Post-16 resit pass rates for GCSE English and maths remain stubbornly low. And too often, the students who need the most support are the ones least likely to get it. In this episode, we sit down with Richard Caulfield, Senior Policy Manager at GM Colleges, who has a deep understanding of the challenges facing further education providers across Greater Manchester and the policy landscape that shapes post-16 provision.

Richard talks openly about what colleges are up against. The Pupil Premium stops at 16, the National Tutoring Programme has ended, and the disadvantage gap continues to widen after students leave secondary school. We look at the findings of a brand-new independent evaluation by NFER, funded by the Education Endowment Foundation, which tested the Tutor Trust's one-to-one tutoring model with resit students across 20 post-16 settings in the North of England. The results were promising, with pass rates sitting significantly above the national average. But the pilot also surfaced some important lessons. Richard shares his perspective on what it actually takes to make tutoring work in a college setting, why engaging post-16 students requires a fundamentally different approach, and how settings can start to move from managing the problem to genuinely solving it.

Read more about the report here: Tutor Trust Post-16 Tutoring Pilot | The Tutor Trust

Watch Tutor Trust’s Programme Director, Mark Wyss, in conversation with Elis, a post‑16 student who received tutoring support to resit his GCSE maths. Elis shares his experience, the challenges he faced, and how tutoring helped him to pass his maths GCSE. This conversation highlights the value of tutoring to help support with academic attainment and engagement in learning. https://youtu.be/C6c9RK_zGDw?si=jIiep0oroIWaIoCL

Music from: Audio Library https://youtu.be/JpoEFiAJdxo

'And So it Begins' by 'Artificial Music' (Creative Commons) https://soundcloud.com/artificial-music

Persistent absence is a complex national issue that requires a deep understanding of both government policy and the daily reality of schools. In this episode, we sit down with Katie Carr, a Director at Public First, who brings a wealth of experience from her time at the Department for Education and her current role in public policy research. Katie discusses how the focus on attendance has shifted at a national level and what the research tells us about the challenges families face.

She shares her unique perspective as a Chair of Governors and a charity trustee to explain how policy connects with practice. Katie explores how schools can navigate high-level expectations while maintaining a focus on the well-being of their pupils. By looking at the broader strategic picture, she highlights the importance of evidence-based solutions and collaborative leadership in addressing the attendance crisis.

Music from: Audio Library https://youtu.be/JpoEFiAJdxo

'And So it Begins' by 'Artificial Music' (Creative Commons) https://soundcloud.com/artificial-music

Persistent absence is a growing crisis that affects a child's social development and future opportunities. In this episode, we talk with Ellie Costello from the advocacy organisation Square Peg. Ellie discusses why the language we use matters and explains that terms like school refusal can often place unfair blame on families.

She shares insights into the complex emotional hurdles that keep children away from the classroom and explores how schools can do things differently. From changing school start times to focusing on strong personal relationships, Ellie highlights the importance of empathy and flexibility in helping every child thrive in education.

Music from: Audio Library https://youtu.be/JpoEFiAJdxo

'And So it Begins' by 'Artificial Music' (Creative Commons) https://soundcloud.com/artificial-music