Blog posts for author:David Grailey

Change is something we all face each and every day, whether it’s in work or our personal lives. Ironically the only constant in change itself is its continual inevitability. The secondary education sector is certainly no exception to this. Following on from the implementation of the new school headline performance measures for vocational qualifications, which came into full effect this year, the Department for Education last month published the ‘Reforming the Accountability System for Secondary Schools’ document.

Last month we were hoping to bring you an early Christmas present in the form of the newly published Key Stage 4 list. Once released it will provide a full list of all the qualifications approved to count in the 2016 performance tables. Sadly, at the time of going to press (11 December 2013), the Department for Education have yet to publish the list of eligible qualifications. This is disappointing for all of us and especially any of you waiting to embark on your curriculum planning for 2014/15. We’ll send you an email bulletin as soon as we have news. We’ll also tweet an update - you can follow us at @NCFE.

A new set of powerful school regulators called chancellors are to be appointed by Michael Gove in an attempt to keep a check on the growing number of free schools and academies. These chancellors will have the power to seize control of failing schools. The plan will see England split into 8 regions separate from local councils, with the free schools and academies in each region supervised by a new body known as a Headteacher Board (HTB), headed up by a chancellor. The new system echoes the model used for schools governance in the US, although the appointments are made locally.

As we adapt education approaches to the 21st century landscape, we’ve all started to challenge our thinking about how learning can be facilitated. With this in mind, distance and blended learning is becoming an increasingly viable option, extending opportunities for people who are looking to progress their skills in a fluid and flexible way. Learners are able to work at their own convenience and pace, taking control and fitting their learning into their lifestyle rather than having to follow a tight schedule of classroom based studying. This is particularly beneficial for those who are learning while they’re earning, trying to balance training and a job.

As news is released reporting on England’s low results in literacy and numeracy, NCFE is working to provide solutions to colleges allowing flexibility and a tailored approach to offering Maths and English qualifications. A study by OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) has shown how England’s 16 to 24 year olds are falling behind their Asian and European counterparts - ranking 22nd for literacy and 21st for numeracy.

With the education watchdog Ofsted recently stating that schools’ career services are not up to standard, I thought I’d start this issue by focusing on their recent comments. According to Sir Michael Wilshaw, three quarters of schools visited by Ofsted were reportedly not delivering effective careers advice. He commented last month that, "It’s worrying that the new arrangements are failing to provide good guidance." Of course while this situation may be true, it’s also true that these comments come at a time when money and resource to support careers guidance have come under increasing pressure.

As we enter into the new academic year there is a noticeable theme coming from the industry surrounding “quality” and “employability”. The government promote that every learner should receive a quality education, but what does the term quality in this sense mean?  A good learning experience?  An excellent and friendly tutor?  Or providing the right qualifications to the right learner, which are at the right standard to help that learner progress in their career and life.

Welcome back everyone! Here we are once again at the start of the new academic year. I’ve no doubt that you’ll have hit the ground running and are already juggling multiple responsibilities as you welcome in your new school year groups and prepare them for the year ahead. Being this hectic does of course present many challenges not least the pressures on time. I firmly believe that NCFE as your Awarding Organisation is in a unique position to help you and your school get the most out of your precious time by providing you with the best possible support and service.

Welcome back and we hope you enjoyed a relaxing break.  It’s the start of a new session – a time to look to the future and plan for a successful year ahead. There’s been a lot in the news this summer about the class of 2013; the young people who’ve received their GCSE and A-Level results and are looking to the next stage in their education and career. It can be a stressful time as teens face a daunting unemployment rate of 40%. There’s been a drop in the proportion of GCSE exam entries awarded top grades for the second year in a row and the overall pass rate also fell slightly, for the first time in the exam’s 25-year history. There’s also been a fall in the proportion of A-levels awarded top grades for the second time, after years of steady increases.

The UK risks failing to close its "chronic skills gaps" by continuing to push young people towards the university "default route", according to business leaders. A recent report from CBI suggests that a growing demand for high level technical skills cannot be met by traditional university courses alone, and it’s important for teens to consider apprenticeships as a viable alternative. The report states that we must “widen gateways into skilled work and promote routes to higher skills that appeal to individuals for whom a degree may not be the best option." Vince Cable, Business Secretary, agrees “a credible alternative to university is needed to help young people get the skills that the economy needs”