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In the midst of uncertainty around the new round of ESiF contracts, NCFE is here to provide support. We’re ready and waiting with a range of curriculum solutions to help you meet the new funding criteria.

7 brave NCFE colleagues swapped their home comforts for sleeping rough outdoors on Friday night to raise money for The Prince’s Trust. Our fearless staff braved the cold October weather and slept overnight in the open air at Quorum Business Park in order to raise vital funds for, and awareness of, The Prince’s Trust. The sponsored sleep rough night was just one of the activities within a wider fundraising challenge, as NCFE’s Shine team are taking part in the Million Makers entrepreneurial fundraising challenge. The challenge requires teams to make £10,000 from an initial £1,500. All proceeds go straight to The Prince’s Trust charity.

Now is a time of great change for everyone in educational and skills. The Conservatives gained an outright majority in May’s general election, and no longer have to make compromises with their coalition partners. It's therefore perhaps no surprise that the government have used the summer to announce huge reform in education and skills. The big surprise in the summer budget this year was the introduction of an Apprenticeship levy on large employers. This is intended not only to ensure adequate funding, but to incentivise employers to take on and train apprentices. It appears to be a response to evidence put forward in Prof. Alison Wolfs’ report, Fixing a Broken Training System: The case for an apprenticeship levy, which was released a week earlier.

As some centres report that the number of learners taking their A Levels online has increased, are we finally accepting distance learning as a viable learning option? Interhigh Sixth Form College’s Director of Development, Jacqueline Daniell, has said that they offer A Level courses online because of funding cuts to sixth forms. The centre has actually increased its subject offering; “the supply has become less but the demand is just the same. We are looking to help those students out really,” stated Daniell.

The Sixth Form Colleges Association recently released its 2015 funding impact survey report, with 72 of the 93 sixth form colleges in England taking part. With some Sixth Form Colleges losing up to a third of their funding between 2011 and 2016, the results of the survey highlight just how much sixth form college management and staff are feeling the financial pressure of continued funding cuts.

On October 1, we celebrate Older People’s Day, dedicated to recognising our older generation and the contributions they make to our society. The awareness day aims to address the stigma and negative stereotypes around our senior citizens. The UK has an ageing population; over-65s now outnumber children under 16 for the first time ever. This is thanks to breakthroughs in medicine and science, and increasing awareness of diet, health and lifestyle.

At NCFE, we know how valuable vocational education is to learners and that the benefits of further education should not be underestimated. So, we’re delighted that this has now been backed up with evidence that shows the financial benefits that Level 2 or below qualifications can bring. A recent study, led by Peter Urwin – professor of applied economics at the University of Westminster – commissioned by the 157 Group of colleges, and reported by the TES, suggested that low-level courses significantly boost income for learners who complete them.

PSHE was a hot topic throughout the election build-up, and the subject is back in the news as an Association of Teachers and Lecturers study shows the number of schoolchildren with mental health issues has risen. The main concerns for young people are stress – particularly over their futures – anxiety, low self-esteem and body image, relationships with friends and bullying. It’s estimated that over 80,000 children and young people suffer from depression.

It was recently announced that most graduates are in non-graduate jobs, a statistic that has raised further awareness of the skills gap crisis the UK is facing. Many recent reports have backed this up; a Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) study showed the UK has the worst-equipped school leavers when it comes to essential employment skills, particularly in regards to careers in business.

It’s a new academic year which marks a new start for many. But what about those learners who aren’t quite ready to take on an Apprenticeship or start work but need a little extra support to prepare them for their future? And what about the learners who are still a little lost as to which road to take? Traineeships are short periods of training and work experience designed for these learners. The flexibility of Traineeships offers employers the opportunity to help build a pool of high quality future recruits for their sector and they’re an ideal opportunity for young people, aged 16-24, who are motivated to get a job but lack the skills and experience that employers are looking for.