For 7 years, @getfurther.bsky.social has been focused on improving GCSE resit pass rates. We turned that learning into policy ideas, rooted in a deep understanding of the students & belief in their potential. Delighted the Gov’t is progressing our proposal for a new L1 English &maths stepping-stone

Imagine if Top of the Pops still existed

Maybe the answer to political apathy, trust, and populism is for everyone to be a local councillor for a few weeks.

Incredibly moving piece.

🙌 It’s exciting to hear the Prime Minister commit to ending further education’s ‘Cinderella’ status, with higher standards in colleges – and to set the ambition that two-thirds of young people will go on to university or a gold-standard apprenticeship.

See below for one example of how GCSE resit results could be improved - by stamping out this sort of thing and actually teaching young people!

🚨 GCSE resits aren’t the problem. Not holding GCSEs is. There’s a lot of concern in the news about GCSE resits today. What’s missing is concern for the young people who don’t secure passes in English and maths, and what that means for their futures. Here’s the reality 🧵

Good explanation by @jonhutchinson.bsky.social of what comparable outcomes does - tackling some of the misinformation that gets circulated every GCSE results day 👇

A decade ago, I was critiquing Tory education reforms for Labour. Today, I’m teaching my son to read using the very strategies former Schools Minister Nick Gibb championed. In my @newstatesman.com review of Gibb’s book, I explore what he got right, what he missed, and how Labour could go further.

From Labour education adviser to mum with a phonics book - my @newstatesman.com review of former Schools Minister Nick Gibb’s book, Reforming Lessons. 🔗 www.newstatesman.com/culture/book...

As a former Labour education advisor & @teachfirst.bsky.social ambassador, I genuinely don’t believe anyone on the political side of government wants to undermine the impact of Teach First. observer.co.uk/news/politic...

The PM’s AI announcement is a reminder: AI is built on maths - data, algorithms, analytical thinking. Yet too few continue maths after 16. I wrote about the @mathshorizons.bsky.social report’s call for a 16–19 maths entitlement 👇 🔗 feweek.co.uk/we-must-multip…#MathsEducationo#AIAI

Last year, college/FE teachers were left out of the school teacher pay rise. A baffling, unjust omission (yes, I made grumpy posts). What a difference a year makes. Today’s funding uplift for all 16-19 colleges and providers to match school teacher pay is hugely welcome. 👏 #loveourcolleges

Big news - @getfurther.bsky.social has been shortlisted for The Charity Awards 2025! So proud to see our work recognised. Huge thanks to the students, tutors, colleges, funders, staff and trustees who made this happen - this one’s for you. #CharityAwards #GetFurther #ProudMoment

Today, The Sutton Trust published its Opportunity Index. Two constituencies, 22 minutes apart by train - and a world apart in opportunity. #6 - Cities of London and Westminster #467 - Reading Central

English education is unequal. The % of year 11s with a private tutor has more than doubled in a decade. Yet policies to provide free tutoring to those who can’t afford it were stopped👇 Fifth of state pupils have private tutor at GCSE (and it’s not cheap) www.thetimes.com/article/7e9f...

Loved using a maternity KIT day to attend the launch of this brilliant report - State-funded Tutoring for the Future—with baby Ciarán along for the ride! 👶🏻 www.publicfirst.co.uk/wp-content/u...

My husband is going to laugh if he ever sees I posted this, but one unexpected thing since moving back to Reading - the buses are good! Our town ranks in the top ten for bus passenger satisfaction. 👇

Bleak. And against a backdrop of a rise in the number of young people who are NEET.

📢 The Maths Horizons Project interim findings are in. It’s been a privilege to collaborate with brilliant maths specialists and educators as part of the Project’s Executive Group.👇

📖 Cheer yourself up this #BlueMonday by reading @aliceeardley.bsky.social’s piece in @feweek.bsky.social which sets out @getfurther.bsky.social’s optimistic vision for post-16 English and maths education. #loveourcolleges #gcseresits #furthereducation #curriculum #assessment #educationpolicy

Briefly breaking mat leave to reshare the fantastic news from the @getfurther.bsky.social team that Professor Jason Arday has joined the charity as its new Patron.

✨ Lovely to wrap up 2024 with hearing some amazing news! ✨ Huge congratulations to Fiona Morey, trustee at @getfurther.bsky.social & Exec Principal at South Bank Colleges, on being awarded an OBE! 🎉 Fiona has unwavering dedication to learners in FE. This recognition is so well deserved. 👏

Last week, the OECD Adult Skills Survey reported major improvements in the literacy & numeracy of England's young adults. In @feweek.bsky.social, @sarahjwaite.bsky.social explores the policies leading to this, the vital role FE played & how we can keep driving up skills. Link in the thread below 👇

🚨 My final article before heading off on maternity leave is out! 📚 I reflect on the OECD adult skills survey findings and what they reveal about two decades of education policy reforms. A quick thread: 🧵 📖 feweek.co.uk/we-must-secu...

