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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 18/03/2025

It is a shame the TIMSS survey results get less attention than PISA given they are at least as robust. Good to see England the top non-Asian country at grade 8 for both Maths & Science (5th/6th in world). Says much about the quality of our teachers

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 18/03/2025

I was really proud that the Bedford College Group was a trailblazer for sustainability even 15 years ago. First college to win Green Gown, first to offer training in Photovoltaics/solar water installation, first U.K. BREAMM excellent retrofit. Good film short

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

Also pleased see cash reserves at record levels, despite £38m of capital investment in last two years, and low, sustainable, staff costs while annual report shows above-national-achievement-rate for 16-18s, adults & apprentices. Lucky to have such great staff & exceptional leadership team

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

Pleased to see hot-off-press audited accounts for 23-24, covering my last six months The Bedford College Group show record income at £87m, compared to £10m when I started & college remained outstanding throughout the 26 years, despite five acquisitions of financially poor institutions

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

We know it is important that we invest in skills to achieve growth. The FE finance record for 2022-23 shows college assets depreciating by £503m p.a. That’s the investment needed just to stand still. Colleges like NCG & LTE need £14m & £11m alone each and every year

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

And would the public (or even most FE folk) realise that England's biggest sixth forms include Chichester, Bedford & Exeter? Does Ofsted consider scale v population when judging our economic contribution?

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

64,000 students (5% of national total) are served by just two medium-sized colleges by income - WEA & City Lit. Both Nelson & Colne and Bedford enrol more students than say LTE group.

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

Looking at FE finance record for 2022-23 the spread of student numbers is interesting. For those included in the record (201 colleges) they had 1.4m funded students. But the biggest 20 account for 0.4m (about 30%) & despite sector consolidation, 19 have < 2k students & 70 < 5k

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

As the college group expanded fast & wide (£30m to £100m, 1 major town to 8) it made sense to transfer the academy trust to an organisation more focused on younger people. Pleased Knowledge Schools Trust is now taking forward the development of education for the Wixams community

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

And so a chapter in Bedford College history ends. The involvement in school education covered Bridges (900 14-16s from 18 schools), sponsoring first local academy (Bedford Academy), project managing The Bedford Free School and creating Wixams schools. Total £80m inward investment!

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

Shelagh has done an amazing job for the sector. Despite the challenges we‘ve now far more colleges judged outstanding than in intervention & emphasis on support, especially post-intervention, is key. Often people drawn to intervening find reasons to keep doing so, not so here, very refreshing

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

Absolutely loved A Complete Unknown, the Bob Dylan film, so much I wanted immediately to do an FE version of one of Bob's songs. Then realised I did during lockdown - weird looking back - Ofqual algorithms & Trump out! youtu.be/_0knSw2LNAU?...

youtu.be

Subterranean Lockdown Blues

YouTube video by Ian Pryce

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 03/01/2025

This is so sad. Sarah was so young. She was an excellent journalist, passionate about the importance of local media & professional investigative journalism. A friend of the college but not afraid to rightly criticise when appropriate. She had integrity plus humanity. Love to her family

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 24/12/2024

Last Christmas may be No 1, but first Christmas is even better! Have a good break

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 21/12/2024

In 70s wrote a song Rock Dreams with future brother-in-law, & was touched that my son’s band added it to their set list in 2000s. Now his dream has come true, landing job teaching future rock stars on multi-instruments. That formative insistence he become the next Mike Oldfield finally paying off!

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 19/12/2024

They weren't just "job-ready", the majority of bootcampers had jobs-already, looking at the data!

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 19/12/2024

Not sure about the latter, but agree on the former. A nearby college to Bedford got same results on half the taught hours, in part due to it increasing attendance levels. Imposing "how" to do something, rather than "what" always ends in tears - and eliminates innovation

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 19/12/2024

Yes, sadly Stephen. A condition of funding should ideally come with generous funding, but if money is tight governments usually increase the number of duties (conditions without funding!) as a cheaper option

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 19/12/2024

The attention & support has been critical Julian, I agree, but I don't believe a fair number who didn't want to do resits but subsequently achieved grade 4+, would have done so without the condition. The big variation in general L2 to L3 progression suggests variable ambition among colleges?

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Reposted by Ian Pryce CBE

Stephen Evans @stephenevans.bsky.social · 19/12/2024

Yes I agree! Of 16 year olds w/out L2 English & maths, 1 in 3 now have it at age 19. Up from 1 in 10 ten years ago. This is a huge success! Not popular when it was introduced. And we can do better through more investment. But let's celebrate progress & march on. Not row back in e.g. apprenticeships.

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 19/12/2024

Given sheer scale of the policy, the action taken by colleges after introduction of the maths & English condition of funding - creating whole new depts, increasing supply of specialist teachers etc - is one of education’s most impressive success stories. Yet it’s over criticised & under celebrated

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 18/12/2024

Have always thought that schools insisting branded uniform is wholly & exclusively required, should meet that cost & provide it, as they would for any branded staff uniform for receptionists or security staff etc

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 18/12/2024

I found it a very shallow evaluation Stephen. You are right on targeting. 40% dropout rate on “short, flexible” courses is dire. And no surprise that if you want to get a level 3 outcome it helps if you are already over-qualified, and have good fortune in terms of health and location!

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 15/12/2024

I’ll look up Homelands Julian. You’ll enjoy Money, it’s very witty given the subject. That’s what prompted me to read The Wizard of Oz, which I’d never thought of as an economics allegory!

