A poundshop approach to qualifications is a false economy

Along with millions of Britons, I occasionally shop “like a billionaire” through the online, Chinese poundshop, Temu. I’ve had a drone with two HD cameras for three quid, a Nintendo controller for a tenner, and some telescopic feather dusters for pennies.

But it’s just a bit of fun. The app for the drone never really works, the controller broke during a vigorous session of Street Fighter 2, and the feather dusters were… smaller… than I’d expected. I wouldn’t buy something I actually relied on, like a phone or a set of pans.

I’m the same about qualifications. I’ve recently been micro-learning my way towards certification in various programming languages via an app. I am under no illusion that any achievements will have any currency, in contrast to my quarter-century-old and largely-forgotten A level in Computing, which would still be my passport to the field, according to degree-apprenticeship entry requirements.

This is why I abhor the perennial calls for economically-disadvantaged students, who are nineteen months behind by 16, to be fobbed off with a different qualification, whether that’s AQA’s “let them eat Duolingo” or MEI’s “almostaGCSE”.

For a start, there’s an  unpleasant prejudice behind such proposals. (Anyone seriously advocating separate-but-equal routes for subgroups needs to resit their history GCSE). And aside from that, there are very practical reasons why alternative English and maths quals will never work.

As someone who transitioned from secondary teaching to FE, I can tell you that having a common qualification between sectors was pivotal in that move, because I knew I wasn’t de-skilling myself from future opportunities in schools. The benefits of cross-pollination between 3,500 secondaries and 200 colleges shouldn’t be closed down for an insular approach.

New qualifications also require significant investment in training and familiarisation. Think about the £76 million the DfE awarded the Education and Training Foundation for T level CPD. How many 5.5-per cent FE teacher pay rises could that have funded?

Perhaps it’s no coincidence that some of those calling for new English and maths qualifications are also funded by the DfE to deliver CPD.

There’s an  unpleasant prejudice behind such proposals

Then there’s the impact on timetabling. Let’s assume some students will still want to sit a ‘real’ GCSE, like the tens of thousands who resit each year despite already having grade 4s, for progression.

Then you are immediately hit with the timetabling and class-size inefficiencies of deploying staff across two qualifications rather than one. And this is being suggested while colleges are struggling to recruit for these subjects.

None of this is hypothetical, because we already have alternative qualifications in the form of functional skills (FSQs). If I had a pound for every time I’ve been told that they are “not fit for purpose”, I wouldn’t need Temu to feel like a billionaire.

FSQs already cause all of the problems above: isolating teachers in a niche qualification, necessitating bespoke training and causing inefficient deployment.

On top of that, they are on-demand qualifications available every fortnight, at five different tiers, offered by more exam boards than GCSE, but entered by a relatively tiny number, bringing inevitable issues of quality and viability.

FSQs were reformed as recently as 2019, but the truth behind the dissatisfaction is that the reforms didn’t magic up a 100 per cent pass rate. For any alternatives to be seen as “fit for purpose”, they will need to be easier than GCSE, and therefore worthless.

I’m certainly not saying the current GCSE is perfect. Not the maths one anyway. How it came through the 2015 reforms with three papers and still tiered is beyond me.

The English GCSE, on the other hand, with no tiers, complete freedom of text choice and built around creative writing is about as chef’s-kiss-perfect as we could ask for.

But whatever we choose as our acknowledged ‘gold standard’ should be open to all, without gatekeepers preventing other people’s children from getting in.

Worse, while we are continually distracted by the red herring of talking about qualifications, we’re not talking about pedagogy, curriculum or students.

Young people from low-income backgrounds deserve better than to be railroaded into poundshop English and maths just because it’s easier to blame qualifications than it is to improve quality.

Event Horizon: A singular chance to shape post-16 maths for the future

The Francis Review of curriculum and assessment promises to “ensure meaningful, rigorous and high-value pathways for all at 16-19”. Given the experiences of further education when it comes to inclusion in wider education reforms (and pay deals), it is good to see an explicit reference to the sector.

