Blog Archives: June 2017

This article was researched and written by Katie Dawkins who joined our Communications Team from Whitley Bay High School on a work experience placement.

Functional Skills qualifications are changing. As an active member of the Functional Skills Working Group, we want to keep you up to date with everything that is going on with the reform and open up a conversation with you, our customers, as this is your opportunity to create the qualification your learners need. Take a look at the 5 stages that have been taken so far in the journey of the Functional Skills reform. Stage 1

The proposals in the Post-16 Skills Plan (July 2016) sought to revitalise higher technical education by creating a new binary system, perhaps responding to the popular sentiment that laments the loss of the polytechnics. On the one side of the line, there would be Higher Education (HE) delivered in the main by Universities and regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). On the other side of the line would be Higher Technical and Professional Education (HTPE) delivered by Colleges or new Institutes of Technology (IoT) and regulated by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE). In HE, autonomous institutions would design their own programmes as now; in HTPE institutions would only be funded to deliver programmes centrally developed to rules set by IfATE. HE could include provision at levels 4 and 5 but only if they form part of a programme leading to a full degree.  HTPE would, it seems, be essentially at sub-degree level. The proposals raised a number of questions. How, for example, would it raise the status of technical education, to clearly signal from the outset that it is in the second division? Why would colleges opt to deliver the centrally planned programmes of IfATE when new rules give them easier access to degree awarding powers that let them design their own? Why would we want two systems of regulation in HE when one would do?

Learning Curve Group (LCG) aim to raise thousands of pounds for their 2017 charity of the year, Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS), by hosting their annual charity ball. The Vegas-themed ball, sponsored by NCFE, will be compered by award-winning Heart FM DJ, Justin Lockwood and promises to be an exciting evening featuring live music, a three course meal and casino tables, all in aid of the GNAAS. Entertainment throughout the night includes the fantastic live band Shakedown, saxophonist Daniel Johnson and dance performances from glamorous showgirls.

Results of the recent report, The Social Mobility Barometer, which checks the nation’s attitude towards social mobility in the UK, have revealed that young people are feeling out in the cold. The report from the Social Mobility Commission has divulged that 51% of the 18-24 year olds polled believe that; ‘your background is a determining factor of where you end up in the future’. The report has illustrated disparities between generations and how they feel about their chances to thrive based on their own personal merit, rather than their postcode or who their parents are. Only 40% of the over 65’s polled believe background is a contributing factor to your final social destination, which is arguably positive when compared with over half of young people who believe the statement to be true.  More troubling still, the report finds that only 25% of the 18-24 year olds polled believe that ‘in Britain today everyone has a fair chance to go as far as their talent and their hard work will take them’. This is in stark comparison to the 45% of over 65 year olds who believe this statement to be true.

Last week saw the electorate go to the polls for the third time in two years. With the hope of getting an increased majority in the House of Commons, Theresa May and her team campaigned on a number of issues, not always successfully. Other parties competed for attention and vote seeking. But where was Brexit in the campaign? It seemed as if it was the unspoken item by the major English parties and somewhat muted by the minorities. The election resulted in a ‘hung parliament’, the first since 1974, with a deal now in the offing with the DUP. We've also seen the Cabinet reshuffle, or in some cases status quo, and despite a couple of new faces, nothing is really radical.

Here’s a cautionary tale. Theresa May’s former chief of staff, Nick Timothy, resigned over the weekend after demands from the Conservative party members. Along with his colleague Fiona Hill, Nick was seen as the co-architect of the (first) 2017 General Election. They initially worked together at the Home Office, and became Theresa May’s special advisers during this time.

The general election result has created a huge amount of uncertainty over the future and it’s fair to say that nothing like this has ever happened in British politics before. At NCFE, we’re committed to keeping our customers updated on changes and developments in the sector, so here’s a critical look at the numbers to help us illustrate just how close the result was, and how difficult it could be to navigate through this vital period of our country’s history.  

The further education sector plays a vital role as the engine room of social mobility, nurturing talent which is often overlooked by traditional academic routes. Through our role as a charity anchored in the further education sector, we’ve had the privilege of supporting more than 1,500 talented students who’ve overcome significant barriers to achieve their goal of progressing to University.

Well, what a night. When the exit polls were announced a 10pm, it was a shock to us all - the General Election has resulted in a ‘Hung Parliament’.