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 14/12/2024

And finally, plays can be read as well as seen. A magnificent dozen of favourites this year. Alternative recommendations welcome in return

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 14/12/2024

And, as an avid reader of crime fiction, the variation in style across these writers will explain why!

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 14/12/2024

These my top dozen general fiction, all exceptional reads

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 14/12/2024

So many fantastic books this year. These my pick of the non-fiction if you’re looking for something well-written & thought-provoking

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 14/12/2024

Don’t think this has ever been bettered Smita, always works for me. Hope you enjoy some good downtime youtu.be/CreWsnhQwzY?...

youtu.be

Meet Me In St. Louis | Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas | Warner Classics

YouTube video by Warner Bros. Classics

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 14/12/2024

When we bought the former Bedford Girls High School in 2012 & created The Bedford Sixth Form we set it the target of being the biggest for A Levels in the Borough within 5 years. It remains the biggest & no wonder with students like this. Congratulations www.bedfordtoday.co.uk/education/th...

bedfordtoday.co.uk

The Mayor of Bedford awards students from The Bedford Sixth Form as Ready2Lead? Project Winners

A group of Year 12 students from The Bedford Sixth Form have been announced as the winning team in The Harpur Trust’s Ready2Lead? Programme for their innovative project to help younger students cope w...

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

Once a year the Chartered Institution for Further Education dress up to celebrate top people in the FE sector (it’s like Wolf Hall without the infighting!). Brilliant to see Bedford College Group’s Carl, Kevin & Dave recognised & four superb new fellows Andy, Keith, Graham & Rebecca

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

Given the extensive input from employers into T Levels, it doesn’t say much for their expertise in accurately assessing future skills needs if they invent things employers clearly don’t want. Students being badly let down

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 09/12/2024

Agree with Andy. I was definitely Homo DIUS! One of the most exciting periods in recent FE history, with the I being taken as seriously as the U and S

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 06/12/2024

I love that my Anglo-German grandsons always enjoy the traditional St Nicholas wake up to find your school shoes full of nuts and fruit, so “we get two Christmas’s grandpa”

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 06/12/2024

Really good blog from Pat. These projects didn’t just transform the college, they transformed the physical landscape of two important towns. An iconic tower on Bedford’s central riverfront & a revitalised Corby town centre. Lot others can learn from her approach

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 06/12/2024

I’ve tried to champion reading of plays, given people complain they have no time to read. They cost a bit more than fiction, but by definition they can be read in one evening and are dramatic. These my favourites this year. Quirky Christmas presents?

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 06/12/2024

Be interesting to see if it helps narrow or widen disadvantage gaps Laura/Tom, as could see it might do either. Also wonder if it may create more AI competition - pay a bit more for Premium ChatGPT!

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 06/12/2024

At some point ChatGPT will get fed up with students failing to win a place (undermining its credibility) & apply direct to cut out the middleman/woman! Look out for T shirts declaring “I went to ChatGPT and all I got was this lousy job”

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

The school lens seems to favour proximity to school models when it comes to FE, so SFCs/Tertiaries do better than general FE, that does better than ITPs & Prisons, so it follows the curriculum centre of gravity (average level of study)? Though adult ed does best of all so that is strange!

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

Most years there's clear rank order of judgements: Sixth Form Colleges, Tertiary Colleges/Primary schools, Colleges/Secondary schools, Specialist colleges, ITPs, Prisons. Would love Ofsted view/insight on why: Better teachers? students? parents? Inspector preconception/bias? Better curriculum? 1/2

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

2024 was a bad year for political incumbents. Wonder if that has played out in other spheres like senior appointments in FE or if Twitter to Bluesky reflects that too?

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

The Ipsos annual almanac always a great early Christmas present. Well worth 5 mins of time. Much to ponder - fatalism among young men; nouveau nilhilism; escape to individiualism; people feeling both techno-wonder & techno-worry, but trust in teachers still very high! www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsLp...

youtube.com

The Ipsos Almanac 2025

YouTube video by Ipsos

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

One of the spin-off benefits of mentoring is you don’t just meet fantastic people, you get time in beautiful places. Envious of Bournemouth & Poole college staff working so close to the sea

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 03/12/2024

A MAT may have 20 schools say 5 grade 1, 10 grade 2, 5 grade 3. A College group of similar size & quality-spread likely judged grade 2 or even 3? So MATs acquiring weak schools less affected than group merging with weak college because they can ringfence that variability in quality 2/2

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 03/12/2024

It was probably inevitable colleges would come down from last year's high water mark. They are also disadvantaged by being judged holistically when MATs are judged by individual school, especially as colleges become fewer but bigger as they absorb weak neighbours 1/2

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 29/11/2024

Nothing restores your faith in humanity more than a group of bright, excited year 6s showing you round their new school buildings. £11m well spent by DfE. Learning a lot from being part of Knowledge Schools Trust

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

This is so good to see. @getfurther.bsky.social is exactly the sort of credible organisation we need in FE, and exactly the sort of recognition we need from the Education Endowment Foundation. Well done @sarahjwaite.bsky.social & team

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

2) Identifying likely NEETs very different to identifying disadvantage. Must focus on the personal. We found two questions helped: Are your parents pleased you are here? Did your parents go to parents' evenings at school? Yes answers meant no issues, No answers signalled there would be 3/3

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Ian Pryce CBE @ipryce.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

1 contd) Wouldn't it be easier to incentivise reduction in NEETS by lag funding FE 16-21s like we do 16-18s? We seem to class them as youngsters but fund them as adults. The funding model, pastoral support and data returns are already in place 2/3

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