At Get Further, we partner with post-16 education providers across the country to deliver our tuition programmes to help students from disadvantaged backgrounds to gain gateway qualifications in further education. What’s clear to us is that GCSE English and maths are the key to a wide range of education and employment opportunities.

Without them, students are much less likely to progress onto higher-level study and more likely to drop out of education altogether. A young person without these qualifications is nine times more likely to be NEET by the age of 18. 

However, there is a real challenge around the pass rates of GCSE resit courses – especially in maths.

I began teaching maths in 2009, just before the last major curriculum review under the coalition government. Almost 15 years later, there remains much to do to help more young people pass GCSEs, including those resitting in colleges. But the principle that we will unlock opportunities for further work and study by ensuring that more young people have a strong foundation in maths and English is as relevant as ever.

That’s why I’m so delighted to be part of a new initiative: the Mathematics Horizon Project, which seeks to support the Francis review by carrying out a rapid review of the current maths curriculum and assessment systems in England. This group has been convened by the charity Purposeful Ventures, and consists of advisers from across schools, colleges, academia, industry and policy.

We want to explore different ways in which the curriculum can be structured, and explore the trade-offs and constraints between them. I am particularly interested in exploring how we can better support students with the lowest prior attainment to succeed in post-16 education.

I’m also keen to consider how courses can be structured and delivered to ensure that students studying maths in post-16 education are not entered into exams before they have had a meaningful chance to address the fundamental gaps in their knowledge that have prevented them from passing GCSE maths at school.

We want to hear from everyone who has an interest in this issue

Every young person has the potential to achieve a strong foundation in maths by the time they leave compulsory education. The Mathematics Horizon Project is ambitious to explore innovative and well-evidenced approaches to ensure this becomes a reality.

We want to hear from everyone who has an interest in this issue – including in the further education and training sector, and from those with experience of a less smooth progression through maths education.

Colleges are the largest destination in terms of post-16 maths study. The sector plays a particularly important role in supporting students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Twice the proportion of these students attend colleges than school sixth forms. Most of the young people who miss out on a pass in GCSE maths at school go on to retake this qualification at a college. 

So to truly look at maths horizons, we need to hear the views from students in further education who have low prior attainment in maths. What would have changed their experience? What support do they need now to develop their skills?

As a country, we have never needed maths more. In surveys, employers consistently rank numeracy as among the top three factors they look for when recruiting school and college leavers. Make UK, which represents the country’s manufacturers, reports that three-quarters of manufacturers prioritise attainment in maths and English when recruiting apprentices.

In today’s world, almost everyone needs the basic mathematical understanding to be able to digest and interpret outputs produced by artificial intelligence, even in jobs that don’t seem mathematical. We need an education system that prepares young people for a more mathematical future.

I want all students to develop a strong foundation of mathematical knowledge, to understand the role and value of maths and to have a positive experience of the subject. And I passionately believe that every student can with the right support.

I’m proud to be part of considering how our curriculum and assessment systems can improve maths education and ensure that it meets the country’s needs going forward. Your input will be crucial in achieving that.

Click here to find out more about the Maths Horizon project

£500m skills bootcamps failing to boost job prospects

Almost two-thirds of skills bootcamp learners failed to achieve a positive job outcome in the second year of the flagship programme’s rollout, new government data has revealed.

And almost two in five bootcamp starters from this cohort dropped out before the end of their course.

The figures, finally published today for the 2021-22 financial year, come a month ahead of the autumn Budget when a decision could be made on whether funding for the programme will be extended beyond March 2025.

Experts say the results are “disappointing but not unexpected”, with some claiming the fast-track training programmes are a “waste of public money” while others say they should be retained as the courses are an “excellent option to upskill or retrain”.

Skills bootcamps involve a combination of training, work experience and a guaranteed job interview over a period of up to 16 weeks.

Despite being funded with more than £500 million between 2020 and 2025, little is known about whether the programmes are effective in helping people to progress in their career or move into a new sector as timely outcomes data has not been published.

