Awaiting Update

Awaiting Update

Issue 78, January to March 2015

UCU Charter A reprint of the University and College Union FE and Adult Education Charter. Over 3.5 million people take part in further and adult education each year.
Towards valid general education Our own 10 point list for readers’ comments.
The roots and stunted growth of general education in vocational FHE courses Colin Waugh examines GE, from its past through to an uncertain future.
Working with the digital natives Roy Stafford makes the case for the right of students to a form of media education that integrates digital literacy with critical analysis.
Co-operation and education Sarah Amsler reviews Tom Woodkin’s (ed.) Co-operation, Learning and Co-operative Values: Contemporary Issues in Education (Routledge 2014).
Plebs: learning how to win Keith Venables discusses the network to promote independent working class education, http://iwceducation.co.uk
Towards an IWCE Network Manifesto Further contributions from Frances Thorp and John Halstead.
Mental health: challenging the stigma and ending discrimination Stephen Lambert highlights the issues.
IWCEN manifesto: readers’ input welcomed! The Independent Working Class Education Network (IWCEN), set up following interest in PSE’s occasional publication ‘Plebs: The Lost Legacy of Independent Working-Class Education’, is compiling a manifesto. Comments are welcome via their website: http://iwceducation.co.uk

Issue 79, April to June 2015

Labour’s fees promise: a step in the right direction Patrick Ainley
The betrayal of young voters Stephen Lambert
Compulsory voting: has its time come? Stephen Lambert
Do we still have youth tribes? Stephen Lambert
Shaftesbury Young People and NEC GCSE English tie-up Ian Duckett
Unprofessional bodies? Joel Petrie and Rob Peutrell
Announcement LS/GS Project
Defining IWCE Colin Waugh
A look at the arts for IWCE Frances Thorp
Review: Central Labour College Hugh Workman


Issue 80, July to September 2015


FE teachers, broken funding and dissent Rob Smith examines the state of FE and dissent within.
Why class still influences educational achievement The role of socio-economic status in schools, by Stephen Lambert.
Is there a ‘ruling class’? Perhaps not, suggests Stephen Lambert.
Reviews: UK FE and US community colleges Patrick Ainley reviews ‘The Coming of Age for FE? Reflections on the past and the future role of further education colleges in England’ (Ann Hodgson (ed.) 2015), and’John Dewey and the Future of Community College Education’ (Clifford P. Harbour, 2015).
Review: Blair: what lies behind the mask? Cliff Jones reviews Francis Beckett, David Hencke and Nick Kochan’s ‘Blair Inc.: The Man Behind the Mask (2015).
Dialogue on disruption Merv Lebor and Sandra Rennie discuss disruptive behaviour in the classroom.
Obituary: George Clarke 1924-2015: NULC organiser and TU educator Richard Ross celebrates the life of one of the last organisers for the National Council of Labour Colleges, and recalls an interview in 2012 ‘The Union Makes Us Strong’ (transcript at www.unionhistory.info)
Why rebuild IWCE? Colin Waugh introduces a section of a new PSE pamphlet ‘Class-Struggle Adult Education for the 21st Century. Why we need it and how we can move towards it’. For copies of the pamphlet email Colin at colin.waugh@btinternet.com, and for details of the IWCEN, visit www.iwceducation.co.uk, or email iwceducation@yahoo.co.uk.
Event: Beyond the Neoliberal University: Critical Pedagogy and Activism - Coventry University, Friday 18th September 2015. The event seeks to address the notion that education has become profit oriented, by bringing together activists, academics and trade unionists who are engaged practically with the consequences of the way our universities are changing.


Issue 81, October to December 2015


Tutor Voices: we present their bill of rights for professional educators in FE and skills. More information on Tutor Voices in this TES article.
Dancing Princesses Carlene Cornish reviews the key text behind the Tutor Voices initiative.
Defend Citizenship Stephen Lambert sets out the case for citizenship education in the post-16 curriculum.
Review: Patrick Ainley reviews ‘Coming Up Short: Working-class Adulthood in an Age of Uncertainty’ (Jennifer M. Silva 2015).
On practising what you preach David Ridley and Ana Ines Salvi discuss a radically democratic approach to conference workshops.
The neo-liberalisation of higher education: a transcript of a speech given by Gurnam Singh at the Joint Campus Unions Protest Picnic at Aston University on 2nd July 2015.
Women who shaped ‘Marxism’ An article based on a talk given by Colin Waugh at the Independent Working-Class Education Network seminar on ‘Women Making History’, held at Unite House, London on 19th September 2015.
Why rebuild IWCE? Colin Waugh introduces a section of a new PSE pamphlet ‘Class-Struggle Adult Education for the 21st Century. Why we need it and how we can move towards it’. For copies of the pamphlet email Colin at colin.waugh@btinternet.com, and for details of the IWCEN, visit www.iwceducation.co.uk, or email iwceducation@yahoo.co.uk.
IWCEN manifesto: readers’ input welcomed! The Independent Working Class Education Network (IWCEN), set up following interest in PSE’s occasional publication ‘Plebs: The Lost Legacy of Independent Working-Class Education’, is compiling a manifesto. Comments are welcome via their website: http://iwceducation.co.uk

Issue 82, January to March 2016

The refugees issue: between ‘Fortress Europe’ and solidarity Comment from the Antiracist Observatory of the Aegean.
LGBT and ESOL Laila El-Metoui presents some ideas and materials.
Educating, training and the elasticity of youth Robin Simmons examines the transition from education to work, and the extent to which education could embed class-based inequality.
Providers fail to meet needs Stephen Lambert takes a look at a recent report by Newcastle City Council’s Skills and Training Security Group.
Resilience and the social work curriculum Tom Considine sets out the case for social cooperation and collegiate support as part of the development of social work curriculums.
Review: Social Class Patrick Ainley reviews Erik Olin Wright’s ‘Understanding Class’ (2015), and Mike Savage’s ‘Social Class in the 21st Century’ (2015).
Review: Flippin’ eck! An urgent call for a democratic approach to education Joel Petrie reviews Jelmer Evers and Rene Kneyber’s (eds.) ‘Flip the System: Changing Education from the Ground Up’ (2016).
Locating post-16 professionalism: public spaces as dissenting spaces Carol Azumah Dennis examines public professional spaces, and finds defiance and dissent.
Lecturers’ self-organisation then and now Summary of a talk given by Colin Waugh to the Tutor Voices conference held at Northern College on 26th September 2015.



Issue 83, April to June 2016: 150th Issue of PSE and General Educator

Save our Colleges! Philippe Harari reflects on recent campaigns and industrial action in the face of cuts in the college sector.
Who runs our colleges? Stephen Lambert emphasises the need to make FE accountable again.
Reviews: Patrick Ainley reviews James Avis’s ‘Social Justice, transformation and Knowledge: Policy, workplace learning and skills’ (2016), and Mike Cooley’s ‘Architect or Bee? The Human Price of Technology’ (2016).
The emancipated classroom David Ridley describes a Rancierean pedagogy, whereby students are motivated to teach themselves.
What’s happened to the ‘liberal’ in education? Tom Bailey and Keith Sellars take a critical look at notions and manifestations of education.
All in a Day’s Work Dave Welsh, editor of the recently published 260-page, large format, illustrated book, which is both an oral history and a guide to TU activity, describes the project behind it. Copies are available from davidwelsh83@btinternet.com
William Morris and ‘making socialists’ Notes from a talk (‘William Morris: revolutionary socialist or utopian dreamer?’) given by Colin Waugh to a meeting of Wakefield Socialist History Group in February 2016 at the Red Shed, Wakefield.


Issue 84, July to September 2016

Lifelong learning to end at Leicester? Sue Wheeler reflects on the recent Leicester University decision to close its adult education department, the Vaughan Centre for Lifelong Learning.
Prevent Stephen Lambert provides an examination of ‘extremist activities’, including a UCU 2016 conference motion, and a report of an Action for ESOL meeting in June 2016.
Michael Gove’s unfinished agenda for education Patrick Ainley revisits one of the 2010-14 Education Secretary’s earlier pronouncements.
Review Robin Simmons reviews Patrick Ainley’s ‘Betraying a Generation: how education is failing young people’ (2016).
The University of Utopia Mike Neary and Joss Winn present an account based on their recent research and practice of cooperative higher education. Details of their work can be found here.
Ada Salter An extract of a talk by Graham Taylor, based on his book ‘Ada Salter: Pioneer of Ethical Socialism’ (2016). The full text is available here.
From Chartism to labourism Notes from a talk given by Colin Waugh at Independent Working-Class Education Network meetings in February and June 2016.



Issue 85, October to December 2016

Some dilemmas of Prevent A London ESOL Teacher contributes to the discussion begun in PSE 84, and raises issues for ESOL activists seeking involvement in the campaign against Prevent. The editors welcome further views on this topic.
Labour needs a programme of political education James McAsh presents an answer to Owen’s blog-question: how can the mass membership of Corbyn’s Labour translate into votes?
A report, a plan, a White paper and the return of secondary moderns Patrick Ainley looks at the May government’s education policies.
Rediscovering the ‘new vocationalism’ Stephen Lambert discusses the need to refocus on improving and elevating the status of vocational education and training for post-16 year olds.
Education and training needs of the over-50s Stephen Lambert highlights the significant minority that remain economically inactive and excluded from the labour market.
Learning from the children? Lydia Meryll presents two case studies examining intergenerational learning about climate change, and generating positive solutions with young people.
Collegiate teaching and learning: a case study Louise Speare investigates practice at Leyton Sixth Form College.
Review: Globalised H.E. and digitised rofessions Patrick Ainley reviews Philip G. Altbach’s ‘Global Perspectives on Higher Education’ (2016) and Richard and Daniel Susskind’s ‘The Future of the professions, How technology will transform the work of human experts’ (2015).
Review: Cliff Jones reviews Miriam David’s ‘A Feminist Manifesto for Education’ (2016).

Issue 86, January to March 2017

Towards one union for education? Howard Stevenson looks at the likely NUT/ATL merger, including its possible implications for NASUWT and UCU.
Baronesses battle Patrick Ainley investigates current debate about the future of tertiary education.
British values: the case for Stephen Lambert makes the case for ‘Fundamental British Values’ (FBVs) and a Citizenship Diploma. Readers’ views welcome.
Whatever happened to teacher training colleges? Robin Simmons looks back at colleges of education and what they became.
Still a new trade unionism in the making? David Ridley (Branch Secretary, Coventry University UCU) draws some lessons from the recent conference marking the 40th anniversary of the Lucas Plan.
Anti-working class snake oil? Jane Lethbridge considers some of the arguments put forward by those advocating a universal basic income.
Review: Cliff Jones reviews Louise Regan and Tom Unterrainer’s (eds) ‘Standing Up For Education’, Spokesman Books, 2016.
Review: What it’s like to be an H.E. student now Patrick Ainley reviews two recent and contrasting studies: Bruce Macfarlane’s ‘Freedom to Learn. The threat to academic freedom and why it needs to be reclaimed’ (2017); and Lorenza Antonucci’s ‘Student Lives in Crisis. Deepening inequality in times of austerity’ (2016).
Review: Colin Waugh reviews ‘The Great Labour Unrest’ (2016).
Social production controlled by social foresight an article version of a talk given by Colin Waugh at Independent Working-Class Education Network (IWCEN) meetings in 2016.
Prevent: a comment from Becky Winstanley, calling for more discussion and less silencing.


