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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”

Over a third of 16-25 year olds with poor exam results surveyed for The Prince's Trust charity believed they would "end up on benefits". The report suggested that many had experienced problems at school or home so their exam results did not reflect their true potential. In response to the report, the government said that it was "taking decisive action to transform vocational education" and a spokeswoman for the Department for Education (DfE) said the government would fund "a place in education or training for every 16 and 17-year-old who wants one".

In America and Sweden, social and emotional learning is considered to be integral to student success in school, college, life and work. It’s believed that teaching children how to manage their emotions, build effective relationships and make responsible decisions equips them for the challenges that they’ll face, promotes academic success and discourages negative behaviour.   It’s interesting to consider: could the UK learn from this model? A recent survey conducted by independent research agency Public Knowledge in conjunction with NCFE showed that over 80% of the general public believes that young people should receive guidance on personal money management at school, with over 70% agreeing that students should receive lessons in sexual health, alcohol awareness and substance misuse. The research was conducted nationally with over 2300 members of the general public and demonstrates a strong feeling that school should be about more than academia.

It’s been a good month to be British! Not only did Andy Murray become the first British man to win Wimbledon in 77 years but the UK also gave a fantastic performance at the 2013 World Skills competition in Leipzig, achieving a whole host of medals. Particular congratulations must go to Ashley Terron, a bricklayer from Warrington and George Callow, a cabinet maker from Chichester who took the top spots and were honoured as the best young tradesmen in the world. World Skills is about celebrating vocational skills and talents in all their forms; from plumbing to floristry, from hairdressing to IT. At NCFE, we think it’s important to recognise the value of these skills and nurture people’s natural aptitudes in these areas. That’s why in addition to our wide portfolio of vocational courses, we now offer a suite of qualifications in Achieving Excellence in a Vocational Skill. The qualifications range from Level 1 to Level 4 and aim to extend a learner’s range of skills, attributes and behaviours within a wider context of work-related learning.

Looking back it seems that not a single month has gone by without education being in the national news headlines in some shape or form. Rightly so, given the importance of education in our society, but sadly the stories haven’t always been upbeat. And while the team here at NCFE has been busy working on new qualifications to meet the latest DfE changes, we’ve been acutely aware of the wider challenges and changes facing all of you in your schools. For those of you already working with us, I hope that our continued commitment to customer service goes someway to helping alleviate the challenges you’re facing. Against this background of change and challenge, all our focus remains on the pupils. So with this in mind, perhaps one of the most thought provoking discussions that’s received recent media coverage is the report from the Children’s Commissioner for England. The report paints a very bleak picture of the impact that budget cuts are having on children from poorer families.