What does the delayed data show?

Out of the 18,110 bootcamp starts between April 2021 and March 2022, 11,260 (62 per cent) learners completed the course and 6,480 (36 per cent) reported “positive outcomes”.

Positive outcomes can include a participant becoming self-employed with new opportunities, continuing in current employment with new or increased responsibilities, brand new employment or a participant gaining a new role with their current employer.

The government aims to train at least 150,000 people through skills bootcamps by next year. But the results data release calls into question former Conservative ministerial claims that the courses are a “great success” that result in “good” outcomes.

Stephen Evans, chief executive of the Learning and Work Institute, said the figures “leave more questions than answers”.

“We don’t know how many people who were out of work got jobs, nor how many of these might have found work without the bootcamp,” he told FE Week.

“Previous research showed half of participants already had a degree-level qualification and two-thirds were qualified to A-level equivalent. Is that really the right focus for limited public investment when participation in adult English and maths learning is down two-thirds in a decade?

“I worry this means skills bootcamps are both missing the point and failing to reach those that need the most help.”

But Simon Ashworth, deputy chief executive of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, which represents many independent providers that deliver bootcamps, argued they are an “excellent option to upskill or retrain”.

However, he added: “Today’s dataset release dates back to 2021-22 though, so we would benefit from a more timely and better developed range of data being released.

“This would allow us to appraise skills bootcamps outcomes properly.”

Sue Pember, policy director for HOLEX, called the results “disappointing, but not unexpected”.

She added: “Although the concept of an intensive programme is fine in the right circumstances, there was not enough thought given to the needs of the students.

“The majority of the courses were classed as level 3. To be successful on a level 3 course, students would need to be confident in English and maths, but many students didn’t have these qualifications and were therefore set up to fail.”

Payment disputes causing delays?

One explanation for the data delay may stem from disputes between providers and the Department for Education over payments for achieving positive outcomes.

Bootcamp contracts stipulate that providers only receive 40 per cent of their fee for each learner up front, with the remaining 30 per cent when a participant has a job interview, and a final 30 per cent if they see a positive outcome.

After today’s data was released, one director of funding for a bootcamp provider claimed on social media that the DfE has previously refused to accept job evidence emailed from a learner because it only included their first name.

Spending figures for 2020 to 2023, previously obtained by FE Week through a freedom of information request, show that the bootcamps programme is hitting big underspends despite start targets being exceeded in each of the first three financial years of the programme.

Just £130 million of a total £206 million allocated over the 2020 to 2023 period was spent. In 2022-23 the government allocated £150 million but only spent £85 million.

Former Federation of Awarding Bodies chief executive and skills policy expert Tom Bewick said the courses appear to be a “complete waste of money” due to the apparent lack of success measurement by the government.

He added: “The Treasury should be concerned that, with no proxy measure of success (like a valuable qualification achieved), the whole scheme is open to abuse, such as deadweight training, which would have gone ahead anyway. 

“The whole DfE scheme looks like money for old rope and the providers, of course, will always respond proactively to free government money when it is on offer.”

Following publication of this article, a DfE spokesperson claimed the two and a half year data release delay was caused by the Covid pandemic and the general election.

AI can pass almost all level 3 assessments, study finds

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools can pass almost all types of level 3 assessments, a new study has found.

The Open University found that AI performed “particularly highly” at this advanced level across a range of subjects, although its performance was lower at higher levels of 4 and above.

It also found that while markers’ ability to detect generative AI answers increased after training, this was undermined by an increased number of false positives.

Jonquil Lowe, senior lecturer in economics and personal finance, said that rather than focusing on detection, colleges and universities should use AI to design more “robust questions” that focus on the “added value” that humans bring.

He added: “This shifts us away from merely testing knowledge, towards what is often called ‘authentic assessment’ that requires explicit application of what has been learned in order to derive specific conclusions and solutions.”

The study confirms fears raised in a recent FE Week investigation, that students can ‘cheat’ their way through almost any non-exam assignment by using large language models of generative AI such as ChatGPT.