👇Taking place right now - join us on your lunch break to hear how competitive England compares to other countries when it comes to literacy and numeracy skills 🤓 #PIAAC #educationpolicy

💻 Join @learnworkuk.bsky.social’s online event today exploring the latest findings on international skills. I’m speaking about why the results for young people in England are one of the eye-catching headlines - and what this tells us about education policy changes over the past 10-20 years.

📰 Read my piece in FE Week on why @getfurther.bsky.social’s trial with the EEF has the potential to pave the way for additional funding for #furthereducation - and why we need the help of colleges to make this a reality. #loveourcolleges feweek.co.uk/our-new-tria...

This is so good to see. @getfurther.bsky.social is exactly the sort of credible organisation we need in FE, and exactly the sort of recognition we need from the Education Endowment Foundation. Well done @sarahjwaite.bsky.social & team

This is great news. Really important area (helping young people with English & maths), a great programme, and set up to give robust results. We need more of this sort of thing.

I’m thrilled to announce that in the next academic year we’ll be partnering with the EEF and University of Warwick to deliver a landmark Randomised Control Trial evaluating the effectiveness of @getfurther.bsky.social’s Resits Tuition Programme in further education.1/4 feweek.co.uk/eef-splashes...

ASCL’s CAR response references the “forgotten third”. But today, 84% of 19-year-olds hold a standard pass at GCSE and 81% for maths. If we include 16-19 education, the forgotten third is not a third… Important that the Association of School AND College Leaders does not forget the work of colleges.

This is remarkable really. I worry that post-pandemic, the gap will have emerged again - but a phenomenal achievement that state schools were actually outperforming private schools in English, maths and science right up to when the pandemic hit.

Please welcome (and follow) my lovely @getfurther.bsky.social colleagues to BlueSky, @connielawfull.bsky.social and @winter-jasmine.bsky.social 👋

3. Better news on young people. 1 in 3 without Level 2 English & maths at 16 now have it at 19. That's tripled over last decade. But still need to do better, improve support & avoid exam treadmill. @sarahjwaite.bsky.social doing great work on this.

Hello, Bluesky! 👋 If you don't know us, we’re a charity founded by @sarahjwaite.bsky.social that exists to support FE students from disadvantaged backgrounds to secure English & maths qualifications that unlock opportunities. We look forward to connecting with the #furthereducation community here.

Welcome @getfurther.bsky.social to BlueSky. Follow to find out more about our charity and our plans to partner with FE providers to drive up pass rates in post-16 English and maths.

Good starter pack for those interested in Further Education. 👇

I’ve always thought that maths is a pretty special subject. But I also love this piece by @daisychristo.bsky.social who rightly highlights concerns behind the decline of English literature, what is (and isn’t) underpinning it, and why it’s not irrational if some students choose maths instead.

This is a great list for my primary area of (work) interest - Further Education. Thanks @sarahjwaite.bsky.social for this helpful Starter Pack #FurtherEducation #FE #Colleges #TrainingProviders #Apprenticeships go.bsky.app/6ESkNFf

As the community migrates over, I thought I’d create a #furthereducation starter pack to help people connect with those who post about FE and skills practice and policy. Let me know if you’d like to be added 👉 go.bsky.app/6ESkNFf #loveourcolleges

It was amazing to launch Get Further’s new strategy yesterday evening in the House of Commons. Thank you to everyone involved in developing our strategy - which sets out our ambitious and bold vision for the next five years. You can read this here 👉 getfurther.org.uk/wp-content/u...

Another day, another research report highlighting that low prior attainment is the significant barrier preventing progression to level 3 courses - this time highlighting the barrier to STEM for disadvantaged young people. 100% agree with calls for a 16-19 Student Premium. epi.org.uk/publications...

I’m thrilled to be joining the Exec Group of the new @mathshorizons.bsky.social project. The project involves a rapid review of maths curriculum & assessment, intended to feed into the Francis Review. I will champion the needs of further education students. Read more 👉 feweek.co.uk/event-horizo...

This is a great report by NFER highlighting the colossal pay gap between school & college teachers. Not only does this affect vocational courses, but also cross-sector subjects like English & maths. Colleges find it impossible to compete for teachers, harming education www.nfer.ac.uk/press-releas...

Yesterday in the House of Commons, fair pay for college teachers was mentioned not once, but twice! Munira Wilson MP and Ellie Chowns MP stood up for college teachers, raising the urgent issue of their exclusion from the recent teacher pay rise. #loveourcolleges

There's a fair bit of negativity about #GCSEresits today. So, I thought I'd share some of the texts that we're receiving from students who retook these qualifications in further education (with the support of their colleges and a Get Further tutor):