King’s Birthday Honours 2025: Ex-ESFA CEO Peter Lauener knighted

Former chief executive of the Education and Skills Funding Agency Peter Lauener has been knighted in the King’s birthday honours awards.

Sir Peter Lauener

He’s one of 21 people with links to the further education and skills sector announced as recipients of awards this year – including nine college leaders. 

In total, three CBEs, seven OBEs, seven MBEs and three BEMs have been awarded to FE figures.

Lauener, who led the Department for Education’s funding agency from 2012 until 2017, said he was “surprised and delighted” to be knighted.

Since leaving the agency he has chaired large college group NCG and still currently chairs the Student Loans Company and the Construction Industry Training Board.

Lauener said: “In everything I’ve done, I’ve always tried to put learners first, but I know well that it is schools, colleges and training providers who are always first in line in supporting, teaching, training and helping people make the most of their potential.

“So I would like as well to record my thanks to the many great educators, trainers and sector leaders it has been my privilege to work with.”

Picking up a CBE is South Thames College Group’s (STCG) principal Peter Mayhew-Smith, West Herts College principal Gillian Worgan and British Chambers of Commerce director general Shevaun Haviland.

Mayhew-Smith is about to mark eight years at the helm of STCG and has held national roles with the Association of Colleges and advised the Department for Education for two years a member of their principal’s reference group.

He said: “I am deeply honoured to have my work recognised in this way and can only thank the hundreds of remarkable people I have worked with over my many years as a further education practitioner who have made this award a possibility.

“The collective effort of so many great colleagues, governors and partners has enabled South Thames Colleges Group to shine, and we share a strong sense of pride in our service to the wonderful communities of South West London”.

Worgan said she was “deeply honoured and proud” to receive the honour, which is a “testament to the outstanding work” and “dedication” of her colleagues.

She added: “At West Herts College Group, our shared aim has always been to transform the life chances of our students and communities, and I will continue to keep this at the heart of the organisation.”

Worgan has led the college since 2010, growing its Watford Campus’ 16 to 18-year-old student numbers from 3,000 to 5,000, developing a new campus in Hemel Hempstead and merging with Barnfield College in Luton.

Verity Hancock OBE

OBEs have been awarded to former Cornwall College principal John Evans, former Leicester College principal Verity Hancock and director of the Higher Education Policy Institute Nick Hillman.

Hancock said the recognition of an OBE has given her a “real boost” after being forced to leave her role earlier than planned this year due to cancer treatment.

She added that she is “delighted” to be nominated by governors and honoured to receive an award for working in a sector that “means so much” to her.

Hancock became principal of 8,000-learner Leicester College in 2013, is a board member at the Office for Students, and was previously an executive director at the Skills Funding Agency.

John Evans OBE

John Evans, who has led several west country colleges, said he feels “a little overwhelmed” to receive his OBE.

Evans, who retired as The Cornwall College Group (TCCG) principal last year, said: “This award means a great deal to me, but it’s really a tribute to the students, colleagues, and communities who’ve been part of the journey.

“FE is blessed with an amazing workforce that despite the critical underfunding in the FE sector, always puts the learner first and springboards them onto their next steps. This was certainly the case at TCCG.”

Riverside College principal Mary Murphy said her OBE is a “collective recognition” for the local community, which “consistently nurtures potential and creates opportunities for all”.

Mary Murphy OBE

She added: “I’m proud to lead a college that supports learners who go on to become professionals across every sector.

“With this award, I will continue to champion the achievements of young people and adult learners across Halton and the wider Liverpool City Region.”

Murphy began her education career in 1996 and took the reins at the ‘outstanding’ rated college in 2013.

Fellow OBE recipient Janet Gardner, Waltham Forest College principal, said: “This honour reflects the collective commitment and dedication of everyone at Waltham Forest College and the wider FE sector, who work tirelessly every day to transform lives through education.”

Gardner has led the ‘outstanding’ Ofsted-rated college since 2020, added: “I am a product of Further Education, having attended further education colleges both as a young person leaving school and as an adult to retrain.

“I am truly humbled and honoured to receive this recognition for the sector that has given me so many opportunities”, she added.

MBE awards went to Gordon Marsden, former Labour MP and shadow minister for higher, further education and skills, Howard Bines, a senior DfE policy lead for careers, and DfE assistant director Anthony Chalmers.

