NFER: Disadvantaged apprentices more likely to drop out New study also warns of a ‘wage penalty’ associated with apprenticeship withdrawals

Disadvantaged apprentices are significantly more likely to drop out from their training, research has found, sparking calls for greater support for learners from poorer and ethnic minority backgrounds

feweek.co.uk/disadvantage...

Letter to the editor: Protecting British values in education As college leaders, we call on the sector to speak out, protect learners and defend British values against far-right attacks on and off campus

✍️LETTER TO THE EDITOR ✍️

'In recent weeks, each of us has witnessed attempts to sow division in our communities, particularly the targeting of migrants and minority groups. We feel compelled to speak out against ugly racist attacks, reminiscent of the 1970s and 1980s.'

feweek.co.uk/letter-to-th...

NHS staff bearing brunt as ‘ugly’ racism of 70s and 80s returns, says Streeting Exclusive: Health secretary and NHS England chief warn of winter pressures and rising levels of abuse

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

World Peace Day: Facing volatility with values Peace isn’t found in treaties or speeches, but in the everyday acts of kindness and unity that colleges can nurture, writes Palvinder Singh

🌍 Peace isn’t found in treaties or speeches, but in the everyday acts of kindness and unity that colleges can nurture, writes @palvindersingh.bsky.social

#InternationalDayOfPeace

feweek.co.uk/world-peace-...

'Your Future’s Good', a poem by Hussain Manawer YouTube video by FutureLearn

Results seasons reminds me of this wonder poem by Hussain Manawer. Your Future’s Good!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB0t...

Leicester City Council to end post-16 school transport for SEND students YouTube video by Channel 4 News

"When you have a SEND child, you're battling all the time. And it never stops."

Brilliant report from @channel4news.bsky.social on the impact of post-16 SEND transport cuts to students and their families.

h/t @natspec.bsky.social

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CAA...

Palestinians gunned down while trying to reach food aid site in Gaza, hospital says Witnesses say Israeli forces opened fire on people near distribution point run by Israel-backed foundation More than 20 people were killed on Sunday as they went to receive food at an aid distribution point set up by an Israeli-backed foundation in the Gaza Strip, according to a hospital run by the Red Cross that received the bodies. Witnesses told the Associated Press that Israeli forces had opened fire on people as they headed toward the aid distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). “There were many martyrs, including women,” the 40-year-old resident said. “We were about 300 metres away from the military.” Continue reading...

Palestinians gunned down while trying to reach food aid site in Gaza, hospital says

THIS👇🏽

Ros Atkins on...24 hours on Elon Musk's X timeline The BBC's Analysis editor, Ros Atkins, investigates Elon Musk's recent posts on X about grooming gangs - and looks at how one day unfolded on his timeline.

Elon Musk has had a lot to say about the grooming gangs scandal. We looked at 24 hours on Musk's X timeline and found a range of false and misleading information being amplified. www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/...

Graphic reads "AoC responds to IFS annual report on education spending. If the goverment wants to deliver 1.5 million new homes, boost economic growth and improve the NHS, it needs to fund more adults as young people to learn new skills in colleges. David Hughes, Chief Executive."

“Expecting colleges to do more with the same money is simply unsustainable and limits the support they can give.” - David Hughes, AoC Chief Executive.

Read more:
www.aoc.co.uk/news-campaig...

The truth about the grooming scandal - from the journalist who broke it The Times reporter Andrew Norfolk, who exposed the grooming gangs scandal in 2011, speaks to The News Agents to “set the record straight” on whether there was a cover up, Keir Starmer’s real impact…

‘It’s an utter distortion of the truth’

Andrew Norfolk, the journalist who broke the grooming gangs story 14 years ago, tells The News Agents he wants to 'set the record straight.'

@maitlis | @lewis_goodall

Government’s five missions at risk without investment in colleges,… If the government wants to deliver its five missions and achieve its new targets, it must empower and invest in further education colleges, according to a…

Pleased to share our report & videos showcasing how colleges are delivering on the government's missions www.aoc.co.uk/news-campaig...

