Why Teachers are Unsung Heroes
When we think of members of the public who are unsung, who springs to mind first? Likely it will be key workers, be it a nurse, a surgeon, a police officer or a fire fighter. In the next breath,
- 08
- April 2020
- Sarah Robins
Secret Lecturer: demand-led apprenticeships need a second look
Boris Johnson can’t have it both ways. Either the government has to start honouring its multiple pre-election promises: it can fund our colleges and apprenticeships properly so they can turn out fully trained young people needed to kickstart our stuttering, Brexit-ridden economy.
- 27
- January 2020
- Secret Lecturer
Secret Lecturer: Let’s beat the blues with fun projects but, please, no texting
Secret Lecturer: Let’s beat the blues with fun projects but, please, no texting The winter term draws to a close, the election decided, funding promised. ‘Promised?’… errrr, well, ‘mentioned’ then.
- 16
- December 2019
- Secret Lecturer
Secret lecturer: Literacy and numeracy levels – we have to improve to survive
When in August chancellor Sajid Javid pledged £400m to fund 16- to 19-year-olds in FE, it was warmly welcomed by the sector. Anything to start the funding ball rolling. But as David Hughes from the
- 04
- November 2019
- Secret lecturer
Secret Lecturer: How to counter mental illness in class?
Secret Lecturer: How to counter mental illness in class?
- 14
- October 2019
- Secret Lecturer
October The Month of Awareness
Does anyone know why October hosts so many awareness days, weeks and months promoting educational and related issues?
- 30
- September 2019
- Richard Doughty
Secret Lecturer: Standards, Workload and Reputation
This month sees the implementation of Ofsted’s Education Inspection Framework (EIF), which replaces the Common Inspection Framework (CIF) introduced in 2015 as a blanket set of standards for schools and colleges. The question is will the new framework be good news or make FE teachers’ jobs as hard as its predecessor? At the moment, the jury’s out.
- 23
- September 2019
- Secret Lecturer
Secret Lecturer: Funding, exams and some silly pass rates
The growing links between funding, courses taken and students’ exam results beggar belief.
- 02
- September 2019
- Secret Lecturer
Secret Lecturer: Without creative thinking we’ll die on our feet
The latest negotiations between opposition parties to block a ‘no deal’ EU exit highlight what a key role more creative thinking and innovation could play and should be playing in the fiasco still
- 19
- August 2019
- Secret Lecturer
Secret Lecturer: Apprenticeship Policy Needs a Shake-Up
Who’d be an apprenticeships manager? Education secretary Damian Hinds has called for a better showing from colleges than their current 26% share (2017-18) of the apprentice training market, down from
- 17
- July 2019
- Secret Lecturer