WorldSkills

Why we’re ditching pass/fail for bronze, silver and gold

Embedding WorldSkills UK’s excellence framework into everyday teaching helped redefine success for students who came to college with a…

Jessica Hill
Michelle Bibby
Curriculum and Assessment Review

Young people have spoken. Now it’s time for government to listen

The youth-led shadow curriculum and assessment review sets out 14 bold recommendations for a more inclusive, relevant and empowering…

Jessica Hill
Amira Campbell
AI

AI is moving too fast for colleges to go it alone

In FE, no single teacher, regulator or IT lead can keep pace with AI’s risks and opportunities. But together…

Jessica Hill
Michael Webb
Qualifications

Scrapping AGQs will create a qualification black hole

By banning AGQs, ministers risk pushing thousands of young people out of education and employers into a skills crisis

Jessica Hill
James Kewin
SEND

SEND colleges deserve better than off-the-shelf design standards

How can building design uplift neurodivergent students? We’ve identified key gaps in the government’s design guidance for SEND colleges,…

Jessica Hill
Craig Van-de-Velde and Paul Turpin
Prison education

Learning unlocked: The rise of functional skills in prisons

Nearly half of prisoners arrive without qualifications, yet functional skills achievements in prisons are rising fast through a blend…

Jessica Hill
Mark Dewell


Opinion

Serious about productivity? Then get serious about R&D in FE

In Canada, a CEO recently told me that for every dollar invested in research and development (R&D) in colleges,…

Jessica Hill
Hamish Ride
Higher education

Walking the freedom of speech tightrope without falling over

Freedom of speech has been a major issue for FE colleges lately, and now those that are also providers…

Jessica Hill
Trish D’Souza
English and maths, Results 2025

GCSE results expose a broken system, but adults prove what’s possible

For too many, compulsory GCSE resits are a treadmill to nowhere. Without proper investment in alternative pathways, the government’s…

Jessica Hill
Dipa Ganguli
16-19, English and maths

When is a pass not a pass? When the system says so 

Our obsession with the grade 4 ‘good pass’ is blinding us to the achievements of those hitting grades 1–3,…

Jessica Hill
Sarah Ledger and Elmina Ferguson
16-19, English and maths

When kindness takes a seat in the exam hall 

In FE, we spend months preparing students for exam content but rarely for the storm of emotions that arrives…

Jessica Hill
Masha Apostolidu
Adult education

Adult learning can help rebuild community and resist hate 

Far-right narratives thrive in disconnected communities. Adult learning providers like the WEA show how education can foster belonging, empathy…

Jessica Hill
Anki Deo