Blog
2021 Spring Budget – what does it mean for education and skills?
Thursday 04 Mar 2021
Realism was the leading theme ahead of yesterday’s budget announcement, paving the way for some unpopular decisions as we try to find a way through the financial impact of the pandemic.
Join us at the FED National Education Summit
Monday 22 Feb 2021
NCFE is supporting the Foundation for Education Development (FED) to explore how a long-term plan for education is needed for our country at a virtual National Education Summit on 1 - 4 March.
National Apprenticeship Week Anna Morrison Amazing Apprenticeships
Wednesday 10 Feb 2021
Anna Morrison, founder and director of Amazing Apprenticeships, looks at the ways in which employers can promote inclusivity and a diversity through their apprenticeship programmes with top tips for inclusive recruitment practices.
The importance of formative assessment
Friday 29 Jan 2021
We now know that vocational exams that were due to take place in February and March will be cancelled for learners. With the current Ofqual consultation looking at alternative ways to assess and award grades this year.
Skills for Jobs White Paper - summary and media coverage
Tuesday 26 Jan 2021
The government published the long-awaited Skills for Jobs White Paper. Described as FE’s ‘day in the sun’, the paper shines a light on the national training landscape and provides some much-needed reassurance amid the Covid-19 crisis.
Keeping motivated during lockdown
Friday 22 Jan 2021
Research from The Health Foundation in December 2020, showed that the most common issues affecting wellbeing during the pandemic were worry about the future (63%), feeling stressed or anxious (56%) and feeling bored (49%).
Blue Monday: Practical mental health solutions
Monday 18 Jan 2021
Practical support for educators to support students' mental health from CACHE including free guides, resources, supporting qualifications and more.
Innovative tutoring app, Peer Tutor offers parents and their children an education lifeline with affordable 121 tuition
Tuesday 15 Dec 2020
Peer Tutor, an innovative peer-to-peer learning app, is providing crucial support and helping students to catch up on missed learning. We hear from Sacha who explains how Peer Tutor has helped her daughter Lucy rebuild her knowledge and confidence.
A ‘career’ in the Community and Voluntary Sector, really?
Tuesday 15 Dec 2020
The Community and Voluntary Sector (CVS) is probably better known as a route for people to volunteer, perhaps as a way to ‘give back’ at the end of a career, than as a provider of formative or developmental career opportunities.
Supporting learners to succeed during the pandemic
Monday 14 Dec 2020
With Further Education colleges closed during lockdown and intermittently afterwards due to coronavirus cases in some classrooms, educators have needed to manage these disruptions to ensure that their learners don’t miss out on vital learning.
Spending Review – what does this mean for education?
Friday 27 Nov 2020
Chancellor Rishi Sunak delivered the Spending Review on 25 November 2020. A one year settlement was provided, a change from the original plan to set budgets for the next three years, in light of the uncertainty to public finances caused by Covid-19. Below is a breakdown of key announcements and what we know so far.
The importance of the ‘College of the Future’ report to the future of FE in England
Wednesday 28 Oct 2020
Inspirational college learner uses our qualification to progress on to university
Wednesday 14 Oct 2020
17-year-old Emma Noble, a student from Ullswater Community College, was nominated in our 2020 Aspiration Awards for her motivation and effort during her studies and has since progressed to Higher Education.
Inspirational teacher receives record breaking number of nominations in prestigious awards
Wednesday 14 Oct 2020
Julia Chaplin, a tutor at Brooklands College, received an impressive number of nominations in our 2020 Aspiration Awards in the Tutor of the Year category. The award recognises educators who have gone over and above to support their learners and receiving such a high number of nominations shows Julia has certainly left her mark on those she teaches.
Dedicated college student progresses through further education with the help of our qualification
Wednesday 14 Oct 2020
Originally enrolled onto his Level 2 Diploma for the Early Years Practitioner qualification as a late starter, Raja wasn’t going to let that stop him from achieving his goals. He was soon known by all learners and tutors within the college because of his friendly and considerate personality.
