Opinion

7 changes the government must make to grow technical education

If the prime minister is serious about skills, he needs to take these agreed actions from our latest roundtable,…

Jess Staufenberg
DAVID PHOENIX
Opinion

Few certainties, but exams are fairest and should go ahead

Schools and colleges can be confident that Ofqual and exam boards have the tools to make summer 2021 exams…

JL Dutaut
DAME GLENYS STACEY
Opinion

Number 10 is driving FE reform too fast and will blame the DfE when the wheels fall off

This week the Department for Education was thrown in to the back seat as the prime minister grabbed the…

Billy Camden
NICK LINFORD
Opinion

Is Ofsted really ready to inspect all apprenticeships?

Ofsted will need to prove it can handle the higher levels if they are to inspect all apprenticeships, writes…

Fraser Whieldon
Adrian Anderson
Opinion

Putting SEND learners at the heart of the college means all my students are back

Whether it’s providing farm placements or much-needed structure through digital platforms, putting SEND learners front and centre always makes…

Jess Staufenberg
Paul Phillips
Opinion

Ignore the branding revolution at your peril, FE sector

We have arrived at the ‘third revolution’ for FE marketing – but colleges will have to make some serious…

Jess Staufenberg
LEE PARKER


Opinion

Media focus on younger learners during Covid overlooks adult education

As the government rolls out the national retraining scheme, a publicity drive is needed to promote adult learning, writes…

Jess Staufenberg
Ann Marie Spry
Opinion

What Ofsted found during their pilots of autumn visits

Pilots of Ofsted’s autumn visits suggest that the FE and skills sector is more than rising to the challenges…

Billy Camden
PAUL JOYCE
Opinion

A university learning experience is very different to what a typical inspector will be familiar with

Ofsted doesn’t ‘get’ higher education, says Greg Walker, and is not the right regulator for degree apprenticeship courses. Inspectors…

Billy Camden
DR GREG WALKER
Opinion

Apprenticeships will become unprofitable if ineligible costs excluded from funding bands

The Institute for Apprenticeship and Technical Education’s new funding band proposals are a step forward, but still need to…

Billy Camden
SIMON ASHWORTH
Opinion

Sending a hundred students home so soon was a reality check

One case of Covid-19 among the staff had an immediate impact on how we could run the college, writes…

JL Dutaut
SAM PARRETT
Opinion

Without a clear plan for virus control, colleges have been left to guess

Lack of a blueprint for keeping colleges safe partly explains why one college even considered ‘alternate weeks’, writes Stuart…

JL Dutaut
STUART RIMMER