Responding to the final report of the Curriculum and Assessment Review published on Wednesday 5 November, Stephen Evans, Chief Executive of Learning and Work Institute (L&W), said:
“The Curriculum and Assessment Review is right to recognise the need for vocational pathways for 16-19 year olds alongside A and T Levels, and to keep the requirement to study English and maths up to level 2 but seek ways to make it work better. Making a success of this requires the right resources for further education, more action to expand apprenticeships which are low by international standards, and work with employers on demand for and use of skills. The Government will also need to think about the implications for adult education.”
Contact our press office13 Mawrth 2026
Training and skills needs: Trends and challenges in UK growth sectors
This report, the second in a series of publications funded by Nuffield Foundation, explores the level of estimated skills needs in UK businesses alongside the level and type of training that employers provide.
13 Mawrth 2026
UK’s training and skills ‘tick-box culture’ puts at risk job mobility and future growth, new report warns
New analysis has identified an overreliance on mandatory and compliance training in UK workplaces compared to other countries – at the expense of more in-depth upskilling required for the jobs of the future.
2 Mawrth 2026
When it comes to lifelong learning, are we any closer to the College of the Future?
Stephen Evans, Chief Executive at Learning and Work Institute, reflects on the role of colleges in providing adults with opportunity and agency throughout their lives.
2 Mawrth 2026
Why adult education is an investment, not a cost
David Hughes, CEO at the Association of Colleges, sets out why a well-funded, high-quality adult education system is beneficial to society and the economy.
22 Rhagfyr 2025
From confusion to clarity: rethinking England’s 670 occupational standards
L&W’s Stephen Evans and Pearson’s Donna Ford-Clarke reflect on findings from our recent research on England’s occupational standards – of which there are now more than double the number in countries like Germany and Switzerland.
7 Tachwedd 2025
No train no gain
This research, supported by Multiverse, finds that access to training is a boon for people’s pay and careers. The training dividend is greatest for those on the lower rungs of the occupational ladder, helping them go further, faster.
7 Tachwedd 2025
Spotlight on Newport: Place within a Place
Ufi VocTech Trust, in partnership with Adult Learning Wales, Newport City Council and Learning and Work Institute, have launched an innovative place-based collaboration to integrate education and skills development opportunities within the communities of East Newport.
7 Tachwedd 2025
Working class people paid more when they get training from their employer
Experts are calling on the Government to do more to get employers investing in training, as research reveals it’s a “boon for people’s pay and careers” – particularly for working class people.
5 Tachwedd 2025
Investing in skills: International policy insights for the UK
This report is the first in a series of three publications supported by the Nuffield Foundation that present the findings from multi-year research into employer investment in upskilling and reskilling in a changing economy.