Issue 87, April to June 2017

T-levels get the go-ahead Martin Allen looks at the new ‘college based’ technical education pathway: T-levels. Originally appeared at https://education-economy-society.com
21st century apprenticeships: a real alternative or something else? Stephen Lambert looks at the evidence.
Tertiary education is in a mess: how to deal with it? G. R. Evans makes the case for some urgent action.
Building a new education system Sol Gamsu considers the nature of an alternative, emancipatory, system of education.
Technology and the human future Jane Lethbridge reviews Sheila Jasanoff’s ‘The Ethics of Invention: Technology & the Human Future’ (2016).
Orthodoxy and the will to autonomy Beatrix E. Groves sets out a critique of the orthodox, leading to liberation.
Do we need a new social history movement? Dave Welsh looks at building a new social history perspective situated within a broader socialist education movement.
The IWW and the Plebs League Fabian Tompsett examines links between the Industrial Workers of the World and the Plebs League.
‘A third organ’? Antonio Gramsci’s conception of workers’ education. An article based on a talk given by Colin Waugh on 3/12/16 to the Wakefield Socialist History Group.


Notes on contributors:

Martin Allen’s blog is https://education-economy-society.com. Stephen Lambert is a Newcastle City Councillor, writing here in a personal capacity. G. R. Evans is Professor Emeritus of Medieval Theology and Intellectual History, University of Cambridge. Sol Gamsu’s article was initially published in https://theclarionmag.wordpress.com. Jane Lethbridge is at Greenwich University. For details of Bea Groves, please see p.15. Dave Welsh can be contacted at dave@britainatworklondon.com.



Issue 88, July to September 2017

Growth is OK but what about quality? Text of a new edition of the Coventry UCU pamphlet detailing issues at stake at Coventry University.
‘You can’t get there from here’ Carlene Cornish details her research into marginalisation and the gatekeeping function of GCSEs.
Towards the socially critical educator Cliff Jones looks at three modes of masters degree on offer for educators.
Liberal and General Studies Project progress report Colin Waugh reports on the progress of the Liberal and General Studies project.
Who stole the Town Hall? Patrick Ainley reviews a new book which shows how austerity has inflicted cuts on local authorities, encouraging them to outsource and downsize so that disasters like Grenfell Tower are not only inevitable but systemic.
Grey power or youth-quake? Stephen Lambert considers whether the old lost the general election for Corbyn or the young for May.
Guy Standing’s case for a basic income Jane Lethbridge reviews Guy Standing’s most recent book advocating a universal basic income.
Proletcult: IWCE and the Russian Revolution In a follow-up to his PSE 87 article, Fabian Tompsett discusses the contributions by Alexander Bogdanov and by Cedar and Eden Paul to the theoretical side of the Independent Working-Class Education movement.

Notes on contributors:

Carlene Cornish can be contacted on ccornia@essex.ac.uk. Cliff Jones lives in Sefton, Merseyside. Patrick Ainley was formerly at Greenwich University. Stephen Lambert is a Newcastle City Councillor, writing here in a personal capacity. Jane Lethbridge is at Greenwich University.



Issue 89, October to December 2017

'The GCSE retake challenge' Following Carlene Cornish's article in PSE 88, Eddie Playfair (writing in personal capacity) raises further issues surrounding English and maths retakes.
'Labour - past, present and future' Patrick Ainley and Martin Allen discuss economic and education-related aspects of Labour's current policy proposals.
'Citizenship more vital than ever' Stephen Lambert argues for more effective citizenship education.
'Not a revolution at all' John Holford argues against the claim by John van der Laarschoft, principal of the recently merged Nottingham College, that provision 'powered by employers' constitutes an 'educational revolution'.
'Unions slam the Taylor review' Martin Allen evaluates Matthew Taylor's review of employment practices.
'Academic predators' David Ridley explains some of the strategies currently being used by vice-chancellors to enrich themselves at the expense of students, lecturers and the public, and suggests ways of organising against this.
'Revolutionary learning' Stephen Cowden reviews the recent study, Revolutionary Learning by Sara Carpenter and Shahrzad Mojab, in the context of recent approaches to critical pedagogy.
'Professor Laland's pedagogic theory of evolution' Patrick Ainley reviews Kevin Laland's book, Darwin's Unfinished Symphony.
'Learning analytics: what is it and why do you need to know?' Sue Timmis discusses the growing trend for data about HE students' study activity to be collected, digitised and used to shape how universities are run.
'Dave Gibson' Colin Waugh pays tribute to former Barnsley College union branch secretary David Gibson who died in July.
'Barnsley College: a cautionary tale' Reprint of Dave Gibson's 2001 PSE article.

