Category Archives: NewVIc

Guess what? Vocational students go to university too

Posted on March 16, 2014 by Eddie Playfair

Zakiyah, Shah, Robyn, Natasha and Daiva all have something in common; they are high achieving vocational students who completed advanced courses at NewVIc last year. Together with many others, they achieved the highest possible grades. In their case in: construction, … Continue reading →

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Celebrating success or manipulating data?

Posted on March 14, 2014 by Eddie Playfair

The Department for Education’s public relations machine seems very keen on London Academy of Excellence (LAE), the 16-19 free school established in Newham 2 years ago  by a group of fee-charging schools. They routinely re-tweet complimentary media coverage of LAE … Continue reading →

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London’s colleges promoting social mobility

Posted on March 6, 2014 by Eddie Playfair

Inner London’s colleges are helping more disadvantaged students get to university than all its school sixth forms. In 2010, Inner London’s 19 colleges and 16-19 schools helped more disadvantaged students to progress to university than all 81 of the area’s … Continue reading →

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The comprehensive college

Posted on February 24, 2014 by Eddie Playfair

Why do we persist in describing our sixth form college as comprehensive when the term has been unfashionable for some time and there is no requirement to have an inclusive admissions policy? We’re proud to be comprehensive and, for us, … Continue reading →

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College sport matters: the legacy of an incredible summer

Posted on February 22, 2014 by Eddie Playfair

College sport does matter but there is no universal entitlement and the opportunities available to students often depend on where they happen to study. It’s time for the commitment shown by colleges to be matched by a joined-up strategy from … Continue reading →

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Targeted by the “aspiration tax”

Posted on February 12, 2014 by Eddie Playfair

The government’s proposed 17.5% cut to funding for 18 year olds in full-time education has caused outrage across the sixth form and college sector. In a previous post I describe this as an “aspiration tax” which will target those very … Continue reading →

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Colleges are real engines of social mobility

Posted on February 9, 2014 by Eddie Playfair

Just 10 London colleges account for 10% of the most disadvantaged students who progress to university from the whole of England. These are among the greatest engines of social mobility for young people. National data on progression to higher education in 2010 show that … Continue reading →

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Drop the aspiration tax

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Eddie Playfair

The government has announced that funding for 18 year olds studying in colleges and sixth forms in England is to be cut by 17.5% per student next academic year. Among those affected will be a large number of students currently … Continue reading →

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Young people between hope and despair

Posted on December 30, 2013 by Eddie Playfair

Young people’s natural reserves of hope are running low in the current recession. As a result, much of Britain’s youth now seem strangely suspended between hope and despair. In the London borough of Newham, reasons for despair are not hard … Continue reading →

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Choose education not catastrophe

Posted on November 3, 2013 by Eddie Playfair

Choose education not catastrophe Welcome speech for People and Planet’s Shared Planet conference held at Newham Sixth Form College (NewVIc), 2 November 2013. I am so pleased that People & Planet has chosen to have this year’s Shared Planet conference … Continue reading →

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