The Association of Colleges director of education policy Catherine Sezen, who also received an MBE, said: “This is recognition of the hard work of the team I work within, as well as the college staff we engage with daily and who provide us with the evidence we need to speak out on their behalf.

“It makes me very proud to represent the views of this incredible sector.”

MOVERS AND SHAKERS: EDITION 500

Oluseun Sowole

Trustee, Prison Education Trust

Start date: May 2025

Concurrent Job: Team Leader, St Giles trust

Interesting fact: Oluseun enjoys endurance challenges, including Tough Mudder events and the 75 Hard mental toughness challenge

Lucy Strand

Assistant Director, VTQ and Skills Delivery, WJEC / CBAC

Start date: June 2025

Previous Job: Head of Assessment Delivery, VTCT

Interesting fact: Outside of work, Lucy enjoys cooking and spending time with friends, and hosts a ‘Strandfest’ festival in her garden each summer

    Natalie Gee

    Director of Workforce Policy and Services, Association of Colleges

    Start date: June 2025

    Previous Job: Head of Recruitment and Consultancy, Association of Colleges

    Interesting fact: Natalie has worked her way up the ranks at the AoC since starting as a recruitment administrator in 2010. A self-described “slow runner” and avid traveller, she completed her first marathon in Manchester this year

    UK withdraws entries from WorldSkills after DfE grant cut

    WorldSkills UK will compete in fewer competitions at next year’s summit in Shanghai after falling victim to the Department for Education’s “drive for efficiency”. 

    The organisation was among charities and quangos to suffer a DfE funding haircut – confirmed two months after the start of the new financial year following a Freedom of Information request from FE Week. 

    Worldskills UK will receive £5.7 million for 2025-26 from the DfE, a 15 per cent fall on this year’s £6.7 million grant. 

    Elsewhere, the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) will suffer a 20 per cent reduction from £17.5 million to £13.9 million. 

    Funding for the Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC) also drops from £34 million to £30.5 million after the DfE withdrew funding for the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge (ASK) programme. 

    The department shaved £500,000 of funding from the National Careers Service budget, to £51.3 million.

    Meanwhile, the Teaching Regulation Agency, which will start regulating around 200,000 FE college teachers in 2026, will suffer a 3 per cent cut, falling from £15.1 million to £14.7 million. 

    Rumours of funding reductions emerged earlier this year but neither the DfE nor the quangos would comment.

    WorldSkills’ dark cloud 

    WorldSkills UK told FE Week it had taken the “difficult decision” to reduce the number of competitions it competes in at WorldSkills Shanghai next year. 

    Contests it has ditched include logistics and freight forwarding, software testing, and cloud computing. 

    The UK skills competition body will also cancel its international skills summit, pause its equity, diversity and inclusion heroes awards, reduce its “international insights work” and scale back its careers resources. 

    However, a spokesperson confirmed it still planned to enter the bricklaying competition next year, seven years after the UK last competed. 

    Worldskills UK’s £5.7 million grant for 2025-26 compares to funding of £7.2 million it received in 2022-23. 

    Ben Blackledge, CEO of WorldSkills UK, said: “We take pride in our ability to innovate, adapt, and deliver measurable value for money. 

    “With the continued support of the DfE and our partners we will be participating at EuroSkills with the team we announced earlier this year. 

    “We remain committed to driving efficiencies and promoting skills excellence across the UK, equipping young people with world-class skills and supporting employers with the talent they need to thrive.” 

    He added that while the changes were “regrettable”, the body will continue to run a “comprehensive portfolio” of local and international competition programmes. 

    ETF uncertainty 

    Exactly how the £3.6 million cut to the Education and Training Foundation’s budget will impact its work is yet to be confirmed. 

    When approached for comment, a spokesperson said more time was needed to validate the DfE’s figures. 

    They added: “We are proud of our ongoing work with DfE and with other partners to deliver high-quality professional development for teachers, trainers, leaders and governors across the sector. 

    “Across our contract work, we are maintaining a focused offer and retaining our high-profile programmes while supporting DfE’s drive for efficiency, ensuring the sector continues to benefit from opportunities for career development”. 

    ETF is a charity set up in 2013 as an “expert body” for professional development and standards in FE. 

    It provides training on topics and skills such as artificial intelligence, English for speakers of other languages, apprenticeship workforce development and leadership and governance. 