The wide range of people willing to share a quote in support of this shows the complex web of relationships colleges have. Doing their jobs as systems leaders, anchor institutions and vital local partners

Turner Prize 2024: Jasleen Kaur wins with artwork showcasing Scottish Sikh community The judges praised the artist's

Art showcasing Scottish Sikh community wins Turner Prize

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

‘Child poverty has got a lot worse’: outgoing charity boss lambasts Tory failures and social media giants Peter Wanless of the NSPCC calls for more preventive action on child poverty, a ban on ‘morally repugnant’ smacking and favours guardrails online rather than bans

“Child poverty has got a whole lot worse. Spending on children has gone up, but increasing amounts of it has gone into the price of failure rather than early intervention and prevention.”

www.theguardian.com/society/2024...

Yesterday, Greater Manchester approved free travel passes for young people who have experienced care up until the age of 25.

Through devolution, important progressive steps continue to be made.

‘Relentless’ journey leads to top Ofsted result for north east college Group also lauded for its care of students in the aftermath of this year’s riots

🎉 A north east college group has received Ofsted’s highest marks after going through a 'relentless' improvement journey

College lauded for student care in the aftermath of this year’s riots and inspectors were 'moved to tears' after seeing other 'life-changing' work feweek.co.uk/relentless-j...

Wake Up to Money - Getting Britain Working? - BBC Sounds The Government launches its plan to "Get Britain Working" - what do businesses think?

Great to hear @hughesdavid.bsky.social
on BBC Radio 5 Live's Wake up to Money this morning discussing the government's Get Britain Working White Paper. Listen from 31:30 here: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Labour’s skills strategy under fire for lack of ‘clout’ and urgency Business and education experts say diminished role for companies could undermine reforms

“We need an influential, powerful and authoritative Skills England to help build a stronger, fairer, more inclusive and more productive economy" says @hughesdavid.bsky.social in this @financialtimes.com piece on Skills England. Read more: www.ft.com/content/6cb3...

Labour’s skills strategy under fire for lack of ‘clout’ and urgency Business and education experts say diminished role for companies could undermine reforms

Good to see @pmdfoster.bsky.social highlighting risk Skills England will be too low wattage to make a difference. Still time to make sure that's not the case & focus it on employer demand for skills as well as supply. . www.ft.com/content/6cb3...

A post-compulsory education system which works for all - HEPI A coherent skills ecosystem demands urgent collaboration between colleges, universities, and employers to address economic and social fragmentation.

Here’s some thoughts from me and Chris Husbands on how colleges & universities need to work together www.hepi.ac.uk/2024/11/25/a...

This is a really good read!

ASCL calls for GCSEs to be spread over two years Curriculum and assessment review submission sees union call for new literacy and numeracy assessments

“We have to move away from the notion that #GCSEs are a rite of passage to be endured,” says ASCL Curriculum and Assessment Specialist @tommiddlehurst.bsky.social following ASCL's submission to the Curriculum and Assessment Review: ow.ly/e68Z50UcyrG

#education #assessment #curriculum #exams

AoC Sport's Student Leadership Programme is made an accredited award "Colleges consistently tell us that their students grow so much in their time in the programme, and this is recognition for the leadership skills students develop." Sarah Nickless Partnerships and Programmes Development Officer

We are pleased to announce that AoC Sport’s Student Leadership Programme has become an accredited award through the Leadership Skills Foundation.

Find out more here:
www.aoc.co.uk/news-campaig...

32 'new' homebuilding skills hubs to ‘fast-track’ apprentice training Construction industry bodies have announced plans for 32 'new skills hubs' in a bid to fill housebuilding skills gaps with 'fast-track' training for up to 5,000 apprentices each year.

🧱 Construction industry bodies have announced plans for 32 'new skills hubs' in a bid to fill housebuilding skills gaps with 'fast-track' training for up to 5,000 apprentices each year by 2028

feweek.co.uk/32-new-homeb...

More and more first-time buyers are turning to the 'Bank of Mum and Dad,' to get on the property ladder; allowing some to buy sooner, buy bigger homes, and with a smaller mortgage.

But not everyone has access to the 'Bank of Mum and Dad.'

If to be ‘woke’ means “to be alive to the insights, contexts and needs of others; to aim to be well-informed, thoughtful, compassionate, tolerant, respectful & kind, to want to make the world a better place for all people & all living things”, then sign me up for that challenge!

Skills Minister's keynote address to the Association of Colleges Baroness Jacqui Smith's keynote speech at the Association of Colleges national conference.

Great to hear Jacqui Smith, Skills Minister, speak to 1000 college leaders at @aoc-info.bsky.social annual conference about need to change culture - lifelong learning, reaching all, a love of learning, tertiary vision linking colleges with universities, less competition www.gov.uk/government/s...