It also addresses concerns that AI detection tools are unreliable, giving rise to false accusations and a breakdown of trust between educators and students.

The study, funded by awarding body and education charity, NCFE, analysed generative AI’s performance by asking a group of 43 markers to grade almost one thousand scripts and to flag those they suspected were AI-generated.

A review of the results found that the most robust assessment types were audience-tailored, observation by learner and reflection on work practice.

While the study found that subjects did not affect AI’s performance, certain disciplines such as law, were easier to detect.

False positives emerged as “hallmarks” of AI-generated scripts, such as superficial answers or not focusing on the question, are also common in weaker students’ work.

The study recommends that institutions designing assessments should focus on question design marking guidance and student skills interventions rather than detecting AI misuse.

When students are identified as using AI in their assessments, institutions should focus on helping them develop their study skills.

Training for dealing with generative AI in assessments should also be ongoing.

Gray Mytton, assessment innovation manager at NCFE, said: “This report highlights the challenges in detecting genAI misuse in assessments, showing that training markers to spot AI-generated content can lead to an increase in the rate of false positives.  

“To address this, educators could help students develop study skills, including genAI use where appropriate, while awarding bodies can focus on creating more authentic assessments, which will also benefit learners as they enter the workforce.”

Read the full report here.

Stop construction skills training duplication, charity urges government

Duplication of construction skills training criteria being developed by separate sector bodies should be streamlined to ensure the industry can meet demand for an estimated 250,000 workers by 2030, an education charity has argued.

In a report that calls on the government to come up with a “long term realistic strategic plan” for the construction industry’s workforce, NOCN has raised concerns that there are three separate standards programmes and training levies for the sector.

This includes standards, occupational maps and competency frameworks overseen by the Institute for Apprenticeship and Technical Education (IfATE), the Construction Industry Training Board, and steering groups that report to the new Building Safety Regulator – set up in last year in response to the Grenfell Tower fire.

NOCN says the new government, the replacement of IfATE with Skills England and the new building regulator are an opportunity to combine the three into a “single programme of work”.

This would help address existing skills gaps in construction and a huge demand for new workers, estimated by the CITB to reach 250,000 by 2030.

Without an increase in construction workers, who are in high demand globally, the government could struggle to meet its target of 1.5 million new homes over the next five years.

NOCN chief executive Graham Hasting Evans told FE Week: “There’s massive duplication, and then the changing government, creation of a quango and the ongoing Grenfell recommendations is an opportunity, and I think it should run by one industry-led body.

“It opens up the opportunity to resolve these streams of work and pull them all together, so they’re in one place – more efficient and more effective.”

In NOCN’s view, development of standards and management of the apprenticeship levy, CITB levy and the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board’s (ECITB) industrial training levy should also all be delegated to a single, industry run body such as the Construction Leadership Council.

The charity also argues that this could help reverse a decline in construction workers entering the industry since the apprenticeship levy was introduced, as employers, particularly smaller businesses, are held back by “inflexible and bureaucratic” rules.

The government should also “publish and implement” recommendations from a government review into the effectiveness of two industry training boards, which is yet to be published despite being completed under the Conservative government in 2023.

More than a year later, a date for the review’s publication is yet to be confirmed.

Rosalind Thorpe, director of education and standards at the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), said: “CIOB has long argued for changes to be made to the way in which industry training standards are set. The industry needs one set of standards which everyone buys into. 

“The apprenticeship levy and the CITB levy are not working as intended and we have not seen the right number of skilled people with the necessary competencies to work in the construction industry, particularly as it embarks on a new era of building safety. 

“In our recent pre-election manifesto, we pointed out that much of the apprenticeship levy fund has been left unspent since its introduction and the number of new apprenticeships has failed to reach government targets. 

“CIOB has called for funding to be focussed more on missing skills rather than purely on apprenticeships – something we feel could be achieved by adjusting the current levy arrangements.”