    According to its 2023-24 financial year accounts, most of its £20 million income came from government contracts, with a smaller £2.3 million sum coming from membership and accreditation. 

    The ETF’s DfE grant was £21 million in 2021-22. 

    CEC… don’t ASK 

    The careers quango has lost its Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge (ASK) programme, worth £1.27 million this year, and a primary school pilot. 

    As part of the negotiations with the government, which resulted in a £30.5 million settlement, CEC agreed to two “new government priorities”: driving improvement in careers education through the Gatsby benchmarks and implementing Labour’s national work experience guarantee. 

    FE Week understands CEC will continue to run its 44 careers hubs which connect schools and colleges with nearby businesses, share best practice in careers and offer targeted resources. 

    John Yarham, CEO of the Careers & Enterprise Company, welcomed the funding confirmation which “brings certainty and confidence” for schools, colleges and local partners. 

    He said: “Our focus will remain steadfast on helping young people from all backgrounds, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to ensure they receive the support needed to take their next best step.”

    A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Despite the challenging fiscal environment we have inherited we are providing £1.2 billion of additional investment in skills training per year by 2028-29, ensuring we develop and nurture the skills we need for the future.

    “We are taking the tough but fair decisions needed to deliver our Plan for Change, improving the lives of working people by creating opportunities and driving growth.”

    Skills chiefs in court for Marples v DfE battle

    The long-awaited showdown between former apprenticeships tycoon Peter Marples and the Department for Education is set to begin in the High Court next week – with a heavyweight cast of witnesses confirmed.

    FE Week can reveal the 12 individuals due to give evidence in the high-profile trial include former bosses of the DfE’s then-Skills Funding Agency who have since become college leaders.

    Peter Marples himself, co-founder of the now-defunct apprenticeship giant 3aaa, along with his nephew and ex-commercial director Lee Marples, will be among those taking the stand.

    The pair and two other members of the family filed a £37 million claim two years ago. They argue “misfeasance in public office”, alleging the government scuppered the planned sale of their business to Trilantic Capital Partners (TLP) in 2016.  3aaa later collapsed in 2018. With interest added, a win could score the Marples’ over £60 million.

    Also due to appear at the trial for the claimants is FE consultant Tony Allen, who was a senior manager at the Skills Funding Agency and account director from the “large contracts unit” responsible for 3aaa.

    Andrew Palmer, a 3aaa employee who later ran England’s former largest training provider Learndirect until its skills funding contracts were terminated following an ‘inadequate’ Ofsted judgment in 2017, will give evidence, as will business and skills consultant Robert Kilpatrick.

    Both Palmer’s and Kilpatrick’s testimonies will be in connection with a change in control at their respective former training providers – an issue that is at the centre of Marples’ claim.

    Karim Khan, who was the corporate finance advisor responsible for the proposed transaction with TLP in 2016, will also give evidence for Marples, as will independent consultant Patrick Tucker, who will appear in respect to a government investigation in 2018 that led to 3aaa’s contract termination and referral to the police. Tucker worked with Marples at former training giant Carter & Carter in the 2000s.

    The defenders

    From the government side, the witness list features key figures from the then-Skills Funding Agency, including former chief executive Peter Lauener, ex top skills civil servants Keith Smith and Kirsty Evans, as well as investigators David Smales and Keith Hunter – all believed to have been involved in oversight and intervention decisions for 3aaa.

    Lauener went on to chair college group NCG until 2023, and still chairs the Student Loans Company and Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) – both of which are non-departmental public bodies of the DfE. Smith is now CEO of Harrow, Richmond & Uxbridge Colleges (HRUC) and Evans is an executive principal at CITB.

    Smales and Hunter still work in the DfE.

    The case centres on the Marples family’s allegation that the DfE acted maliciously and irrationally when it said the SFA was “not able to agree to this change in ownership” amid the planned sale to TLP, adding that there would be a “risk that a change of control will prejudice delivery of our contracts both now and in the future”.

    But the DfE has robustly denied any wrongdoing. In its defence, the department described the lawsuit as “fundamentally flawed”, maintaining that the decision was “based principally on a concern that the business plan put forward by the prospective purchaser (TLP) was based on unrealistic expectations as to future growth that were incompatible with impending changes in the funding environment, such that the pursuit by a new buyer of that level of growth would undermine the stability of the company and jeopardise the stable provision of services”.

