A good budget for colleges

After two almighty cock-ups by the Learning and Skills Council - over the capital funding programme and sixth form places - the Chancellor has done the right thing by colleges and school sixth forms in this budget with announcements of extra revenue and capital. It may not be enough to satisfy the more ambitious college building programmes, but it is a good start, and it is worth remembering that there was no school or college building programme before 1997.

The challenge for colleges

I have a piece in today's Guardian, arguing that further education colleges now have a justifiably stronger self-confidence than for some time, but that they face some big challenges in the future, the biggest of which is to set their own agenda. You can read the piece here.