Opinion

Five principles that should underpin quality assessment

It has never been more crucial that we ensure that we have the best regime possible to assess quality,…

Jessica Fino
Sir Gerry Berragan
Opinion

Despite the extra bureaucracy, ESFA right to require more data on every apprentice

This week the ESFA announced that, from August, apprenticeship providers would need to report the planned off-the-job hours for…

Jessica Fino
Nick Linford
Opinion

Chelsea’s goal – and why it may inspire you to enter the 16th National Apprenticeship Awards

Lives being changed for the better – these are the personal tales Anne Milton hears a great deal in…

Billy Camden
Anne Milton
Opinion

My three wishes to transform the future of traineeships

There are practical steps we can take to get traineeships back into the limelight – where they fully deserve…

Expert Contributor
CEARA ROOPCHAND
Opinion

What have we learned from the new skills index? Not much

The long awaited “skills index” is too high-level to contribute to any targeted policy decisions, says Tom Richmond “The…

Expert Contributor
TOM RICHMOND
Opinion

Mind the doors: young people are now getting more chances

Progress has stalled on improving qualifications for young people, but there are signs of progress on English and maths,…

Stephen Evans
STEPHEN EVANS


Opinion

English and math GCSE resit policy is proving successful but remains misunderstood

As we report this week, the latest DfE attainment figures reveal that since the introduction of the ‘condition of…

Jessica Fino
NICK LINFORD
Opinion

How to make sure apprentices finish before the Gateway closes

Many apprentices are missing their end-point assessments because they have not done their 20 per cent off-the-job training. The…

Expert Contributor
JAKE TWEEN
Opinion

England’s highly centralised skills system is a problem

Policy-making conducted in a bunker is a poor way to do business, says Ewart Keep. Instead it should be…

Expert Contributor
EWART KEEP
Opinion

Does government really care about level 2 and 3 apprenticeships?

Lower-value programmes, which support the youngest and often most vulnerable apprentices, are at risk of becoming unattractive to deliver,…

Expert Contributor
SUE PITTOCK
Opinion

As the wheels fall off plans for the first PhD level apprenticeship, have employers been ejected from the driving seat?

This week we reveal that an Institute for Apprenticeships sub-committee (that includes four board members) refused to approve the…

Jessica Fino
Nick Linford
Opinion

How to know when your apprentice is ready for the gateway

Chris Cherry provides key insights that will avoid misunderstanding and poor practice In the world of apprenticeship standards, the…

Expert Contributor
CHRIS CHERRY