    Peter Marples has dismissed these claims as “specious” and said he intends to expose a pattern of “targeted malice” and “hostile” behaviour at the heart of the SFA’s handling of the case.

    Marples has changed his KC during the course of the case, first filed in December 2022, with Adam Solomon now his lead barrister. The DfE will be defended by James Segan KC.

    The trial, expected to last several weeks, will scrutinise high-level correspondence, whistleblower reports and audit findings from 3aaa’s final years – with the outcome likely to have a wider impact on the FE and skills sector.

    You can download and read the full claim from Marples here, the DfE’s defence here, and Marples’ reply to the defence here.

    FE Week will provide coverage from court as the trial unfolds.

    How to become a technical excellence college

    Further education colleges with a track record of high-quality construction training have just three weeks to apply to become a technical excellence college. 

    Applications to obtain “technical excellence college status” and gain access to a share of £100 million in funding for construction training opened today. 

    There will be ten construction technical excellence colleges, known as CTECs, one in each of the nine English regions, plus a bonus one in one region. 

    In addition to accessing £80 million in capital and £20 million in revenue funding over the next four years, the CTECs will be expected to partner with neighbouring colleges and training providers to improve access and quality of construction training in their areas.

    Prime minister Keir Starmer first announced he would introduce technical excellence colleges in his final party conference speech as leader of the opposition in October 2023. On entering government, £100 million was set aside in the spring statement specifically to establish the first ten technical education colleges specialising in construction skills “crucial to delivering the government’s plans to build 1.5 million homes and progress vital infrastructure projects”.

    The funding is part of the £1.2 billion in headline skills investment re-announced by the chancellor in yesterday’s spending review.

    But becoming a CTEC does not guarantee capital funding, and revenue cash will come with “specific terms and conditions” according to guidance. 

    Construction credentials

    Eligibility criteria to become a CTEC was released by the government for the first time today. 

    General FE colleges must hold a ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ Ofsted overall effectiveness grade, or have a ‘significant progress’ monitoring report if they are graded ‘requires improvement’. Financial health must also be rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ for the 2023-24 financial year and the college must not be subject to a notice to improve, current or recent investigations or have any ‘significant concerns’ raised in recent audits. 

    Colleges will also need to prove their construction credentials. 

    Minimum volume thresholds are in place based on data from academic year 2023-24. Colleges will need to have trained “an above average proportion” of construction learners at any level, which DfE said is 5.8 per cent or above of their overall cohort, or at least 525 construction learners that year. 

    They will need an above average achievement rate, 84 per cent or above, for their construction courses or have had at least 440 achieving learners in academic year 2023-24. 

    To be in with a chance of becoming a CTEC, colleges will also have to show they have contributed their construction expertise through one or more skills initiatives. 

    Those listed include delivering construction training through an Institute of Technology, being a construction lead on a local skills improvement plan (LSIP), being a WorldSkills UK Centre of Excellence or putting forward learners in WorldSkills UK or CITB skills construction-related skills competitions.

    London colleges can also tick this box in they hold the mayor’s quality mark for green or construction skills, or are involved in the Mayor’s green skills academies.

    Five objectives

    If a college meets the criteria, they will then have to evidence how they meet five objectives: increase construction provision to meet local and national employer needs, deliver high-quality teaching, leverage employer investment, collaborate with other providers and show learners progress to construction jobs or higher-level training. 

    Applications should also include “endorsements” from construction employers, employer representative bodies and other education and training organisations. 

    Decisions to award the CTEC status will be made by the education secretary, in consultation with local mayors. 

    Once awarded, CTECs will be held to account against the five objectives. Failure to meet those objectives could result in the status and funding being stripped and the CTEC being readvertised.

    Applications close on July 4.

    ‘Get the Nation Learning’ could change our culture and society

    Lifelong learning increases people’s likelihood of being in employment, boosts their earnings and reduces the amount of time spent on out-of-work benefits. So says our latest research, commissioned by Phoenix Insights.

    Ministers targeting an 80 per cent employment rate and savings in the welfare system should take note. When adults learn, our society and economy thrive.

    NHS mental health services are buckling, but we know learning can be transformational for people’s wellbeing.