David Nash, director of strategy and policy at the ECITB, said: “ECITB levy arrangements are widely supported by our levy payers with 85% voting in favour at the last consultation round.

“Whilst many of the challenges are similar, the skills and occupational requirements of our industry – which services the energy and industrial processing sectors – are quite different to those faced by the wider construction industry.”

Read the full NOCN report here.

Charity’s online skills bootcamps applauded by Ofsted

A charity providing online skills bootcamps for adults facing barriers to employment has been judged ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.

Generation You Employed, a global charity set up in the UK in 2019, was given top marks after inspectors heard of the “transformational effect” that studying there has on many learners’ lives.

At the time of its first-ever full inspection in August, the charity had 35 learners studying the retrofit advisor skills bootcamp, 39 studying data engineering and 26 studying IT support. All training is delivered online.

In Generation’s report published this morning, the watchdog found most learners successfully complete their programmes and gain a job interview.

“Learners have an excellent understanding of how their skills bootcamp programme can lead to paid, sustainable employment,” inspectors said.

Ofsted’s inspection remit was expanded to skills bootcamps in April 2023 after a thematic review found inconsistent quality of training and poor government oversight. The programme is worth over half a billion pounds between 2020 and 2025.

The training courses can last up to four months and are supposed to end with a guaranteed interview with an employer.

Michael Houlihan, CEO of Generation, said the charity was involved in the pilot skills bootcamps before the government rolled out the initiative and will continue to develop new programmes after the glowing report.

“We seek to identify, enrol, and then support people who face barriers to employment, supporting them into jobs, whilst doing so with very high success rates. Doing so is complex but creates very real and meaningful impact for the people we support,” he told FE Week.

“The reality of supporting people who are often in complicated situations and are facing a range of barriers, it is not a one size fits all approach. 

“This is all comes down to a huge testament and acknowledgement of the team’s effort to apply with huge amounts of expertise, diligence and care, supporting those learners in a way which realises fantastic outcomes for them.”

High outcomes

Ofsted’s report said that Generation’s learners arrive for online lessons promptly, dressed appropriately and “eager to learn” and teachers use online chat facilities “skilfully” to check learners’ understanding.

Inspectors found students grow confidence “rapidly” and staff review challenging goals regularly.

“They also help learners to acquire the conviction, drive and resilience to overcome the barriers that have often previously held them back,” the report said.

Ofsted praised leaders for “carefully” designing programmes with employers and partner organisations and including “highly valued” qualifications that nearly all learners pass.

In the retrofit advisor course, for example, learners take an industry qualification as part of the bootcamp.

“This contributes to most learners securing high-quality, sustainable jobs,” the report said.

Staff were commended for being industry experts and ordering the curriculum carefully and checking what learners knew before starting the programme. 

Inspectors said: “For example, data engineering learners initially develop their analytical thinking using programming languages, such as Python. They then use these skills to resolve simulated business issues as part of a team. This helps learners quickly master new skills and knowledge.” 

In the governance section, Ofsted said the board of trustees used their insight to support and challenge leaders “very effectively”.

Inspectors said: “They ask questions and review data to assure themselves that Generation continues to focus on those learners who face the greatest challenges. In this way, they ensure that Generation continues to achieve its vision and makes a positive impact on learners and wider society.”

Houlihan told FE Week that the charity is due to launch a solar panel installer program in response to the “pace of change in industry” particularly in the sectors it’s involved in: technology, green skills, and health and care.

Merging London college appoints new principal

A London college that plans to merge with the only Ofsted ‘inadequate’ sixth form college in the country has appointed a new principal.

Jamie Purser (pictured) will take over as Newham College’s top boss on January 1, 2025 as Paul Stephen retires at the end of December after seven years at the helm.

By this time the college expects to have taken on the troubled Newham Sixth Form College (NewVIc), which has been without a permanent leader since last October.

Purser has been deputy principal at Newham College for the past four years. He has also been acting principal at NewVIc since June 3.

