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Colleges, Long read, SEND

National Star College: teaching students how to speak up and fight back

Dan, who has cerebral palsy and communicates with the world through technology that tracks his eye movements, giggles with…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
investigation, Long read

Why young asylum seekers and refugees are struggling to access college courses

Young people fleeing conflict, oppression and destitution in their home countries are arriving in England in record numbers. In…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
Long read, Skills reform

LSIPS: a chance to change, or a chance missed?

Gillian Keegan is determined that local skills improvement plans will ease the nation’s skills crisis. Jessica Hill lifts the…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
Long read, Training Providers

Private equity and training: a complicated relationship explained

The last ten years has seen a gold rush of global private equity (PE) companies seeking to make the…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
Apprenticeships, Long read

A break with tradition: the crafts fighting for survival

The biggest losers in the government’s mission to boost apprenticeships are traditional crafts for whom the term “apprenticeship” was…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
Long read, Qualifications, Skills reform

Destination defund: the fight to save travel and tourism courses

High-profile workforce shortages in the travel industry haven’t stopped the government’s plans to defund rafts of popular courses. Jessica…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill


EDI, Long read, Politics

Is FE really meeting its goals when it comes to diversity?

In the wake of the shocking murder of George Floyd by a police officer on the streets of Minneapolis…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
Apprenticeships, Long read, Skills reform

Investigation: Why care training is in crisis, and the solutions are falling short

The social care system is at breaking point with more than 165,000 vacancies. The government wants more apprentices to…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
Adult education, Levelling Up, Long read

Multiply – The maths scheme that doesn’t yet add up

The flagship Multiply programme, aimed at adults with poor numeracy skills, is failing to attract learners, reports Jessica Hill….

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
Colleges, Long read, Students

Demand for student support soars as the cost of living crisis bites

Josh was a talented bricklaying student with dreams of running his own building firm. Then his mother lost one…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
Long read, T Levels

Red tape and cost pressures leave firms struggling to offer T Level work placements

Work placements are the most critical element of a T Level qualification, but employers are put off from offering…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
Apprenticeships, Long read

Apprenticeships could make medicine careers more accessible and cheaper – but the stakes are high if it goes wrong

Expanding degree apprenticeships is a hot political priority, with an ambition for them to widen access to a variety…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill