Darren Hankey
@darrenhankey.bsky.social
Principal of the underfunded, overlooked, undervalued yet marvellous Hartlepool College of FE. Raised on a council estate & FSM throughout school.
Reposted by Darren Hankey
🧵 New ONS data reveals another increase to NEET rates—especially for young women and those aged 21–24. I'm making my first foray on Bluesky to share my thoughts! The stats show 948,000 young people in the UK are not in education, employment or training (NEET). That’s 12.8% of all 16–24 year olds.
August 21, 2025 at 11:01 AM
🧵 New ONS data reveals another increase to NEET rates—especially for young women and those aged 21–24. I'm making my first foray on Bluesky to share my thoughts! The stats show 948,000 young people in the UK are not in education, employment or training (NEET). That’s 12.8% of all 16–24 year olds.
Other results are also available.
August 21, 2025 at 10:09 AM
Other results are also available.
I know lots of results are being collected today, but it's great to see adult learners achieve GCSE English and/or maths. Nearly all of these learners studied whilst juggling work, family & other commitments, & many had deep hang-ups re starting last September.
Well played 👏👏👏
Well played 👏👏👏
August 21, 2025 at 10:04 AM
I know lots of results are being collected today, but it's great to see adult learners achieve GCSE English and/or maths. Nearly all of these learners studied whilst juggling work, family & other commitments, & many had deep hang-ups re starting last September.
Well played 👏👏👏
Well played 👏👏👏
Reposted by Darren Hankey
If any legal firm wants to set up a fundraiser to sue Robinson for libel on behalf of Ayeni I will happily contribute. (Assuming he wants to sue).
'Robinson' should be fucking jailed for this.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...
Family in fear after Tommy Robinson shares video of black man with white granddaughters
Exclusive: Olajuwon Ayeni racially abused and falsely labelled a paedophile as far right weaponises clip of family in park
www.theguardian.com
August 20, 2025 at 10:18 AM
If any legal firm wants to set up a fundraiser to sue Robinson for libel on behalf of Ayeni I will happily contribute. (Assuming he wants to sue).
Reposted by Darren Hankey
Clear pattern emerging: impact of new taxes on private schools, non-doms and large farms is far smaller than typically suggested. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
UK tax data reportedly suggests claims of non-dom exodus overblown
HMRC figures appear to indicate departure of high net worth people is in line with OBR predictions, report says
www.theguardian.com
August 14, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Clear pattern emerging: impact of new taxes on private schools, non-doms and large farms is far smaller than typically suggested. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
He's been! He's been!
August 14, 2025 at 1:12 PM
He's been! He's been!
Reposted by Darren Hankey
If you’ve been following @noblefrancis.bsky.social this won’t come as a surprise.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Thousands more construction workers needed to meet housing targets
BBC London speaks to various construction industry workers to find out what challenges they face.
www.bbc.co.uk
August 11, 2025 at 12:54 PM
If you’ve been following @noblefrancis.bsky.social this won’t come as a surprise.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
It's also a national disgrace that many of these young people go to their local FE college and become brickies, chippies, sparkies, designers, engineers, platers, welders, hairdressers, carers etc and these achievements don't get the recognition they deserve.
August 11, 2025 at 1:03 PM
It's also a national disgrace that many of these young people go to their local FE college and become brickies, chippies, sparkies, designers, engineers, platers, welders, hairdressers, carers etc and these achievements don't get the recognition they deserve.
Reposted by Darren Hankey
if I ever go properly "screaming about nothing in particular in the street" mad it will be due to having spent too much time having read about the opinions of men who have absolutely never cared about women's rights for one moment in their lives but decided to pretend just for the sake of racism
The Mail on Sunday: TOP TORY'S FEARS FOR DAUGHTERS OVER BOAT MIGRANTS #TomorrowsPapersToday
August 9, 2025 at 10:01 PM
if I ever go properly "screaming about nothing in particular in the street" mad it will be due to having spent too much time having read about the opinions of men who have absolutely never cared about women's rights for one moment in their lives but decided to pretend just for the sake of racism
Reposted by Darren Hankey
New post just out:
"The Great VAT Panic"
The claims made by the right-wing press about VAT on private school fees were wildly wrong.
Why? What are the lessons about about (how not to) run a lobbying campaign? And what can government learn?
(£/free)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
"The Great VAT Panic"
The claims made by the right-wing press about VAT on private school fees were wildly wrong.
Why? What are the lessons about about (how not to) run a lobbying campaign? And what can government learn?
