UCAS is waiving the £28.95 application fee for care leavers from autumn 2027. Only 13% of care leavers reach HE by 19 vs 46% of others. Small barriers matter - removing them sends a message: your circumstances shouldn't limit your education. www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home... #CareLeavers

Student jobs market faces another tough year: 7% drop in vacancies, record applications. Economic pressure + AI concerns + apprenticeship reforms = urgent need for flexible education pathways when traditional routes tighten. ise.org.uk/knowledge/in... #Education #Skills #Jobs

946,000 young people are NEET – highest in a decade. New inquiry asks: what barriers prevent young people completing training? Flexible online learning can work WITH their circumstances, not against them. committees.parliament.uk/work/8895/ #NEET #Education

GCSE results going digital from 2026 – students get lifetime access via app. Great for reducing admin barriers, but digital records alone won't solve accessibility. Real transformation needs flexible learning that fits around lives. www.gov.uk/government/n... #Education #EdTech

Striking research on future 16-yr-old voters: not one Year 8 pupil knew voting age is changing. Political views already diverging sharply by postcode. They trust family & BBC, not teachers or social media. Want political education before they vote.

Reading enjoyment among UK young people is at a 20-year low but 2026's National Year of Reading offers hope. Start with their passions. Just as we believe learning works best when it's flexible and accessible, reading thrives when it meets people where they are.

Parents prioritise life skills (51%) over exam results in education – yet the system focuses increasingly on grades. Add funding pressures forcing 41% to contribute to running costs, and it's clear something needs to change. #Education #ParentVoice

HRUC & Pearson trialling unitised GCSE maths resits breaking content into 3 assessed stages rather than one high-stakes exam. With only 17% currently achieving grade 4 and 62% feeling they're "going backwards", this approach could be transformative

AI pedagogy in HE. We need to shift from policing student AI use to empowering educators to use it effectively in teaching. But that needs time & space to experiment - not just compliance policies wonkhe.com/blogs/high-quality-learning-means-developing-and-upskilling-educators-on-the-pedagogy-of-ai/

FFT Education Datalab shows Y11 attendance alone doesn't predict GCSE results. Students missing 5-10% of Y11 had Attainment 8 scores from 42-54 depending on Y10 attendance over a grade difference. Persistent absence needs early support not Y11 interventions

Social Mobility Commission's new report: young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are LESS likely to move up socially than 50 years ago. We're going backwards. Flexible, accessible education isn't a nice-to-have—it's essential.

Major new research warns 1-3M UK jobs in declining occupations could disappear by 2035 — three times faster than predicted.

Ofqual's revised access arrangements data: 18-27.7% of students had arrangements in 2024-25, broadly matching SEN rates. But inequality persists - 22-32% in independent schools vs 14-22% in state schools got extra time.

£820m Youth Guarantee for 18-21 year olds not in work/education is welcome – but with nearly 1m young people NEET (close to 11-year high), scale of challenge is huge. 580k are economically inactive, not just job-seeking. Flexible education matters here.

"My hand muscles aren't strong enough" - students to Ofqual about exam writing fatigue. UCL research: ALL pupils scored better using keyboards vs handwriting. Consultation on limited laptop exams from 2030, smaller subjects only. www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Attending a Prisoners' Education Trust event tonight. Our 30+ year partnership with PET reminds me why NEC exists - to open doors for people shut out of opportunity. Prison learners tell us our courses are "lifelines." That's what education should be. #PrisonEducation #SecondChances

New research shows why the proposed Year 8 diagnostic maths test will be harder than it looks. Schools strong in one maths area score 0.98 correlation in others tests can't reliably distinguish domain strengths.

New Skills England guidance strengthens universities' role in Local Skills Improvement Plans, extending coverage to postgraduate level. But with no formal accountability and institutions facing financial pressure, can good intentions translate to real local partnership?

Home-educated students are struggling to access GCSE exam centres - some travelling 100+ miles, paying £300 per exam, or being turned away entirely. If home education is a legitimate choice, exam access must be equal. Educational equity shouldn't depend on postcode.

Great chat with Alex Elbro on Cambridge 105 about flexible online learning. NEC's been pioneering distance education since 1963 - removing barriers for learners aged 13 to 80+. Join our Learn & Support Week at Cambridge Central Library, 4-10 Dec, to discover how it works. #DistanceLearning

80% of crime is reoffending. Half of prisoners get no education or work programmes. Children in custody entitled to 15hrs education weekly - routinely not met. Now facing 50% budget cuts. We can't rehabilitate without education.

England's SEND system faces "total collapse" - council deficits hitting £4.4bn by 2029. Behind the numbers: families spending thousands fighting for support their children are legally entitled to. Reform must improve outcomes, not just cut costs.

Covid Inquiry Module 8: Children were an afterthought. Pubs opened before schools. Playgrounds closed without thought. No minister fighting for children's interests.

New OECD research: education builds trust in democracy. Adults with strong numeracy are 2x more likely to trust others. Schools that model trustworthy behaviour & civic participation matter hugely. Why accessible online education is vital.

NEETs set to hit 1 million for first time since 2012. The biggest driver? Disability & ill-health now affects 1 in 4 NEETs - doubled since 2005. 44% don't claim benefits - they're falling through cracks. 60% have never worked.