Issue 90, January to March 2018

Raising the Drawbridge Merilyn Moos examines the Government’s record of cutbacks to ESOL provision, focusing especially on how they affect refugees and asylum seekers.
Concepts, values, dustbins, unruly subjects and submissive citizens Cliff Jones discusses some of the background to citizenship education as advocated by Stephen Lambert in PSE 89.
Citizenship: subscription not prescription Rania Hafez argues for a holistic and dialogic approach to political literacy education.
Save Wornington College Colin Waugh traces the course of the struggle to defend FE and adult education provision in North Kensington.
Devolution: the answer to North East youth unemployment? Stephen Lambert looks at some steps taken in the North East to address the situation of young people not in employment, education or training.
Principals reviewed Carlene Cornish reviews The Principal, the recent book of contributions about the power of principals in FE edited by Maire Daley, Kevin Orr and Joel Petrie.
The politics and political economy of knowledge Patrick Ainley reviews Aeron Davis (ed.), The Death of Public Knowledge? How Free Markets Destroy the General Intellect.
Labour thinking on alternatives to private ownership Jane Lethbridge looks at some ideas discussed in a new report commissioned by the Shadow Cabinet.
ABCA: a world turned upside down? Article version of a talk about the WW2 Army Bureau of Current Affairs given by Colin Waugh at an IWCEN meeting in June 2017.
Liberal Studies for vocational students in FE: a learners’ retrospective Robin Simmons discusses his recent survey of attitudes to Liberal Studies held by former FE students.


Issue 91, April to June 2018

Jane Holgate introduces the Ella Baker School of Transformative Organising.
David Ridley discusses David Willetts’s book A University Education.
Kim Thomas reports from the Council for the Defence of British Universities AGM.
Patrick Ainley reviews Palfreyman and Temple’s Universities and Colleges.
Stephen Lambert proposes a learning challenge.
Danny Connelly describes his research into young men classed as NEET.
Joel Petrie looks at ideas of professionalism in FE.
Sharon Clancy discusses how oral history approaches can be applied to both historical and contemporary research.
Article version of a talk given by Colin Waugh at a meeting of the Independent Working-Class Education Network in Cambridge on 5th August 2017.


Issue 92, July to September 2018

The Unite ‘strike’ at UCU Congress: an activist’s view A Regional Observer gives her view of the events at UCU Congress 2018.
Reconstructions of Adult Education by the six organisations proposing events to commemorate the seminal 1919 Report on Adult Education.
Why the voting age should be 16 Stephen Lambert and Nora Casey argue for reduction of the voting age to 16.
Cap academy heads’ salaries Stephen Lambert advocates controls on the salaries of academy school heads.
How former NEETs are restricted and excluded Carlene Cornish reflects further on her college-based research.
‘Towards a national education service’: Labour’s policy process Patrick Ainley proposes an approach that could be incorporated in the Labour Party’s next manifesto.
What do FE and political professionals profess? Cliff Jones gives an alternative view of what Labour might do on education.
A defence of nationalised industries Former rail and gas industry worker and activist Dave Berry argues against stereotypes of the former nationalised industries, including with regard to the training they provided.
What should education for all mean today? Article version of a talk given by Colin Waugh at the Raymond Williams Foundation Residential Event in Liverpool on 19 May 2018.




