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Think Further - thought leadership in FE

Think Further offers a platform for the FE sector to provide thought leadership. It brings together research-led think pieces and blogs deeply steeped in experience and expertise of the further education and skills sector. Its authors are true thought leaders – from college principals, to staff breaking new ground in FE institutions, to leading academics and the sector’s closest partners. It is run by AoC in partnership with NCFE.

Educational improvement is a shared endeavour - Martin Hoskin

Beyond play – the rise of esports in shaping future education - Lliam Dickinson

Why an environment where people are accepted for who they are allows them to be their best - Mark Malcomson

Why we need to consider colleges as sites of intersectionality - Palvinder Singh

Why college art spaces need to be protected - Evan Wood

Let’s move beyond mindset and aim for small successes - Rachel Arnold

New conditions of funding will hit students and colleges – and government has failed to see that - Cath Sezen

How to extend Black History Month throughout the year - Ellisha Soanes

How can we say multiculturalism has failed when we struggle to explain what it is? - Arv Kaushal

Investing in our mental ‘wealth’ through physical activity - Hayley Jarvis

So many of us feel it – but can we beat imposter syndrome? - Rachel Whitton

Why education and democracy is as relevant today as it has always been - Robin Webber-Jones

Anchors Away – defining the role of our colleges 2023 and beyond - Lisa Capper

Is there still an appetite for ‘mastery’ qualifications? - Paul Newton

The role of debate in agriculture - Catherine Lloyd

Why we are re-imagining social action and embedding it in our college culture - Dr Sam Parrett CBE

What’s it all about, FE? - Ian Pryce

Building resilience: navigating the early career landscape in further education - Stephanie Marshall-Whitley

Can lesson observation be a tool for improvement, rather than just accountability? - Chris Morris

Qualification reform – keeping the eye on the ball - Catherine Sezen

Why I believe there is a problem with social mobility - Laura Kayes

Race, racism and the FE sector - Professor Kevin Orr

Why empathy is the missing link - Rachel Arnold

What are we educating for? - Gary Husband

What I learned from leading in times of disaster - Mark Malcomson

How my college is supporting me through the menopause - Rachel Whitton

Is the journey I took now a lost path through education? - Caroline Dunstan

Is it time to abandon entry criteria? - Ian Pryce CBE

VAT in FE: Why something is just not quite adding up - Gerry McDonald

Why a lack of trust is a key issue in further education - Katie Stafford

Freedom to teach: Why it is time to properly empower educators - Jackie Rossa

Time to talk about the menopause – and to actively support those going through it - Sian Mantovani

Why Ofsted’s one-word reviews are so 1970s - Lee Parker

Why storytelling can be a powerful tool in your arsenal - Tom Mudd

Engaging with Research as a Further Education Practitioner - Laura Kayes

Why we need to focus on growing non-technical skills as much as technical ones - Lynette Leith

When we look at the quality of education, might “good” be good enough? - Martin Hoskin

Why we are too focused on supply side solutions to demand led problems - James Staniforth

Could volunteering and social action be a solution to our skills issues? - Dr Sam Parrett CBE

How the legacy of the FEPDG might just ensure Cinderella shall go to the ball - Karen Anderton

How we counter shame among our dyslexic learners - Phill Ruddock

When it comes to racial justice, is the only failure a failure not to act? - Arv Kaushal

Lockdown lessons: Maintain your hybrid teaching skills - Rachel Whitton

Equality vs Equity: Is there a difference? - Sian Mantovani

Lessons from Germany about the challenges of running a college - James Scott

As a black leader I will use my position for change - Natalie Simmonds-Alleyne

Leaders need space today to ponder tomorrow’s big questions - Robin Webber - Jones

Spinning many plates? Find balance in small joys - Dr Lou Mycroft

Assimilation forces us to miss out on essential cultural learnings - Laura Kayes

Why inclusive leadership is critical in the FE sector - Jeff Greenidge

The problem with problem-solving - Catherine Lloyd

Can a more honest ITE curriculum improve teacher retention in FE? - Martin Hoskin

Artificial intelligence can take the grunt work out of admin - Alex Warner

Can adopting a systems leadership approach support the leisure industry and the health of our workforce? - Jo Maher

Role models taught me resilience. Time to repay the favour - Katie Stafford

Why I provided my teaching staff with subsidised counselling support - Gabriella McCormack

It's not easy being green, but it could change your life - Michael Steel

‘My staff got us an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted and I repay them with larger class sizes’ - William Baldwin

Creating a safe space for other peoples' children in colleges - Laura Kayes

We need to develop an appreciation for depreciation - Ian Pryce

Safeguarding your mental health is vital in the age of crisis - Stuart Rimmer

Education: a place where vocational/technical knowledge and skills should be championed - Darren Hankey

‘Maths for all’ is just the start of a debate about the 16-18 curriculum - Eddie Playfair

Drop the failure narrative surrounding English and maths teaching - Dr Alice Eardley

Why we are providing staff with the time and resources to encourage staff to address reflective questions about their practice - Kate Sida-Nicholls

Resit policy sets students up to fail – we need a change - Alex Warner

The Cost of Living Crisis: what does it mean for further and adult education? - Rob Smith

Why I think making colleges public sector is damaging - Ian Pryce

How to create a self-improving system in FE - David Russell

Why cyber-security is never ‘done’ - Dr John Chapman

Leaders must accept their own limits when trying to change the world - Graham Razey

Making hay while the sun shines, context and pedagogy in agriculture - Catherine Lloyd

Tackling the complexity of failure with GCSE resit learners - Rachel Arnold

Tackling disadvantage in FE: reversing the narrative of failure - Dr Sam Parrett CBE

Trust teachers to set their own training needs - Martin Hoskin

Growing up poor: I never felt lacking, I felt misunderstood - Laura Kayes

How colleges can grow the economy - Neale Gardiner

Decolonising Curriculum - Sam Perkins

How to lose an apprentice in 10 ways - Ian Pryce CBE

How senior leadership teams can become culturally competent - Arv Kaushal

We need a new vocabulary for inclusivity - Sian Mantovani

Paying Attention to Joyful Practice - Dr Lou Mycroft

What role do colleges play in tackling societal inequality? - Neale Gardiner

Addressing racial inequalities in FE - Suki Dhesi

How to fix disadvantage funding - David Holloway

Normal service is resumed? Assessment in FE contexts - Mary Richardson

What’s with the 'Stockholm syndrome?' - Ian Pryce CBE

Apprenticeship levy funds should be ringfenced for young people - Kathleen Henehan

Why colleges should move beyond brand - Ben Verinder

Can essential skills be taught? - Tom Ravenscroft

What is the value of teaching British Values? - Alex Warner

The need to consider trauma informed approaches in college settings - Jo Maher

An Improvement Plan for Oldham’s Local Economy - Alun Francis and Andy Westwood

Should colleges be lobbying on poverty? - Darren Hankey

Why colleges should think more deeply about their charitable status - Smita Jamdar

Designing an education and training system – some principles and issues to bear in mind - Ewart Keep

How AoC and NCFE are tackling the lack of data and evidence in FE - Julia Belgutay

Decolonising Curriculum - Sam Perkins

Why we need to focus on growing non-technical skills as much as technical ones - Lynette Leith

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