Apprenticeships

Improving apprenticeship achievement rates starts with showing how much we value them

New research from AELP with City & Guilds makes it clear that the apprenticeships are not perceived as valuable…

JL Dutaut
Jane Hickie
Lifelong Learning

The devil lurks in the detail of government’s lifelong loan response

Some clarity on the lifelong loan entitlement is welcome, but the debate over access to lifelong learning is far…

Shane Chowen
Gordon Marsden
Apprenticeships

How ITPs can ensure more SMEs benefit from levy transfer

More upheaval is not necessary if ITPs use their unique place and the capacity they’ve built to leverage more…

JL Dutaut
Jon Graham
Work experience

How mandatory work experience could be a win for colleges

New Social Market Foundation research shows colleges could benefit directly and indirectly from a universal work experience offer, says…

JL Dutaut
Niamh O Regan
The Staffroom – opinion

Time in student services transformed my approach to learners

While the staffroom debates whether this generation of learners are ‘snowflakes’, student service support is coolly preventing an avalanche…

JL Dutaut
David Murray
T Levels

Alumni agree: Losing BTECs will exclude many from success

New life histories research adds the voices of alumni to the chorus of concerns about the scrapping of BTEC,…

JL Dutaut
Susan McGrath and Maia Madhvani


T Levels

Ministers must heed colleges on their move to defund BTECs

T Levels are a rigorous alternative but will not fill the gap left by scrapping BTECs’ tested route from…

JL Dutaut
Sam Parrett
SEND

SEND plan: less big bang and more damp squib for FE

A lack of policies for 16-25 year old students with SEND brings in to question the government’s commitment to…

Shane Chowen
Ruth Perry
skills

The key to bridging the skills gap is staring us in the face

We know colleges are key to bridging skills gaps and the spring budget is an opportunity to put them…

JL Dutaut
Peter Aldous, MP
Cybersecurity

Safeguarding our colleges from cyber threats is a matter of education

Investing in education and awareness for staff and students is a key tool in our fight against cyber attacks,…

JL Dutaut
Sharon Archer
edtech

How ChatGPT could reduce and transform teacher workload

James Kieft tests ChatGPT on a range of time-consuming tasks for teachers and assesses its potential to support and…

JL Dutaut
James Kieft
WorldSkills

International benchmarking is vital in raising standards in UK skills

In the absence of PISA rankings the UK skills system needs international benchmarking to drive up standards and keep…

JL Dutaut
Ben Blackledge