Issue 93, October to December 2018

‘Report on UCU Congress 2018’ Report by Bob Jeffery
‘Rank-and-file revolt in UCU’ Rhian Keyse offers a further perspective on events at UCU Congress 2018
‘For the few not the many’ Stephen Lambert and Mark McNally argue that a responsible government would take back control of FE colleges as part pf a National Education Service.
‘John Offord: an obituary’ Reprint of tribute by Danny Douglas
‘AI and work: real issues and myths’ Patrick Ainley and Jane Lethbridge review Harry Collins book on artificial intelligence and the Labour Party’s Future of Work Report.
‘Liberal and General Studies: its legacy for curriculum development now’ Roy Stafford reports from the research project
‘A ‘new’ approach to railway public ownership’ Statement issued by Norfolk for Nationalisation of Rail, including details of training arrangements that this would make possible.
‘How the Co-op movement can change FHE for the better’ Talk given by Colin Waugh in Manchester, May 2018

Issue 94, January to March 2019

What can academics learn from the Lucas Plan? David Ridley argues for the relevance to contemporary higher education of ideas and practices developed in the 1970s by the Lucas Aerospace Shop Stewards Combine.
Disobeying reality: the value of concrete utopia in education Article version by Sarah Amsler of a talk given by her at a conference organised by the British Educational Research Association's H.E. and Post-Compulsory & Lifelong Learning Special Interest Groups in Liverpool, November 2018.
Considerations for the future? Reprint with permission of the concluding section of Norman Lucas's recent Soundings article, 'Mind the Gap: the neoliberal assault on further, adult and vocational education'.
Who runs public services? Stephen Lambert and Mark McNally discuss the cronyism and lack of accountability in public sector management.
One model of a national education service Jane Lethbridge reviews a recent book by Melissa Benn.
Liberal and General Studies: how practitioners sought student engagement Jonathan Simmons presents some of the responses of lecturers interviewed by the Liberal and General Studies Project.
How the party of Rosa Luxemburg approach political education Article version of a talk given by Rida Vaquas at The World Transformed event, held in Liverpool in parallel with the 2018 Labour Party Conference.
What Paulo Freire might say to Jeremy Corbyn Article version of talk given by Colin Waugh at Independent Working-Class Education Network events in Sheffield and London in November 2018.


Issue 95, April to June 2019

'Coventry in the vanguard' Article version of a talk given by David Ridley at Coventry University UCU on 9 March 2019.
'Apprenticeships: not much to celebrate?' Martin Allen reviews the current situation, including with reference to T-levels.
'Knife crime, gang culture and youth crisis' Stephen Lambert looks at the issues and some possible solutions.
'The promise of a national education service' Eddie Playfair puts forward a model of what this could be like.
'An important thinker's further reflections' Jane Lethbridge reviews the recently published collection of writings by Mike Cooley.
'The new form of general education?' Patrick Ainley reviews Jane Lethbridge's book on democratic professionalism.
'Alexander Bogdanov and Independent Working-Class Education' Fabian Tompsett discusses the ideas of the important Russian revolutionary thinker.
'The phasing out of Liberal Studies' Article version of a talk given by Colin Waugh at two recent Teacher Education in Lifelong Learning events.


Issue 96, July to September 2019

'Augar: no reason to get excited' Martin Allen and Patrick Ainley discuss the recent Review of Post-18 Education.
'Address to Congress' Speech by incoming General Secretary Jo Grady to UCU Annual Congress 26 May 2019.
'Why we need a theory of marketisation' David Ridley puts forward a possible basis for a principled approach to the organisation of HE institutions.
'A National Care Service: what role for tertiary education?’ Jane Lethbridge considers how colleges could organise themselves to support the National Care Service under discussion in the Labour Party.
‘''Posh boys": how independent schools still run Britain' Stephen Lambert looks at the continuing expansion of private schooling.
'Class Work' Peter Rowley explains the background to his new book focused on interviews with people in the East Marsh district of Grimsby.
'General education in an artificially learning society' Patrick Ainley reviews two recent books about technological change.
'Education in East Jerusalem' Cliff Jones reviews Samira Alayan's new study.
'Independent Working-Class Education' Article version of a talk given by Colin Waugh on 30 March 2019 in York.
'New Brookwood Labor College: a key initiative' Colin Waugh introduces an important project launched in April 2019 in Minneapolis.
'Feminist Dissent: new issue on Prevent' Details of an important online publication.