Good news from FFT Datalab: A-Level physics finally seeing progress on gender balance - 24% female entrants, highest in 20+ years. Self-paced, flexible learning has real power to build confidence in challenging STEM subjects. Still work to do though.

Troubling research: 1 in 12 secondary pupils in isolation rooms weekly, averaging 8.5hrs, more than a full school day lost. Children with SEND, on Free School Meals & LGBTQ+ young people disproportionately affected.

AI-first isn't about chasing tools or ticking training boxes. Kay & Maxwell's Wonkhe piece nails it: it's about leadership, governance, culture & giving staff time to experiment responsibly. AI should augment human judgement, not replace it.

Govt delays SEND reform white paper to 2026. Will extra time lead to better outcomes or just extend uncertainty? For many young people with SEND, distance learning isn't a fallback—it's the only pathway that works.

76% of 11-17s get news from social media, but only 56% learn how to verify it at school. Children from higher-income families are far more likely to get media literacy education (66% vs 49%). We must close this gap so all young people become informed, not overwhelmed.

New UK policy: All pupils will take a mandatory reading test at age 13 (Year 8) to identify gaps & target support early. Govt also aims for 90% to pass phonics check & launches National Year of Reading 2026. Reading truly is the passport to opportunity.

Are severe absence figures overstated? FFT analysis shows most "severely absent" pupils weren't enrolled for the full year, many struggling during school transitions. Current stats count enrolments, not pupils. A better measure is required.

New research shows how project-based learning transforms student experience when combined with employer engagement and strong institutional commitment. Key insight: meaningful educational change takes time and must be embedded, not bolted on.

New UCL research: only 9% of disadvantaged pupils excelling at primary maths reach A Level grade B+ (vs 20% overall). Just 3% study maths degrees. England is losing vital talent. What interventions have worked for you?

Chancellor Reeves pledges libraries for 1,700 primary schools currently without them – vital for learners lacking quiet study spaces at home. At NEC, we know removing barriers through accessible education, physical or online, creates real opportunity. Source:

SEND facing £3bn crisis by 2029 despite 66% spending rise—yet system still failing children. Could flexible online learning help provide personalised support & stretch resources? What innovations are working in your area? 📰 BBC News - Kate McGough www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... #Education #SEND

Worrying figures from The Guardian: 6/10 UK secondary schools suffered cyber-attacks last year. State schools most vulnerable due to funding pressures. At NEC, Cyber Essentials accreditation is key to protecting our learners' data. www.theguardian.com/technology/2... #EdTech #Cybersecurity

England loses thousands of talented young mathematicians from disadvantaged backgrounds. Key drop-offs happen at GCSE, A-level choices & uni pathways. Urgent action needed to close the gap. 📉 🔗 Read more: ffteducationdatalab.org.uk #Maths #Education #SocialMobility

AI workers earn 56% wage premiums, yet Yale finds no job losses since ChatGPT launched. The truth? Jobs are transforming, not disappearing. Skills beat degrees. Which makes accessible, flexible learning more vital than ever. What shifts are you seeing in your sector? www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues...

Powerful report: How tackling health, SEND & family issues cut UK school absence 45%. Now reversed - 1.5m pupils persistently absent. Time for comprehensive strategy again.

26% of young people lack a laptop at home. For 67%, this directly affects their decision to apply to university. Digital access is "the front door" to education – yet too many find it locked. What should we be doing differently?

LLE launches Sept 2026, but careers guidance for adults remains fragmented. 15m could benefit. How do we build accessible support? www.lifelongeducation.uk/post/the-lif... #LifelongLearning

New FFT Education Datalab research shows only 38-40% of White British disadvantaged pupils achieve basics in English/maths vs 66% nationally. Poor outcomes persist even in top schools - highlighting need for flexible learning pathways. ffteducationdatalab.org.uk/2025/07/the-...

APPG report: disabled households face £1,000+ extra monthly costs, 800,000 at risk from benefit cuts. Education must work WITH circumstances, not against them. How do we keep learning accessible? #InclusiveEducation #AccessibleLearning appgpovertyinequality.org.uk/home-page/ap...

5% of pupils leave school without basic GCSE passes - most weren't even entered for exams. 55% of pupils with EHC plans affected. This is why flexible online education pathways matter. How do we better serve these overlooked learners? ffteducationdatalab.org.uk/2025/09/the-...

New FFT data: 33% of pupils didn't achieve GCSE basics (English + maths grade 4+), but 53% of those were close with grade 3s. Second chances matter. #Education #GCSEs #OnlineLearning

The IPPR Inclusion Taskforce couldn't come at a better time - SEND system 'at breaking point.' Geoff Barton's panel includes parents alongside policy experts. At NEC, we know flexible, accessible learning helps everyone. What gives you hope for reform?

GCSE results: gender gap closing as male pupils drive improvements. But re-take students struggle - only 20% pass English, 15% maths. Are we failing second-chance learners?

Skills England identifies 10 key growth sectors & training pathways to 2030. Evidence-based workforce planning guidance.

Labour may introduce annual tuition fee rises as 40% of universities face deficits. With traditional HE under financial pressure, flexible online learning becomes more vital than ever. How can we balance accessibility with sustainability?