    Last year’s riots after the Southport murders lifted the lid on deep divisions in some communities across England, but we know learning promotes social cohesion and increases levels of interaction between people from different backgrounds.

    Sectors with growth-driving potential need more skilled workers to kickstart a decade of economic renewal. But rates of retraining are falling short of what’s required.

    Despite the evidence outlining its benefits, investment in lifelong learning has been in decline for over a decade. Government investment in adult skills fell by £1 billion in real terms between 2010 and 2024, resulting in seven million fewer qualifications awarded than if attainment had remained constant.

    These cuts predominantly affected people in the poorest areas with the lowest qualifications who had the most to gain.

    Employer investment also contracted sharply over the same period, with UK firms spending half the EU average on workplace training. The effects of declining employer spend have also been felt unequally, replicating and reinforcing inequalities in public skills investment and vice versa.

    This situation cannot continue, particularly as lifelong learning is becoming ever more vital. As technology alters our economy and careers get longer, people will increasingly need to update their skills.

    The same is true for life outside of work, with people needing the know-how to access essential public services and remain active and engaged in their communities.

    Increasing investment and participation in lifelong learning promises great rewards: growth, productivity, good work, resilient communities, and fuller and richer lives. But if levels of learning continue to languish the future will look different – with job dislocation, economic scarring, deepening inequalities and social exclusion all a major risk.

    This is why L&W has launched the Get the Nation Learning campaign to make and win the case for lifelong learning. Just two weeks after launch, we’re delighted to have the support of dozens of organisations, including Make UK, Channel 4, the National Housing Federation, Association of Colleges, AELP, HOLEX, Be the Business, Enginuity, Libraries Connected, Centre for Better Ageing and The 5% Club.

    By joining the movement, you too can add your voice to the case for change and lead by example in getting the nation learning.

    Everyone has a role to play. National and regional governments can put the funding and policy in place. Employers can invest more in skills and training and give their staff the flexibility they need. Community organisations have a role in delivering learning opportunities, but also in removing barriers local people and their service users face. 

    By acting together, we can move towards a culture, society and economy where everyone can learn throughout life.

    This campaign builds on the legacy of the Festival of Learning, which L&W ran for over 30 years. And the tradition of our annual Adult Learning Awards will continue with the Get the Nation Learning Awards.

    These awards will be the biggest celebration of lifelong learning in England. They will shine a light on people and organisations empowering adults to engage in learning, as well as individual learners who can inspire others. Get your nominations in before July 25.

    If you have any questions about the campaign, and how you can get involved, please contact me and my team.

    It’s time to turn the tide. It’s time to get the nation learning.

    ‘Inadequate’ Ofsted rating during Ramadan sparks complaint

    A London-based apprenticeship provider has raised questions of “deep-seated” biases at Ofsted after being judged ‘inadequate’ following an inspection during Ramadan.

    The London Academy for Applied Technology (LAAT), based in Tower Hamlets, has lodged a complaint claiming the grading of its first ever full inspection was “fundamentally flawed, inaccurate, and unfair”.

    The watchdog’s report, published this week, judged the provider as ‘inadequate’ in three out of five areas. Inspectors claimed apprentices were waiting months to be registered for their final assessments, including English and maths, were studying at the wrong levels, and leaders were “too slow” to make improvements.

    Bosses at LAAT escalated the row to the Independent Complaints Adjudication Service for Ofsted, which reviews alleged failures to follow complaints procedures, inspector conduct and concerns of the inspection process.

    Raghav Malhotra, LAAT’s operations director, accused Ofsted of “failing to accommodate” staff and learners’ religious commitments as the inspection was conducted during Ramadan in March, impacting staff’s ability to “fully engage” with the inspection.

    He said 90 per cent of the provider’s provision serves ethnic minority apprentices.

    Malhotra told FE Week: “It is increasingly difficult not to wonder if there is some form of bias at play here. How else can you explain the allocation of four white inspectors to a diverse provider like LAAT?”

    His provider’s “treatment” by Ofsted makes him question if “racial dynamics played any part in how our inspection was handled”, he said.

    Malhotra added: “Ofsted talks about inclusivity, but the way in which our case has been handled suggests there are deep-seated biases in play, particularly when it comes to providers like us – who serve largely ethnic minority communities and offer opportunities for growth in diverse sectors.”

    Ofsted told FE Week it completely refuted any claim of discrimination, adding that the watchdog does not comment on individual inspections.

