Blog Archives: January 2015

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DfE changes begin to bite

By David Grailey, Chief Executive, Friday 30 January 2015

David Grailey

A number of schools have been hit by the changes in which qualifications count in the school performance tables. This year, 330 schools fell below the required benchmark which is up from 154 in the previous year - clearly a big increase but probably not a big surprise to the schools it has impacted upon.

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Reflections on the Autumn Statement

By Andrew Gladstone-Heighton, Policy Leader, Thursday 29 January 2015

Andrew Gladstone-Heighton

The key piece of political theatre this quarter was the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement. This now annual event outlines the government’s spending plans for the remainder of this parliament, and gives us the best indication of their plans following the 7 May election next year. Due to a combination of lower than expected income tax receipts (due to the increase in low quality and zero hours contracts), an increase in the National Insurance thresholds, low oil and gas revenues and corporate tax avoidance, the treasury has less money than it planned for at this point in the parliament.

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Policy Corner - 29 January 2015

By Andrew Gladstone-Heighton, Policy Leader, Wednesday 28 January 2015

Andrew Gladstone-Heighton

Apprenticeship reforms ‘not in long grass’ — Boles (p3) – The Skills Minister is under pressure as it was confirmed this week the government has gone back to the drawing board with plans to route apprenticeship funding through employers. Boles has had a tough week, he was in front of the Education Select Committee following the publication for the government’s plans for Apprenticeship funding, where he admitted that time was running out for the funding reforms, and that any announcement might be delayed until after the General Election (which, as you all should know by now, is 7 May).

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Improving Functional Skills qualifications

By Lindsay Plumpton, Communications Leader, Tuesday 27 January 2015

Lindsay Plumpton

Today, Ofqual released their report following the thematic review of Functional Skills qualifications. The report sets out Ofqual’s conclusion that ‘aspects’ of the qualifications need to be improved. The “improvements that each awarding organisation has been asked to make are specific to that awarding organisation and its qualifications.” Overall, there are 4 key areas in which awarding organisations are now looking to make changes:

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A cross college approach to English and maths

By Catherine Langstreth, Advanced Practitioner and English and maths Tutor, Monday 19 January 2015

Catherine Blog

English and maths are vital skills needed for learners to progress onto higher level study and/or employment. In order to develop learners’ English and maths skills, it is important that the two subjects are embedded into every session.

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Policy Corner - 14 January 2015

By Andrew Gladstone-Heighton, Policy Leader, Wednesday 14 January 2015

Andrew Gladstone-Heighton

Government say less is more as qualifications fall (47) – the overall number of qualifications being awarded has fallen by 7%, linked to cuts to funding for qualifications that the government said did not offer ‘quality education.’ 654,100 fewer vocational qualifications were awarded in 2013-14 than in 2012-13, and there was a drop of 10.7% of adults undertaking Further Education, with the government stating that "we feel the rigour and relevance of vocational qualifications is more important than numbers [achieved] alone." The government wish to focus on those qualifications 'which deliver most benefit to learners and are of the most value to employers.’

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Changes to GCSEs and A Levels

By , Monday 12 January 2015

The government and Ofqual have recently confirmed that from September 2015, new GCSEs and A Levels will be taught in schools and colleges across the country. From September 2017, all of these new qualifications will have been implemented. Maths, English language and English literature will be the first new GCSEs to be studied in the next academic year, with other subjects following in 2016. The first results of these new GCSEs will be released in August 2017, reflecting the change to exam timetables specifying that learners will sit exams at the end of their course. Previously learners were able to sit assessments throughout the two-year period.

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