy and intergenerational projects with a local care home.
With partners like the Royal Opera House, the school is praised for cultural partnerships and community engagement. It actively champions well-being, anti-racism, and inclusivity, inspiring young learners inside and beyond the classroom.
Since joining the small specialist school in 2022, Smalley has led its onside forest school provision for pupils with social, emotional and mental health difficulties and autistic spectrum conditions.
According to his nominators, he “always quietly goes the extra mile.”
In addition to designing and delivering a bespoke phonics and numeracy programme, Smalley works with local groups to ensure that pupils gain practical, social, and emotional skills from their outdoor learning.
Standout activities include pupils designing their own outdoor environments and babysitting newly hatched chicks and ducklings.
Headteacher of the Year in a Primary School
Dawn Ferdinand, The Willow Primary School, Tottenham
Ferdinand is credited with transforming The Willow Primary School and Broadwaters Children’s Centre, leading through successive ‘outstanding’ Ofsted gradings.
From mentoring future and current headteachers as a school improvement partner to co-founding organisations supporting disadvantaged groups, her tireless commitment to educational equity and empowerment has transformed schools and impacted communities locally and nationally.
Headteacher of the Year in a Secondary School
Mark Thomas, Brymore Academy
Before he retired this summer, Thomas dedicated 14 years to Brymore Academy, taking it from the bottom 10 per cent for pupil progress to the top 10 per cent.
Under his leadership, safeguarding, boarding facilities and outcomes for disadvantaged students at the school improved dramatically, making it the most oversubscribed in Somerset.
Making a Difference – Primary School of the Year
Surrey Square Primary School
The team at Surrey Square works tirelessly to make the school “more than a school.” Through extensive community activities, they blend academic learning with personal development and wellbeing.
Their innovative initiatives and holistic support for families, which includes housing, immigration and parenting classes, have helped to boost improvement, with pupils ‘on track’ rising from 26 per cent in nursery to 85 per cent by the end of their time there.
Making a Difference – Secondary School of the Year
All Saints Catholic School and Technology College, Dagenham
This school is described as “a beacon of pride” within its community for its commitment to inclusivity and excellence in the face of some local challenges.
A high percentage of pupils come from disadvantaged backgrounds, but collaborations with community partners like Citizens UK give the whole school community a sense of belonging and shared purpose. Pupils “defy the odds” and leave confident and optimistic about their futures.
Early Years Team of the Year
The EYFS Team, Venture Outdoor Kindergarten
South Devon-based Venture Outdoor Kindergarten has grown from a team of two to a “close family of inspirational practitioners” whose unique pedagogy builds independence, self-confidence and emotional wellbeing in the children who take part in their outdoor adventures.
Venture’s recruitment is described as “meticulously conscientious”, enabling them to build a team of professionals who treat children, parents and the wider community with reverence and compassion.
Lifetime Achievement
David Kershaw, CEO at Central Academies Trust
With 60 years in education, Kershaw, now CEO of Inspiring Lives Education Trust, has transformed schools in deprived areas across the country.
The former executive headteacher is credited with taking four secondary schools out of ‘special measures’ and overseeing “dramatic” improvements in Birmingham, Bradford, Leicester and Coventry schools.
Outside of executive leadership, Kershaw spent four years as Coventry City Council’s cabinet lead for education and has chaired Epworth Education Trust.
The former footballer turned educator was awarded a CBE for services to education in 2007.
Navigating apprenticeship and adult learner funding can sometimes feel overwhelming. Yet, with the right tools and mindset, Additional Learning Support (ALS) funding represents a remarkable opportunity for learners — not a risk to income. It’s about more than compliance or ticking boxes; it’s about empowering apprentices, driving inclusive learning, and enabling training providers to unlock their learner’s full potential.
Due to feedback from the sector the Department for Education have made significant updates to ALS language in recent years, adding clarity around process, requirements and evidencing needs. They have demonstrated both the importance of inclusion in modern apprenticeship delivery and the governmental support for providers to enable this.
To evidence this let’s remind ourselves that the 2022/23 funding rules were supported with a detailed ALS guidance document which remains available and updated today, making process and evidencing requirements easier to understand.
The 2023/24 rules mandated an assessment of learning needs within initial assessment for every learner, while also removing a major blocker in learners accessing the exemption to English and or maths, thereby removing FSQ as a requirement of completion for those learners with more complex needs.
Credit should be given to DfE for encouraging inclusivity across the apprenticeship landscape with both a carrot– funding providers for performing work to meet the needs of learning differences, and stick- mandating through rules greater inclusive practices across apprenticeships.
The positive impact of ALS funding
ALS funding transforms barriers into opportunities. It allows providers to improve retention, attainment and timely completion by identifying and implementing tailored support to meet individual needs, making apprenticeships more accessible and inclusive.
It does so by requiring assessment of learning needs within the initial assessment; the cognitive assessment is defined as an eligible cost. By funding learning adjustments throughout qualification should the provider have evidence and knowledge to believe they are required, and adjustments to address barriers their learning difference introduces during EPA, and finally should the needs be complex removes FSQ level 2 as a completion requirement.
