OBR talk about the wider issue in recent fiscal risk report but have forgotten about those not covered. Like a stealth tax. Private schools allowed to exit TPS for new staff with no penalty. Post 92 unis trapped. State schools and colleges have higher employment oncosts but higher funding

Employer contribution costs across
all public sector pension schemes (NHS, civil service, TPS etc) rose by a total of £5.6 billion in 2024.5 with HMT providing a nearly equivalent amoumt to cover the extra costs (incl schools and colleges) but they missed out unis and private schools.

Accounting officer of a college has responsibilities set out in funding agremeent (see 2024-5 version) and was in this case (as is normal) a governor

Still run by Capita. Shifts to Tara this autumn

Can you imagine our party leaders doing a joint inquest - an hour after the exit poll drops - in roundtable format!
www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...

It’s a sorry story but there was a fight back against the bad trustees in early November

www.idahoednews.org/top-news/nic...

Definitely worth a listen. Demographic change drives lots of other issues. This note from ONS has a good explanation of the UK numbers

www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopula...

Chancellors wave through tax reliefs with much less scrutiny than they give to spending programmes. NI exemption for under 21s dates back to 2013 in the years when DWP employment and DfE post-16 budgets were being cut year-on-year

I’m not sure there’s any research showing a correlation between in-person taught hours and those post-16 % achievement rates. Or, for that matter, with % participation rates in resits

Possibly. But on the assumption that the funding stick worked, DfE now making it bigger for 2025-6, a year where below-inflation 16-18 funding increase is likely

There's definitely scope for more planning of specialist provision, particularly for growth sectors. Especially if there's any funding to support

MCAs (or is it MSAs) have a lot to contribute to education but I’m not sure anyone has worked through implications of devolving 16-19 FE budgets if DfE continued to fund 16-19 sixth forms. Where would line be drawn? By institution or subject? How to avoid duplication or destabilising competition?

Some people state confidently that the stick (the condition of funding) secured the English and maths progress between 16 and 18 but maybe it was the sustained management attention, increased support for teachers

4/4. AoC comment notes that DfE ministers promise a more coordinated / less fragmented post 16 education system. There’s a DfE vision statement on its way. Possible role for strategic authorities in joining things up but only if they cover all publicly funded providers

www.aoc.co.uk/news-campaig...