Join the debate

Per Page

Strength against all odds

By Esme Winch, Managing Director, Thursday 20 July 2017

esme blog.jpg

The last year has been extraordinary. There's seldom been a time of such change in policy and people, creating a great deal of uncertainty. The snap election has meant the government’s decision-making capacity has been compromised and has meant a dialling back of some of the reforms to education. However, as is usually the case in these circumstances, during the political turbulence and fall out of the past year, the Further Education (FE) sector has been ‘business as usual’, creating opportunities for learners to increase their employment and learning potential. This in itself is no mean feat, especially as the sector has faced multiple uncertainties, such as procurement for Adult Education Budgets and non-levy contracting.

Read More

Keeping it brief

By Andrew Gladstone-Heighton, Policy Leader, Thursday 20 July 2017

Andrew Gladstone-Heighton

We’re starting to see the relevant ministers within the Department for Education settle into their respective briefs, with some of the fog of uncertainty around some reforms beginning to lift. The now confirmed Minister of State for Apprenticeships and Skills, Anne Milton, stated at the recent AELP conference that she was here to ‘listen and learn’, and seemed to be in favour of a period of stability to allow the current reforms to be rolled out.

Read More

Castles made of sand? Is the new Industrial Strategy up to scratch?

By Paul Turner, Futures Leader, Thursday 20 July 2017

Paul Turner

At the beginning of 2017, the government released its Industrial Strategy for consultation. The responses are currently being considered and incorporated into a White Paper which is due in the autumn. Additionally, the Industrial Strategy Commission was set up in March 2017 to act as a critical friend as to the content, structure and direction of the strategy. The Commission has now published its interim report called ‘Laying the Foundations’ its final report is due in October.

Read More

One fifth or 20%? Off-the-job training for apprentices

By Paul Turner, Futures Leader, Thursday 20 July 2017

Paul Turner

The Department for Education recently published its long awaited guidance to Off-the-job (OTJ) for apprenticeships and applicable to frameworks and standards. The document is light, weighing in at a mere 14 pages, but covers what is probably one of the most anticipated, yet possibly controversial elements of apprenticeships – 20% of apprentices time must be allocated for OTJ training. Firstly, here’s the official definition:

Read More

Let’s not pretend GCSEs are perfect

By Michael Lemin, Policy and Research Manager, Monday 17 July 2017

michael blog.jpg

It seems that, against all odds, in a department where everything else has changed around him, Schools Minister Nick Gibb is the Department for Education’s longest serving politician. His 3 years in post seems a lifetime, given that he’s worked under 3 different Education Secretaries in that time. Much of schools reform over the last few years can be attributed to Gibb. Changes to English and maths, the introduction of baseline testing and increased emphasis on GCSEs, have all been championed under his watch. GCSEs have been framed as the “gold standard” in qualifications.

Read More

Subscribe

Get notified when a new post is published.


Authors

Categories