The second writer in our mini-series says that creating more grammars is a distraction from change that matters.
It is funded at a lower level than schools, and yet is expected to put right much that has gone wrong. Technical courses need higher esteem.
The Government must act now, or risk a generation of school leavers missing out on the opportunity to acquire technical skills.
We must rebalance Further and Higher Education, and ensure that those with most to gain from up-skilling actually get the opportunity to do so.
Vocational and technical education are key to changing lives, and hold the potential to change people’s votes, too. They should dominate the Government’s attention.
She will, today, talk of “identify[ing] ways to help young people make more effective choices when they leave school”. This could be promising.
Hammond’s plan – from abolishing Stamp Duty for most first-time buyers, through to reforms to help Universal Credit recipients.
Cutting the cost of living. Building more houses. Protecting the NHS. Developing skills. A draft of the proposals Hammond should deliver.
Divert funds from easing tuition fees into funding Further Education; sensible railway investment in the North; and refocus devolution on cities.
The second in a three-part series of contributions from the ‘New Blue Book’.
The Government must do much more to promote universities, apprenticeships and FE colleagues equally to ensure that young people get the skills they need.
The second part of a ConHome mini-series on the future of technical education after this general election.
This fourth piece of our mini-series on what should be in the manifesto argues she must build a fair market for all.
The foundation level papers fail to test fundamental skills.
Shifting the focus to FE is not only the right thing to do, but would send a powerful message.