Merger date set

Today’s announcement revealed the two colleges plan to merge on November 1, 2024, adding NewVIc’s 2,400 learners to Newham College’s 10,000-plus student roster.

The merger comes after NewVIc became the only sixth form college in the country to hold education watchdog Ofsted’s lowest possible judgment and was put into formal intervention by the government earlier this year.

The last time NewVIc had a permanent principal was last October, until former boss Mandeep Gill went on sick leave. Susanne Davies ran the college as interim principal when Ofsted inspectors posted a scathing report in April.

Ofsted pointed out how “staffing issues, ineffective teaching and administrative errors” were causing significant disruption to learners’ education.

Staff had previously told FE Week they planned to strike for 30 days in 2023 during the busy exam period amid a toxic battle with leaders over staff cuts and high workloads.

The college’s chair, Martin Rosner, also stepped down in March this year.

After the Ofsted report, NewVIc told FE Week it was exploring a merger with neighbouring Newham College, rated ‘good’ by Ofsted, as it has “demonstrable strengths in the areas Ofsted identified as areas for development at NewVIc”.

Jamie Purser said: “I am pleased and very proud to be appointed as the next principal and CEO of Newham College. It’s a privilege to lead an institution that has such a transformative educational impact. 

“I look forward to embracing new opportunities, continuing the college’s traditions of excellence, aspiration and inclusion, and remaining at the heart of the communities we serve, supporting them to thrive and succeed.”

Newham College chair Paul Jackson said: “Under Paul Stephen’s leadership, the college has not only achieved great success for our students but also created opportunities for staff progression. Jamie exemplifies this journey, and his unanimous appointment reflects his reflects his outstanding leadership and contribution to our continued growth.”

Stephen said: “Having worked closely with Jamie, I have seen firsthand his capabilities as a leader. He has the vision, skills, experience and to accelerate the college’s positive trajectory and I fully support the governing body’s decision to appoint Jamie on his own merits.”

A spokesperson for Newham College said that with a combined turnover of £55 million and a student population of over 10,000, the merged institution will be the largest educational provider in Newham.

A “bigger, more comprehensive college will offer even greater opportunities for local students”, the spokesperson added.

‘Outrageous’ FE teacher pay gap causing huge vacancies in key priority skills

Poor pay in further education is causing shortages in teachers training the next generation of workers in some of England’s most high-demand sectors, researchers have warned.

A new report by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) explores how college teacher roles in construction, engineering, and digital are seeing huge vacancy levels.

It points out that college teachers can earn much higher salaries in industry, and that they are paid nearly a quarter less than teachers in schools.

NFER economist and report co-author Dawson McLean criticised how despite FE playing a “key role” in the supply of skilled workers to industry, there has been a “historical lack of policy focus” on the sector’s teacher pay levels.

He said: “Worsening pay gaps with industry and school teachers, together with high workload, puts the FE workforce at a significant disadvantage for recruitment and retention.”

During the election, Labour pledged to cut overseas recruitment and immigration in priority occupations such as engineers by targeting training at sectors which are facing staff shortages.

However, this plan to invest in technical training appears not to apply to the FE workforce, as the newly elected Labour government decided to hand schools a £1.2 billion pot to help cover a 5.5 per cent salary boost for teachers, but not colleges.

A Department for Education (DfE) spokesperson later told FE Week that this is due to the “very challenging fiscal context” and partly because FE does not have a pay review body in the same way as schools.

Increase pay to match school teachers

NFER’s report, funded by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, is based on interviews with 61 teachers and heads of department.

It also used FE workforce data on the 2021/22 academic year, published for the first time last summer, to estimate that FE teachers earn 23 per cent less than those in other parts of the education sector.

FE teachers of engineering and digital subjects were about 11 per cent lower than average earnings in their industry occupations, while construction earnings were about 3 per cent less (although this is likely to be an underestimation as researchers were unable to consider self-employment earnings).

Researchers found that in 2021/22, the average general FE college had 17, 14 and 10 unfilled vacancies per 100 teaching staff for construction, engineering and digital, respectively. 