    Malhotra said LAAT “immediately” submitted a formal complaint when it received Ofsted’s draft report in late April “in the hope of having the issues fairly addressed”.

    “We provided evidence and clear arguments demonstrating the errors in the draft report, yet the outcome letter we received on June 3 was even more negative and dismissive than the original report,” he added.

    Private providers judged ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted are usually sanctioned by the Department for Education, which can include contract termination. Malhotra said the DfE had not yet contacted LAAT.

    ‘Why us?’

    LAAT began delivering apprenticeships three years ago and was fully inspected for the first time from March 25 to 27. Ofsted’s report stated that the majority of the provider’s 119 apprentices were studying level 2 commis chef and level 2 production chef and the minority were on early years and adult care apprenticeships.

    Malhotra said there were “severe” factual errors in the report, including the calculation of 119 apprentices.

    “In reality, we had 59 active apprentices, with the rest already in gateway and end point assessment (EPA) stages,” he claimed.

    Ofsted’s report noted that “many apprentices” need to gain English and maths qualifications as they have not studied in England before, adding that most do achieve but “not always” in the time expected.

    Inspectors praised trainers for helping apprentices “fill the gaps in their knowledge of these subjects and teach English and mathematics effectively”, but also said trainers “do not correct errors in apprentices’ written English”, adding that the “quality of written work for many apprentices is not of an appropriate standard”.

    Ofsted’s report also claimed that LAAT apprentices were not on “appropriate” apprenticeships for their level of prior expertise and trainers did not consider what apprentices already knew.

    Although a new apprenticeship director and quality manager were recently appointed, the report found leaders were “too slow” to act and did not have “effective” oversight on the quality of training.

    Malhotra said Ofsted put forward four recommendations for improvement that were already identified and being “actively worked on” by LAAT, but that none of them justify a grade of ‘inadequate’.

    Malhotra added that LAAT paused new apprenticeship starts in November to “focus” on the quality of provision for current learners.

    “This is an example of us being proactive and committed to quality, yet it seems this was not adequately considered in Ofsted’s final grading,” he said.

    Malhotra added he was puzzled why inspectors did not reference the “strong” performance indicators LAAT achieved in the Apprenticeship Accountability Framework, which he claimed was “green in all areas except for the achievement rate”.

    He also claimed “astounding” contradictions in the report, which revealed most apprentices regard their teachers highly and said their training was “helpful”. Inspectors also praised trainers for giving “useful” advice for managing sleep and work whilst fasting during Ramadan.

    “Yet, despite this, Ofsted rates us as ‘inadequate’. This makes no sense and is fundamentally contradictory,” he said.

    “The question we are forced to ask is why us? Are we being targeted because we raised our voice against Ofsted’s unfair and inaccurate assessment? Or is it because we are a minority-led provider with 90 per cent of our provision serving ethnic minority apprentices?”

    They’re not ‘hard to reach’ but the system is closed to them

    There’s no shortage of ambition among the young adults I meet. But too often, it’s not ability that holds them back – it’s a system that decides they’re not worth the investment.

    At Nisai Learning, we work with young NEETs who’ve been out of school for months, sometimes years. They’re not “unmotivated” or “hard to reach”, they’re recovering from trauma, anxiety, or long-term health conditions; young adults trying to rebuild their lives and secure the level 2 qualifications they need to progress.

    But the path to reintegration is riddled with barriers.

    Let’s be clear: this isn’t about ability. It’s about access. The post-16 system is set up for those who fit the standard trajectory. Demand for college places is spiralling, funding is rigid, and accountability pressures leave little incentive to take a risk on a learner who might take longer to succeed.

    Our system rewards speed and outcomes, not distance travelled. That discourages providers from working with learners who need time, flexibility or a second chance.

    Meanwhile, accountability measures prevent leaders from letting former or external pupils enter as exam candidates – so even if a learner is ready to ‘sit’, there’s no way back in.

    These aren’t learners without potential. But we’ve built a system that treats them as if their chance has passed. It’s no surprise that the proportion of 18-year-olds not in education, employment or training is now at its highest since 2009.

    That’s why we launched our Every Learner campaign, to ensure this group is no longer overlooked. Every learner deserves a system that meets them where they are and gives them a real route back. So, what would it take to build that system?

