Working-class kids are being denied a second chance at education
Letters: Yvonne Williams on adult education that is now virtually nonexistent, and Geoff Reid on the non-financial value of a degree
May 2024
Gen-Z students are choosing a trade over college. That shows they’re smart
Young people are increasingly opting to train as plumbers, electricians, welders and carpenters and similar vocations
October 2023
The Guardian view on exam reform: schools have more acute problems than a narrow curriculum
Sunak’s plan to ditch A-levels is out of touch with reality, says union
July 2023
Vocational T-levels offer England’s students poor value, Ofsted says
Report criticises ‘range of shortcomings’ in qualifications intended to be equivalent to A-levels
May 2023
Tory youth training policy is a right royal mess
Phillip Inman
King Charles and the Prince’s Trust arguably did a better job of improving the skills of the under-30s in the last decade than the government
February 2023
Shortage of UK foresters prompts government to offer free courses
Ministers hope training in range of forestry skills will help to meet tree-planting and other climate goals
January 2023
Former education ministers attack plan to reduce vocational qualifications
Coalition fears DfE may break pledges that only small percentage of qualifications will be replaced by T-levels
December 2022
Surge in GCSE and A-level candidates penalised for ‘malpractice’ in England
Possession of mobile phones and smartwatches the biggest single cause for sanctions
November 2022
Encourage young black people into skilled trades for a fairer society
Letter: There is an absence of diversity across practical and technical roles, says Tim Walker
October 2022
King Charles criticises lack of vocational education while on The Repair Shop
Outspoken comments about schools policy were made before he became king in one-off episode of BBC show
June 2022
Adult education and apprenticeships budget will be 25% down since 2010
Euan Blair’s start-up for apprenticeships reaches £1.4bn value
October 2021
The UK government’s skills bill is a disaster for young people
David Blunkett and Kenneth Baker
Ministers are trying to sneak through a cull of post-16 qualifications. In the Lords we are taking a stand against this, say former ministers David Blunkett and Kenneth Baker
August 2021
Leeds mother pleads for help with autistic daughter’s ballet school fees
Constance Bailey, from the deprived Seacroft estate, has a place at The Hammond School in Chester but cannot afford the costs
July 2021
Kenneth Baker: plan to scrap BTecs is an act of vandalism
Other lives
Alan Dean obituary
April 2021
People with dyslexia have skills that we need, says GCHQ
UK surveillance agency says it has long valued neurodiverse analysts such as Alan Turing
Other lives
John Curtis obituary
Other lives: Civil servant who helped to implement employment rights for people with disabilities
Social mobility study to assess lockdown effect on teenagers in England
Academics will follow progress of 10,000 poorer students affected by the Covid-19 pandemic