Learners with learning difficulties or neurodiverse needs often bring unique strengths to their roles but may require additional help to realise their full potential. That’s where ALS funding comes in.
Lisa Smith, Risk Assurance Director at RSM UK, explains its critical importance:
“Funding for learning support is becoming even more critical. When used effectively, it ensures that learners can succeed, and providers can thrive.”
Instead of focusing on fears about compliance, providers should look at the transformative impact this funding can have – not just on their apprentices, but also on their own reputation and operations.
Claiming funding isn’t risky – it’s empowering
There’s a misconception that claiming ALS funding carries a high risk of clawbacks, which can discourage providers from utilising these essential resources. At Cognassist, we view it differently. When approached with best practices, evidencing and claiming ALS funding is straightforward, lightweight, and improves outcomes.
The key is to focus on what matters most: documenting the support provided and aligning it with the needs of your learner. This isn’t about adding administrative burdens; it’s about showcasing how your learners are empowered to succeed. That’s something to be proud of.
Cognassist simplifies this process by providing tools to identify difficulties, deliver targeted support, and document the needs of neurodiverse apprentices. With Cognassist, compliance becomes a natural outcome of delivering great support, not only for evidencing funding but it’s also a crucial part of your evidence pack to secure EPA adjustments and FSQ exemptions.
Simplifying ALS funding with trusted technology
Cognassist combines cutting-edge technology and verified tools to make ALS funding straightforward and effective. We simplify the process by analysing data and providing clear, actionable recommendations.
The platform removes the need for SEND expertise in learning and EPA adjustments, equipping tutors with the precise insights required to make informed decisions. This ensures learners receive personalised support to help them thrive, all without adding extra workload for training providers.
We’ve also developed the Cognassist Robust Framework to help providers confidently identify those who qualify, and deliver personalised learning adjustments aligned with compliance standards while building the evidence needed for funding claims.
Additionally, Cognassist’s Cognitive Assessment is one of the only digital assessments in the UK that has been independently verified and included in guidance published with the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) and PATOSS. This validation underscores the scientific reliability of Cognassist’s approach to supporting neurodiverse learners.
By choosing Cognassist, providers adopt a trusted, credible and robust solution that simplifies ALS delivery and funding evidence while ensuring every learner receives the support they need.
James Earl, CEO at learning technology marketplace FE Tech wants the sector to grasp the opportunity:
“The funding rules have never been clearer, each and every provider in the sector must robustly screen every apprentice. We still see some doing nothing, either through misinterpretation or a fear of additional work – which isn’t acceptable given it is our duty to give learners the greatest chance of success.
“Irrelevant of the funding rules – this type of technology has created a scalable way to understand each and every one of our learners across multiple types of learning. It gives practitioners an opportunity to know the individualised pathway the learner needs to become successful – creating a greater chance for them to complete their course successfully.
“There are so many opportunities to create a more successful environment with the right learning technology, as well as be the vehicle towards unlocking the ALS funding needed to support those that need it.
“Technology that gives a learner greater chance of success, creates evidence for critical compliance ruling, with the backing of multiple regulatory organisations and gives organisations all they need in order to create and store evidence for ALS support – for us as a technology advisory service, it is very difficult to argue why every organisation shouldn’t be adopting this type of technology.”
Real results with Cognassist
Providers using Cognassist have achieved incredible outcomes, demonstrating that claiming ALS funding is both achievable and beneficial. Nicola Clark, Head of Learning Support at Train Together, shares her experience:
“Cognassist has helped us achieve remarkable outcomes. I have witnessed firsthand how the platform enhances learner outcomes and compliance standards. Metrics such as timely completions, learner engagement, and satisfaction scores have significantly improved since implementation. Most importantly, our learners feel valued, included, and empowered to succeed. Train Together has already fully integrated Cognassist into our processes, achieving 95%-100% engagement regularly.”
This success story demonstrates how combining ALS funding with the right tools and processes can deliver exceptional results for both learners and providers.
Building confidence through knowledge
Confidence comes from understanding. Providers who invest in training and professional development build the knowledge needed to navigate funding rules effectively. As Lisa Smith advises:
“For providers unsure about the apprenticeship funding rules or seeking to improve their processes, don’t be afraid to ask questions and seek support.”
Cognassist offers resources, workshops, and a digital platform to help providers feel confident and empowered to claim the funding they deserve.
Let’s focus on the positive
ALS funding is an opportunity to make a real difference, not just for learners but for providers, the wider apprenticeship system and society. By implementing inclusivity into normal ways of working and evidencing correctly for claiming this funding, providers invest in the success of their learners, improve their operations, and contribute to a more inclusive and equitable system.
The message is clear: don’t let fear hold you back. Embrace ALS learners and ALS funding as an opportunity to innovate, grow, and support every apprentice to reach their potential. With Cognassist, you don’t have to navigate this journey alone. We’re here to simplify the process, celebrate the wins, and help you thrive.
Let’s change lives together, one learner at a time.
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