In this series of 10 short blogs – which will issue in rapid succession – I will consider in turn the top themes that have emerged from 60 interviews with teachers, leaders, policy-makers, academics and others from across and beyond the English FE system. Each blog will end with a question which I hope will generate debate on LinkedIn, where the blogs are signposted.
The core question considered has been “what might be the features of a self-improving FE system?” Interviewees have also considered the key features of the FE system as it stands, and what is holding it back from being self-improving.
In this tenth blog of ten running through major issues discussed by my interviewees, I come to an issue that I kept noticing by its absence. I will try to reflect what my interviewees thought about this ‘elephant’ and suggest what it might mean for the system.
I found this astonishing. There are over 80,000 learners aged 16–25 with Education, Health and Care Plans; and as anyone who has had to fight for one knows, they are hardly handed out like sweeties.
