We’ve recently added a fresh category to our website: ‘Other resources’. This further section holds new kinds of materials that are unlike our more usual sort of comment and analysis articles, which give our perspectives on current news and issues. These different resources within the new menu can …
A new kind of support from the Policy Consortium Read more »
In an article originally published (in a slightly different and shorter form) by ‘FE Week’ on 6 June 2014, Policy Consortium member Mick Fletcher considers the introduction of a mandatory 33% contribution by employers to the funding of Apprenticeships. The new BIS guidance …
Apprenticeship funding: too generous, but off-putting to small firms Read more »
In an article first published in a slightly different form in Edition 100 of FE Week on 24 April 2014, Mike Cooper of the Policy Consortium considers the situation around 24+ Advanced Learning Loans as they approach their second year of …
The Policy Consortium is very pleased to provide its full report Taking the pulse of Further Education [700 kB 65 page PDF], with analysis of the responses received from over 1000 people across the FE sector to our recent survey, …
Taking the pulse of FE – full report from survey Read more »
Andrew Morris celebrates the gradual advance of evidence-based practice… We’re all evidence-based now – or so it would seem judging by the frequency with which the phrase crops up in current affairs programmes, ministerial claims and mission statements. In all …
Andrew Morris of the Policy Consortium explores the implications of some new research from the Higher Education Funding Council for England … Research by HEFCE, published on 28 March, offers plenty of food for thought on equality and diversity in education. …
State school students outperform their independent school equivalents at university Read more »
Mick Fletcher comments. The latest EFA funding letter for 16-19 year old students covering the 2014/15 academic year can be found here [PDF]. Those with the time and energy might want to compare it with the equivalent letter for last …
Mick Fletcher looks at different takes on employer ownership of vocational qualification reforms … All the headlines about the long awaited Skills Funding Statement were understandably about the 19% cut to adult FE funding and the climb down on loans …
A better way to reform vocational qualifications Read more »
Colin Forrest, Mike Cooper and Carolyn Medlin of the Policy Consortium discuss some of the potential questions and issues arising about Ofsted’s complaints system, as described in the preceding edition of FE Week. In a previous article for FE Week, …
Appeals and complaints to Ofsted – consultancy for free? Read more »
Ian Nash, member of the Policy Consortium, unpicks the subtleties behind the headlines on the BIS inquiry into adult learning … The first parliamentary inquiry for 13 years looking exclusively into the state of adult literacy and numeracy was announced …
First major inquiry into adult learning for over a decade Read more »