(£/free)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
The Great VAT Panic
Or how not to run a campaign
open.substack.com
August 9, 2025 at 8:02 AM
New post just out:
"The Great VAT Panic"
The claims made by the right-wing press about VAT on private school fees were wildly wrong.
Why? What are the lessons about about (how not to) run a lobbying campaign? And what can government learn?
(£/free)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
"The Great VAT Panic"
The claims made by the right-wing press about VAT on private school fees were wildly wrong.
Why? What are the lessons about about (how not to) run a lobbying campaign? And what can government learn?
(£/free)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
Reposted by Darren Hankey
ASCL FE Advisory Board member, Principal and CEO @darrenhankey.bsky.social writes in Leader on the challenges colleges face trying to deliver qualifications to young people under the current financial constraints of a severely neglected sector: (member log in required): ow.ly/oWCx50WlHhB!
August 8, 2025 at 9:03 AM
ASCL FE Advisory Board member, Principal and CEO @darrenhankey.bsky.social writes in Leader on the challenges colleges face trying to deliver qualifications to young people under the current financial constraints of a severely neglected sector: (member log in required): ow.ly/oWCx50WlHhB!
Reposted by Darren Hankey
There’s an emerging sense of scandal around the children’s homes company Dimensions Care, which is owned by financial investors. Overlooked by national media, thus far…
www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventr...
www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventr...
Child living at Coventry care facility 'drugged and sexually assaulted'
It was one of many concerning incidents revealed by Ofsted
www.coventrytelegraph.net
August 7, 2025 at 2:32 PM
There’s an emerging sense of scandal around the children’s homes company Dimensions Care, which is owned by financial investors. Overlooked by national media, thus far…
www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventr...
www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventr...
Reposted by Darren Hankey
In case you were wondering, that sound you can hear is the scraping of deckchairs as they are frantically rearranged at Ofsted towers.
Missed this from Guardian a few day…
Apparently leaked Ofsted docs give new grade names for the new framework.
Strong will become ‘strong standard’ and secure will become ‘expected standard’
After all having strong and standard pass grades has worked so well… 👀 🤦🏼♀️
Apparently leaked Ofsted docs give new grade names for the new framework.
Strong will become ‘strong standard’ and secure will become ‘expected standard’
After all having strong and standard pass grades has worked so well… 👀 🤦🏼♀️
August 6, 2025 at 3:41 PM
In case you were wondering, that sound you can hear is the scraping of deckchairs as they are frantically rearranged at Ofsted towers.
Next Thursday sees the release of this year's level 3 results. Let's see how many folk, who should really know better, omit recognising the achievements of 000s of people who achieve vocational/technical qualifications 👀
August 7, 2025 at 7:38 AM
Next Thursday sees the release of this year's level 3 results. Let's see how many folk, who should really know better, omit recognising the achievements of 000s of people who achieve vocational/technical qualifications 👀
Reposted by Darren Hankey
Many of our focus group participants stated difficulties accessing the flexibility they require at work, and instead turn to non-traditional forms of work, including zero-hours contracts and self-employment.
But this comes with drawbacks - particularly the lack of employment rights.
But this comes with drawbacks - particularly the lack of employment rights.
![Quote from focus group participant “Yeah, I get flexibility [with my hours]. But the thing is, I don’t really get like extra
benefits. I don’t get no annual leave, I don’t, I don’t get sick pay, so if I’m unwell, I’ll
have to just have unpaid leave. So I don’t really get the benefits that full-time workers
do, so it’s not really the best for me at the moment.”
(Self-employed participant caring for disabled parent and two children](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:v2gvr3pl2uwqxues3xqs7ycj/bafkreici6cs5ovtu3kdvipj5jxbrpd2hys7c77d3k4zb57fnecnjbhvyly@jpeg)
August 5, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Many of our focus group participants stated difficulties accessing the flexibility they require at work, and instead turn to non-traditional forms of work, including zero-hours contracts and self-employment.
But this comes with drawbacks - particularly the lack of employment rights.
But this comes with drawbacks - particularly the lack of employment rights.
"The UK starts from a low baseline: we have some of the weakest worker protections in the OECD."
Millions of workers experience the problems associated with insecure work.
This includes 1.1 million workers on low pay.
Read more: buff.ly/0OSArrI
This includes 1.1 million workers on low pay.
Read more: buff.ly/0OSArrI
August 5, 2025 at 2:50 PM
"The UK starts from a low baseline: we have some of the weakest worker protections in the OECD."
