Get Further

6/ We look forward to working with Government and our college partners to help develop and deliver high-quality, equitable post-16 English and maths education in line with these reforms.

5/ We hope these positive steps are taken further in the near future by the introduction of a 16-19 Student Premium – an extension of the existing Pupil Premium, which supports students from disadvantaged backgrounds up to age 16, but ends two years before the end of their compulsory education.

4/ We also welcome the Government’s commitments to:
📚 Enhanced CPD opportunities for FE teachers.
📊 Continuing to build the evidence about what works for this education phase.
📈 Increased funding rates for English and maths.
📝 Sensible updates to resit guidance and accountability measures.

3/ This change marks an important shift away from a one-size-fits-all approach to GCSE resits, towards a more equitable, evidence-based model that meets learners where they are and supports them to move forward with confidence.

2/ Through our work with the CAR panel, we proposed a GCSE stepping stone as a vital mechanism to ensure every learner who leaves school without a standard pass in English and maths has a fair chance to make meaningful progress as part of their 16-19 education - no matter their starting point.

Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper - Our Response - Get Further We are delighted that today’s Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper includes the introduction of new level 1 stepping stone qualifications in GCSE English and maths. These will support young people...

We are delighted that yesterday’s Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper included the introduction of new level 1 stepping stone qualifications in GCSE English and maths.

Read our full statement on our blog: getfurther.org.uk/post-16-educ...

And highlights in the thread below 👇

🙌 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.

Starting our final day of events at #Lab25 with @actiontutoring.org.uk, @getfurther.bsky.social and the Tutor Trust.

We’re discussing a new tutoring model to break down barriers to opportunity and support economic growth, with @richardquigley.bsky.social

3/ Come and join the conversation:
📅 Tuesday 30th September 2025
🕙 10:00am
📍 Meeting Room 13

2/ Alice will spotlight the transformative role of tutoring in helping students who leave school without English and maths GCSE to catch up, and the urgent need for better funding to support evidence-based interventions in post-16 education.

Heading to the Labour Party Conference next week? Don’t miss this @edupolicyinst.bsky.social panel, where our Interim CEO, @aliceeardley.bsky.social, will join a discussion on the potential of tutoring to close the attainment gap, unlock opportunities for young people & support economic growth.

4/ Instead, coupled with sufficient funding, we need targeted reforms that help students with low prior attainment make real progress toward GCSE success. Details of our GCSE reform proposal can be found linked in the blog above 👆

3/ However, we are concerned by the proposed three-route study model for students who leave school without English and maths. Evidence from international counterparts shows most young people can achieve a grade 4 if given the right support, and we shouldn't give up on this ambition.

2/ We welcome the recommended introduction of a 16–19 Student Premium. Half of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds leave school without GCSE English & maths, yet funding to support them drops sharply at age 16. We’re pleased the committee backs efforts to close this gap.

Our response to today's FE & Skills report from the Education Select Committee is now live. Check out our key takeaways on our blog, and in the thread below 👇 getfurther.org.uk/fe-skills-re...

5/ This programme's success is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when we invest in giving students extra support. You can catch our segment on Midlands Today on BBC iPlayer (7:24 mins in): www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

4/ It was fantastic to celebrate this with a BBC visit. We were so proud of students Bethany and James for sharing their experiences. It was also great to hear SCCB Principal Mike Hopkins and Rigby Foundation Executive Director Sonia Chhatwal talk about how important the programme is for the region.

3/ Thanks to funding from The Rigby Foundation, our programme gave students free access to personalised, small-group tuition support, and the impact was clear:

Pass rates for students on the programme were:
🌟 25% higher than the regional average in English.
🌟 An incredible 59% higher in maths.

2/ The West Midlands has some of the highest numbers of young people leaving school without GCSE English / maths. This means colleges in the region play a vital role in helping students gain the skills, knowledge, and qualifications they need to progress into further study, training, and employment.

Yesterday, BBC Midlands Today joined us at South & City College Birmingham to speak to some students from our tuition programme about their GCSE results. Here are some highlights from the day, and insights into why programmes like this are so important, particularly in the West Midlands 👇

Attending the AELP National Conference next week? Come and speak to us at stand 26! We’d love to tell you more about our work. If not, reach out to Annabel Richardson to set up a call: annabel.richardson@getfurther.org.uk

Our programme offers 55 hours of fully resourced, small-group tuition to learners working toward, or about to begin, an apprenticeship. We’re always keen to connect with like-minded individuals & organisations who are passionate about lifelong learning & want to explore how we can support.

Through our FSQ Tuition Programme, we are proud to work with employers and providers who share our commitment to giving learners opportunities to build vital skills and earn valuable qualifications.

The recent removal of English and maths exit requirements, alongside cuts to adult education funding, has made it harder for many to gain the literacy and numeracy skills and qualifications that unlock career opportunities and progression.

Strong literacy and numeracy skills (and recognised qualifications) open doors to employment & progression:
📊 Over 70% of employers rank literacy & numeracy in their top three considerations when hiring school & college leavers.
🔓 A third of employers require L2 English/maths for entry-level roles.

When adults learn, our society and economy thrive. That’s why we’re proud to have signed the #GetTheNationLearning charter launched by @learnworkuk.bsky.social. This campaign brings together organisations committed to championing lifelong learning, and it comes at a crucial time. Here's why...🧵

It's great to see @thefea.bsky.social continuing to highlight the importance of investment in a 16-19 Student Premium to improve outcomes for economically disadvantaged young people. Our response to the spending review focuses on this topic. You can read it here: getfurther.org.uk/spending-rev...

Spending Review 2025: Our Response - Get Further We are pleased that the spending plans set out for 2026/27 to 2028/29 in today’s Spending Review include additional investment in high-quality training opportunities for young people, as well as suppo...

This is why we have been campaigning for the introduction of a 16-19 Student Premium. We hope the DfE takes steps to resolve the stark disparities between pre-16 and post-16 support as part of it's review of Pupil Premium allocation. Find out more: getfurther.org.uk/spending-rev...

Currently, Pupil Premium funding stops at age 16 – two years before the end of compulsory education. With over half of students from disadvantaged backgrounds missing GCSE English & maths at 16, these final two years are critical for enabling them to secure qualifications that unlock opportunities.

While we are pleased the plans include investment in training opportunities for young people & support for expanding free meal eligibility in post-16 settings, we are disappointed it does not commit additional funding to support the attainment of post-16 learners from disadvantaged backgrounds.