The average college had five unfilled vacancies per 100 staff for all other subjects, “suggesting that, while shortages of teaching staff are not unique to our three focus subjects, it appears to be considerably more of a challenge in these subjects than in many others”, according to the report.

It also said that financial responsibilities of younger workers mean they are generally less able to take the pay cut to move from industry into FE, driving an ageing workforce and worsening retention due to higher retirement rates. 

The research goes on to suggest some college strategies designed to close industry pay gaps can in the longer term exacerbate the problem. Recruiting new teachers at the top of the pay scale can lead to subsequent poor pay progression, and impact on morale and retention.

Nearly half of FE teachers leave the profession within three years nationally.

The report authors are calling for FE teachers’ pay to increase “at a minimum” to match school teachers’.

They also urge the government to help colleges compete with better paying industries by reducing workload and pressure on FE teachers, which it called a “crucial contributor to poor retention”.

A DfE spokesperson told FE Week: “We recognise the vital role that FE teachers and providers play in equipping learners with the skills they need to seize opportunity and to drive growth in our economy. 

“We are investing around £600 million in FE teachers across this financial year and the next, including retention payments for eligible early career FE teachers in key subject areas, and funding to support English and maths GCSE resits.  

“Decisions on funding for further education will be taken as part of the forthcoming spending review.”

‘Demoralising and unfair‘

The National Education Union (NEU) is balloting its 2,500 sixth form college teacher members to strike over the 5.5 per cent pay award, which only applies to sixth forms that have converted to academy status.

NEU general secretary Daniel Kebede said: “Now is the time for the new Labour government to make good on its manifesto pledge of a comprehensive strategy in FE, which would include the extension of binding collective bargaining on pay and working conditions to the sector.

“It is the responsibility of the government to provide the requisite funding to close the pay gap between schools and colleges, ensuring that a crucial sector for economic growth can supply the skills needs of the future.”

Sam Parrett, principal and CEO of London South East Colleges, said the FE pay gap is “both demoralising and unfair” for teachers.

She added: “We cannot expect to solve the UK’s skills gap or boost our economy without addressing this issue.

“The longer this pay inequality persists, the harder it will be to deliver the high-quality education and training our students, employers, and the economy desperately need.”

An analysis of the same workforce data by the Institute for Financial Studies, published last year, found that the median salary for a school teacher is now around £41,500 while for college teachers it is £34,500.

FE teachers also saw a higher fall in real earnings than school teachers since 2010.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady warned that Labour will fail to deliver its “promised decade of renewal” without investment that closes the “outrageous” pay gap between college and school teachers.

Association of Colleges chief executive David Hughes said: “Without skilled lecturers in colleges, skills shortages continue to grow, and the government will simply be unable to deliver on its manifesto commitments on new homes, net zero, a reformed NHS, productivity and economic growth. 

“The government has an opportunity in the autumn budget to deliver a significant injection of funding into the sector. Introducing VAT relief for colleges, in the same way it does for schools and academies, would produce around £210 million a year.

“This could start to help to alleviate the severe recruitment and retention challenges.”

MOVERS AND SHAKERS: EDITION 470

Rebecca Conway

Director of Research and Innovation, NCFE

Start date: August 2024

Previous Job: Freelance education and assessment consultant

Interesting fact: A lifelong football fan, Rebecca finally learned to play just 18 months ago after training sessions at her local club. She’s now hooked and playing five-a-side is a weekly highlight for her.

Sam Callear

Chief Operating Officer, GTA England

Start date: September 2024

Previous Job: Deputy Director: Policy and New Concepts, Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education

Interesting fact: Through diligent research, Sam managed to bag Oasis tickets in under an hour after going on sale.

Daniel Green

Policy Director, Federation of Awarding Bodies

Start date: September 2024

Previous Job: Senior Policy Manager, Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education

Interesting fact: Dan’s first job was at a community sports association in New Zealand, however it quickly became apparent that his ability in rugby trailed far behind the locals. A football programme was established in its place.