Reposted by Darren Hankey
LET IT FLOW!
Farage spreading lies again as sewage problem escalates. Here's today's @thenorthernagenda.bsky.social cartoon...
www.shareyourstories.live/northern-agenda/
Farage spreading lies again as sewage problem escalates. Here's today's @thenorthernagenda.bsky.social cartoon...
www.shareyourstories.live/northern-agenda/
July 25, 2025 at 11:08 AM
LET IT FLOW!
Farage spreading lies again as sewage problem escalates. Here's today's @thenorthernagenda.bsky.social cartoon...
www.shareyourstories.live/northern-agenda/
Farage spreading lies again as sewage problem escalates. Here's today's @thenorthernagenda.bsky.social cartoon...
www.shareyourstories.live/northern-agenda/
Reposted by Darren Hankey
UK vehicle manufactures have fallen to the lowest level since 1953 reports BBC and Guardian. Lots of stuff on Trump tariffs and EVs. Yet, looking at the data the dramatic rupture seems to be in 2016. A total mystery what that was....
July 24, 2025 at 5:54 AM
UK vehicle manufactures have fallen to the lowest level since 1953 reports BBC and Guardian. Lots of stuff on Trump tariffs and EVs. Yet, looking at the data the dramatic rupture seems to be in 2016. A total mystery what that was....
I can understand the American President's anger at South Park. I was a novice teacher when this chap was introduced to our screens.
IYKYK
IYKYK
July 24, 2025 at 7:15 PM
I can understand the American President's anger at South Park. I was a novice teacher when this chap was introduced to our screens.
IYKYK
IYKYK
Reposted by Darren Hankey
Indeed. Something we reflected on in this recent report. learningandwork.org.uk/resources/re...
Learning the lessons: Understanding the history of adult learning and skills
learningandwork.org.uk
July 24, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Indeed. Something we reflected on in this recent report. learningandwork.org.uk/resources/re...
For decades, skills policy has focused on supply-side issues with tweaks to qualifications, structures & targets dominating.
The demand for, utilisation of and investment in skills rarely get a mention 👇
The demand for, utilisation of and investment in skills rarely get a mention 👇
"The UK is systemically underinvesting in learning and skills, holding back productivity and opportunity. That needs to change."
✍️ L&W chief exec @stephenevans.bsky.social responds to the latest skills survey data from the Department for Education.
✍️ L&W chief exec @stephenevans.bsky.social responds to the latest skills survey data from the Department for Education.
Responding to the latest skills survey data from the Department for Education
learningandwork.org.uk
July 24, 2025 at 5:30 PM
For decades, skills policy has focused on supply-side issues with tweaks to qualifications, structures & targets dominating.
The demand for, utilisation of and investment in skills rarely get a mention 👇
The demand for, utilisation of and investment in skills rarely get a mention 👇
Reposted by Darren Hankey
Whatever the merits of the policy on information on work checks, this seems ill-judged and inappropriate messagimg & imagery from the UK government.
July 23, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Whatever the merits of the policy on information on work checks, this seems ill-judged and inappropriate messagimg & imagery from the UK government.
Not great and in addition to the 23k who lost jobs in FE between 2010-17.
Last week I was wondering how many jobs in HE are currently being cut (despite ever increasing research, teaching, and admin workloads). Well an article in THE says around 20,000 (paywalled I think) www.timeshighereducation.com/news/uk-univ...
UK university job cuts put at 20,000 after full impact ‘hidden’
Number of roles affected could be almost double previous estimates when voluntary schemes and hiring freezes factored in, say researchers
www.timeshighereducation.com
July 23, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Not great and in addition to the 23k who lost jobs in FE between 2010-17.
Reposted by Darren Hankey
I'm not convinced Allison has ever met the British Army. The officers are generally somewhere on the political spectrum between James Cleverly and Dan Jarvis. It would end up being the first ever centrist coup*.
July 23, 2025 at 12:06 PM
I'm not convinced Allison has ever met the British Army. The officers are generally somewhere on the political spectrum between James Cleverly and Dan Jarvis. It would end up being the first ever centrist coup*.
Some interesting stuff.
A new IPR report by researchers from @uniofbath.bsky.social, @edgeuk.bsky.social and FFT Education Datalab, funded by @nuffieldfoundation.org, examines the Raising of the Participation Age, which aims to keep more young people in #education and training. buff.ly/ZlD5aER 🧵
July 23, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Some interesting stuff.