Newly qualified tutor supports learners to achieve 100% attendance during lockdown
Wednesday 14 Oct 2020
Sharon Chatyoka, a Health and Social Care lecturer at Berkshire College of Agriculture, was nominated in our 2020 Aspiration Awards for the dedication and impact she demonstrates through her teaching.
NCFE joins forces with Northumbria Police to tackle hate crime in the North East
Tuesday 13 Oct 2020
NCFE has joined forces with Northumbria Police to put a stop to hate crime in the North East by launching internal Hate Crime Champions.
Blended learning to achieve success
Thursday 08 Oct 2020
Although blended learning isn't a new term, it's certainly more prevalent now, as the sector’s response to Covid-19 forced education to swiftly adjust to using technology to support learning from home, in a way that was never envisaged before.
UK’s young people in crisis with only 18% positive about future career prospects
Tuesday 06 Oct 2020
Highlighting the importance of lifelong learning at work
Monday 05 Oct 2020
Following Boris Johnson’s pledge to support further education, businesses gear up to celebrate Learning at Work Week 2020. Employers and individuals across the country are gearing up to celebrate the benefits of lifelong learning as ‘Learning at Work Week’ returns!
A way to wellness with NCFE health and fitness qualifications
Friday 25 Sep 2020
Amy achieved her dream of becoming a PT by studying NCFE qualifications in health and fitness. Amy now helps women achieve their own individual fitness goals through one to one training sessions at her North East home.
No support for FE and training in Sunak’s Winter Economic Plan
Friday 25 Sep 2020
Yesterday, Chancellor Rishi Sunak outlined his “Winter Economic Plan” for supporting the business community through the second wave of Coronavirus.
Message from Gillian Keegan, Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills
Thursday 17 Sep 2020
I’m delighted to share the news that the first T Level students are starting their courses this month.
Speed read: Top 5 takeaways from “Taking decisive action on youth employment”
Wednesday 16 Sep 2020
Here are the top 5 takeaways to help you quickly understand why we are launching our ‘go the distance’ initiative, what impact it will have, and how you can get involved.
Why choose NCFE for your school?
Friday 04 Sep 2020
We will support you to develop an enhanced curriculum, so every one of your learners can reach their full potential, whatever that looks like to them.
Adapting to the new normal - supporting apprentices through COVID-19
Tuesday 21 Jul 2020
EPA Plus has been responding quickly to the changing situation presented by COVID-19 to meet the needs of providers, employers and apprentices, and we’d like to share the results of this.
Team Leader apprentice successfully completes end-point assessment with EPA Plus
Wednesday 15 Jul 2020
Tony Rossiter has successfully completed end-point assessment for the Level 3 Team Leader/Supervisor apprenticeship standard. Tony works as a Senior Engineering Change Coordinator and decided to do the Team Leader/Supervisor apprenticeship at a later stage in his career because he wanted to test and demonstrate his skills in effective leadership and management.
Bold action from the Chancellor – but more is needed
Monday 13 Jul 2020
Michael Lemin, Senior Policy Specialist at NCFE, unpacks the detail of the Chancellor’s economic statement, including the positive commitments made to youth employability
Revolutionary Forces discussion paper – top takeaways
Friday 10 Jul 2020
In our recent discussion paper published in partnership with Campaign for Learning, a host of experts from across the FE, labour market economics, employment and mental health sectors explored the revolutionary forces facing the UK economy.
Adapting delivery methods following COVID-19 – what does the future hold?
Tuesday 07 Jul 2020
Learning Curve Group takes a look at the impact that COVID-19 has had on education and what this means for the future of the sector.
The FE sector needs the revolutionary post-16 white paper that has been promised now more than ever
Monday 06 Jul 2020
A paper published today by NCFE and our friends at Campaign for Learning is urging the Government to ensure that the plans outlined in the forthcoming post-16 white paper are sufficiently flexible to meet the immense changes facing the UK economy.
Adapting to the new normal - supporting staff
Tuesday 30 Jun 2020
COVID-19 has had a substantial impact on education in recent months. While we may not understand the true extent of these changes on the future of the sector, it’s critical we start forward planning, so you and your colleagues feel prepared and supported for what’s to come.
Adapting to the new normal - supporting learners
Tuesday 30 Jun 2020
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a great deal of disruption to learning, the impact of which will be felt long into the next academic year and possibly beyond.