    First, it means flexibility

    Traditional classrooms are simply not viable for every learner, at least not right away. Blended learning, phased reintegration and small-group, online provision offer a bridge back into education.

    We see this every day at Nisai: learners with severe anxiety who begin with a few hours a week online and gradually rebuild their confidence and capability.

    This flexibility is equally vital in adult learning. For decades, we’ve run the widely acclaimed and valued Nisai’s Professional Development Institute, supporting adult learners to gain functional skills. It helps those not yet ready for college or employment build confidence, structure and independence.

    Second, it means access to qualifications

    Remote invigilation, trialled successfully during the pandemic and already standard for international candidates, must be expanded. It offers a secure, scalable way to assess learners who can’t attend an exam hall.

    And we must make it easier for schools and colleges to accept external candidates. Right now, we have pupils with university offers but no exam centre willing to take them. They’ve completed the course, but without the assessment they lose their place. That is indefensible.

    Third, it means rethinking what we value

    Instead of asking, “Did they pass five GCSEs in a year?”, we should ask: “Did they re-engage? Did they gain confidence? Did they progress from where they started?” Because the irony is, these learners have enormous potential. In 2024, 95 per cent of our UK students had an identified special educational need or disability. Yet they achieved a 99 per cent GCSE pass rate, with 78 per cent gaining grade 4 or above, way outperforming national averages. 

    One third of our learners reintegrate into mainstream education and 91 per cent progress to apprenticeships, further study or work. This is a second chance working exactly as it should.

    But these results are in spite of the system, not because of it. We need second chances to be a built-in – not bolted on. That starts with properly funding flexible provision, embedding remote assessment, and holding providers to account for re-engagement, not just results.

    Every learner deserves a route back in. And for many, blended learning is the only way that journey begins.

    Getting ‘back to the floor’ means staying relevant for college students

    Our ‘back to the floor’ day at Chelmsford College last month was an incredibly valuable event for our whole community.

    Every member of staff – both teaching and support – left college and spent the day either back in industry or volunteering in the community. It was a chance to refresh and remind ourselves of why we do what we do.

    For me, it meant getting my steel-toe boots back on and heading out with an electrician who led me as an apprentice. He now runs his own company, Scott Thompson Electrical, and it felt full circle to be back on the tools with him.

    I started out in college myself, first studying beauty therapy before realising it wasn’t for me. I switched to electrical and never looked back. I loved the hands-on challenge and problem solving it brought every day.

    I spent several years working in the trade before an accident meant I could no longer use tools safely. So I moved into teaching, determined not to let my hard-earned skills go to waste.

    That experience also deepened my understanding of health and safety. And I now try to instil that same respect and caution into my students every day.

    Industry doesn’t stand still. New techniques, tools and technologies are constantly emerging. If you don’t keep up, you fall behind. And if we fall behind as lecturers, our students suffer. They would no longer be getting taught what’s really going in industry – and may be getting a version that’s years out of date.

    That is why industry days like ours are vital. “If you don’t use it, you lose it” might sound like a cliché, but it’s absolutely true in construction, specifically electrical, as systems change, tools are developed and renewable energy systems evolve.

    Our students deserve the most up-to-date, relevant training we can give them. And to do that, we have to keep our own knowledge fresh.

    I encouraged my team to take the day seriously and make the most if it. One also spent the day with an electrician and another visited another FE college. Both came back with ideas and best practices we could adapt ourselves. We are also planning return visits – demonstrating genuine collaboration, which again benefits students.

    Some staff volunteered at Billericay Town FC to assist with maintenance. This was a great reminder that our college is not just in its own bubble – we are rooted in our communities and have a responsibility – and opportunity – to give back.

    The day, which took place at the end of term so learners finished on a Thursday rather than the Friday, was part of a full week of events, with learners holding a youth social action day the day before.

    This was the third time this event has taken place and it’s a firm part of the college’s calendar now.

    FE colleges like ours are anchor institutions. We train the local workforce, offer second chances, support small businesses and keep communities connected. Days like “Back to the Floor” show what that looks like in action – staff learning from the world outside, while also giving back and generating social value.

    I’d love to see more colleges doing something similar. Construction, electrical – and indeed most vocational sectors – move fast. The more we can get out and stay close to industry, the better. And the more we show our local community that we are very much part of it, the stronger those relationships – and the outcomes for our learners – will be.