Why FE colleges should say yes to research With time and budgets under pressure, research projects can seem like a luxury. But participating in evidence-based trials could help colleges tackle some of their toughest teaching and learning challenges
Colleges are losing students in the system When colleges miss their enrolment targets, the usual assumption is weak demand. More often, the problem may be a fragmented recruitment process that allows applicants to slip away unnoticed
A night in the cells set students free to play and make connections A criminology residential in a preserved Victorian prison revealed something unexpected: when teenagers are given space to play, connection, confidence and learning flourish
Colleges could pay teachers more but are choosing not to The pay gap with schoolteachers is often blamed on funding but colleges need to confront uncomfortable truths about how they prioritise staff pay
Northampton colleges plan to merge next year The proposed group would have a combined income of more than £70 million
How one FE college is turning the tide on NEETs Jessica Hill visits a former branch of Debenhams, where Blackburn College has created the Launchpad hub to re-engage the town’s NEET population with a tailored re-introduction to education and work
Teachers need work experience too if new pathways are to succeed Regular, structured opportunities for teachers to refresh and develop their subject knowledge is vital
It pays to be playful when launching new technology Digital CPD too often overwhelms staff with instructions and tools they barely understand. So let them try to break the software instead