Vocational qualifications improve your learners’ employability skills
Friday 26 Jun 2020
Ensuring young people leave their formal education ready for the workplace is a difficult task but one which providers have been challenged to deliver on as part of their careers education and commitment to employability skills.
The charities working hard to make education equal for all
Tuesday 23 Jun 2020
This pride season, we wanted to highlight the work of fellow charities who are doing amazing things in the sector to make education inclusive for students, teachers, tutors, parents and carers. We believe that education is for everyone and the more diverse we can make this space, the more we can learn and the richer our experiences will be for it.
Learning at Work Week takes to the air for 2020
Friday 22 May 2020
Employers across the UK are being invited to take part in a first-of-its-kind virtual learning event this week as Learning at Work Week returns, but with a few twists!
How to engage learners while working remotely
Thursday 14 May 2020
Keeping learners engaged while working remotely has been a key challenge for the education sector during this enforced period of lockdown.
Supporting Mental Health Awareness Week – raising awareness, encouraging conversations and showing a little kindness
Monday 11 May 2020
Once again, CACHE is getting involved in this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week, an annual campaign hosted by the Mental Health Foundation.
Addressing the impact of COVID-19 on post-16 education
Thursday 16 Apr 2020
In light of the ongoing situation with COVID-19, there has been a great deal of disruption across the education sector at all levels, the impact of which will be felt long into the next academic year and possibly beyond.
Peer Tutor – online peer-to-peer support for your learners
Wednesday 08 Apr 2020
With the current COVID-19 outbreak causing uncertainty and unease across the globe and schools closed until further notice, Peer Tutor will ensure your students can continue to receive academic support and develop their knowledge from home
Managing stress inside and outside of the learning environment
Tuesday 31 Mar 2020
All of us experience some form of stress during our lives, some more regularly than others depending on our job, our day-to-day responsibilities, what’s going on in our personal lives and how we each cope with the situations we find ourselves in.
The importance of digital literacy to the future workforce
Monday 23 Mar 2020
A commonly held belief is that people who have grown up in the midst of the technological revolution don’t require formalised digital literacy skills support. However, is this really the case?
Tops tips for going green in the classroom
Wednesday 18 Mar 2020
The younger generation are more socially and environmentally aware than ever, and it seems we’re constantly being reminded about the effects our actions are having on the world around us and being encouraged to ‘do our bit’.
Encouraging Reflective Learning in the Classroom
Monday 16 Mar 2020
Reflective learning is a form of education where learners purposely and critically evaluate and analyse a learning experience, with a view to using it for self-development and/or learning.
Need for a rethink on vocational FE
Monday 16 Mar 2020
NCFE recently teamed up with Campaign for Learning to launch a new policy paper titled: ‘No 16-18 year old left behind’. FE Policy Analyst, Mick Fletcher, shares his highlights of the paper.
‘Making a Success of the National Skills Fund’ – setting the scene
Tuesday 10 Mar 2020
To help address some of the rising challenges set to impact the economy and labour market throughout the 2020s and beyond, the Conservatives promised in their General Election manifesto to introduce a National Skills Fund from 2021.
Celebrating women in business – International Women’s Day 2020
Friday 06 Mar 2020
We celebrate women’s achievements every day, but as its International Women’s Day, it gives us an excuse to shout about it!
Six ways to boost your CV for career success
Tuesday 03 Mar 2020
Sitting down to write a CV can be a stressful task, especially if it’s your first, but don’t worry! It doesn’t have to be. There are so many different ways you can boost your CV to help you stand out from the crowd and land your dream job.
Prioritise digital literacy in your school to support the future workforce
Friday 28 Feb 2020
The education committee described digital literacy in 2018 as being “crucial to the success of the fourth industrial revolution”.
NCFE and WorldSkills UK announce partnership on new Centre of Excellence project
Thursday 27 Feb 2020
NCFE and WorldSkills UK announce partnership on new Centre of Excellence project
Consulting pupils about RSHE
Monday 24 Feb 2020
Relationships Education, RSE and Health Education (RSHE) will become mandatory in schools across England from September 2020. Creating a curriculum that meets the needs of pupils is vital.
