Poorer students miss out on a golden ticket. We can fix that The middle classes are dominating degree apprenticeships. There’s so much more we can all do to level the playing field
My son made me think differently on apprenticeship assessment Seeing my son’s daunting experience of assessment made me think differently about reform. Rigour matters, but so does common sense
There’s an easy way to stop some small firms shunning apprentices The government’s apprenticeship growth ambitions sound bold. But without serious engagement from the small and medium-sized employers who create the most jobs, their numbers simply won’t add up
Apprenticeships are heading for a cliff edge, and ministers should know where it leads Tilting levy funding towards younger learners may sound simple, but blunt cuts and cliff-edge defunding would choke off progression, hollow out providers and drive employers away
DfE revises approach to Ofsted grades in apprenticeship accountability framework Three ‘supplementary indicators’ have also been suspended, and the past planned end date measure has been refined
Disadvantaged apprentices more likely to drop out, researchers find New study also warns of a ‘wage penalty’ associated with apprenticeship withdrawals
IFS: 16-18 funding needs extra £150m by 2028 to maintain real-terms spending Limitations in the post-16 white paper, college deficits and pressures from student numbers, staff retention and SEND needs all make for a ‘challenging’ year for FE
Accidental bosses risk undermining youth guarantee The CMI is calling on ministers to support training that professionalises management – it’s crucial for the support of young people at work and to ultimately boost UK productivity
Care worker provider faces £1.2m clawback The company blames high turnover in the care sector for a lack of evidence in funding claims