NCFE and NSN announce strategic partnership
Monday 24 Feb 2020
Educational services charity, NCFE, has announced a new strategic partnership with The Northern Skills Network (NSN).
Education and skills charity named one of the Best Not–For–Profit Organisations to Work For
Monday 24 Feb 2020
National awarding organisation and education and skills charity, NCFE, has been named one of The Sunday Times 100 Best Not–For–Profit Organisations to Work For.
Withdrawal of government funding for low volume qualifications
Friday 14 Feb 2020
The Government has issued further information on the withdrawal of funding approval from qualifications with low and no publicly funded enrolments, as part of the Level 3 and below review.
Innovative new mobile app is revolutionising access to tutoring
Tuesday 11 Feb 2020
The mobile app has been designed to create equal access to learning and provide a low cost, high quality alternative to traditional private tutoring.
NCFE qualification endorsed by top Business Travel Management company
Tuesday 11 Feb 2020
NCFE’s recently developed Level 3 Award in Business Travel has been endorsed by several business travel experts, including Clarity, part of the Portman Travel Group, which includes Elegant Resorts and If Only.
‘No 16-18 year old left behind’ – key takeaways
Tuesday 11 Feb 2020
NCFE recently teamed up with Campaign For Learning to launch a new policy paper titled: ‘No 16-18 year old left behind’.
Key ways to address online safety
Friday 07 Feb 2020
NCFE takes a look at how to ensure the online safety of children and teenagers and the dangers that teachers, parents and carers should be aware of and how you can educate young people during Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) lessons.
No 16-18 year old left behind
Thursday 06 Feb 2020
Two of the UK’s leading educational charities, NCFE and Campaign for Learning, have come together to query exactly that in their new pamphlet, titled ‘No 16-18 Year Old Left Behind’.
My apprenticeship journey – celebrating #NAW2020 with YourCode Group
Monday 03 Feb 2020
All this week (3-7 February), NCFE is celebrating National Apprenticeship Week. To mark the occasion, we reached out to some of our friends in the business community to find out about their own apprenticeship experiences.
NCFE qualification supports learners’ aspirations for career in Interactive Media
Monday 03 Feb 2020
Interactive Media students at Gillingham School in Dorset set their sights on careers in the Media and IT industries. Studying the Level 2 Technical Award in Interactive Media, the learners have gained valuable vocational skills that can be used in their future.
Press releases, editorials and blogs
Have we got news for you! You can access our full bank of recent press releases, comment pieces and editorials all in one place. From partnerships and launches, to thought pieces on hot topics in the sector - the rise of digital, the role we play in social mobility, the changing labour market, a post Covid-19 education landscape and much more.
We also publish weekly blogs, keeping you up to date on the latest news within the education sector and beyond. Hear from a range of experts within the organisation, from our Senior Policy Specialists and Sector Specialists to our Chief Executive, as we unpick the issues that you care about the most. We also feature a range of guest bloggers from schools, colleges, training providers, the world of policy, and from industry.
Our brand
How we connect with people through our brand is essential to who we are and what we do. With this in mind, it’s important that our brand is applied correctly and consistently for the clarity of the organisations that we work with, as well as the learners completing our qualifications.
How to use our logos – this document was put together for our customers to give clear guidance on how to use our logos on both your printed and online materials.
Logos – If you’re an approved centre or partner of ours, we would be delighted if you would like to use our logo to showcase the fact that we are working together! To access our logos, simply email [email protected], stating your centre name and number as well as the logo that you require in line with what your centre is delivering (NCFE, CACHE, Accreditation & Employer Services, EPA Plus, Skills Forward). Please note, that if you stop working with us, we ask that you remove any logos or references to NCFE and its business units from your website and all collateral. This is to avoid confusion for learners about the qualifications and services that you are delivering.
Media contacts and information
- For more information about NCFE, our core purpose, our history and our future, please visit https://www.ncfe.org.uk/about-ncfe
- For all media enquiries, please contact Lindsay Plumpton, Marketing Operations Manager, with your request and she’ll get back to you as soon as possible. You can reach Lindsay at [email protected]