Issue 97, October to December 2019

Organising to beat the Trade Union Act 2016 James Richards, Vice-President, Heriot-Watt University UCU Branch, describes their successful Get the Vote Out campaign.
University Technical Colleges: worthy of support? Stephen Lambert asks whether UTCs based on democratic accountability could overcome the academic/vocational divide and give young people skills to do jobs.
Plunder, extinction and resistance Jane Lethbridge reviews two recent books, by Guy Standing and Extinction Rebellion.
Ranciere and Jacotot Patrick Ainley reviews The Practice of Equality, a collection of articles about Jacques Ranciere's study of Joseph Jacotot, edited by Stephen Cowden and David Ridley.
Equality and Agency – a response to Patrick Ainley, Stephen Cowden discusses some points raised in Patrick Ainley's review of The Practice of Equality
Time to revisit the Youth Training Scheme Robin Simmons argues that we should not forget the history of YTS.
Teaching strategies and materials Drawing on interviews conducted for the Liberal and General Studies Project, Colin Waugh looks at a key issue that practitioners faced.

Issue 98, January to March 2020


What next for Labour? David Ridley argues for a Freirean approach to future Labour Party campaigning.
Alternative to privatisation Against the background of the Tory election victory, Patrick Ainley looks at Dexter Whitfield's key study of global privatisation and its alternatives.
A Co-operative University – challenging mainstream providers Cilla Ross and Mike Neary update PSE readers on the progress of this initiative.
Inclusion politics reshaped Carlene Cornish reviews Education and Working-Class Youth, edited by Robin Simmons and John Smyth.
The case for 'British values' Stephen Lambert argues for embedding 'British values' in school, college and prison education
Life for university lecturers now Lisa Taylor looks at the recent study by Alpesh Maisuria and Svenja Helmes.
The ghosts of future's past: education and employment in a former coalfield Kat Simpson details her research into 'social haunting' in a South Yorkshire mining community.
Everyday militarism in FE and HE Peter Glasgow investigates a worrying trend.
Some women who led workers' struggles Article version of a talk given by Colin Waugh at the Working-Class Movement Library in Salford on 7 September 2019.


Issue 99, April to June 2020

'The Government's failing educational revolution'
Stephen Lambert looks at the attempt to revive the Free Schools initiative.
'A radical vision for a 14-19 curriculum'
Ian Duckett argues for reform along the lines of the 2004 Tomlinson proposals.
'Caught in the fact? How to recognise Trump cards'
Donal Carroll proposes an approach to critical thinking about the media presentation of political issues.
'#UCUstrikesback – reflections from the picket line'
Howard Stevenson discusses organisation within his branch during the USS and 'four fights' actions.
'Dehumanisation and education'
Article version of a talk given by Gurnam Singh at a Coventry University UCU Teach Out Event on 27/1/20.
'Critical thinking for critical times'
Sharon Clancy looks at lessons from the history of the 1919 Adult Education Report and from the 2019 report marking its centenary.
'Review: Rosa Luxemburg'
Jane Lethbridge reviews Jon Nixon's recent study.
'RED'
The RED Learning Cooperative details the services they offer.
'At last some sanity'
Cliff Jones reviews John Bercow's autobiography.
The re-composition of class relations and the middle class
James Avis looks at the changing situation of ‘middle-class’ workers. (For reasons of space it was regretfully decided to omit this article from the print version of PSE 99)


Issue 100, July to September 2020

What price the Covid generation?
Martin Allen argues that, losing out most from the financial crash of 2008 and being referrred to as a 'Lost Generation', today's youth, whether they are students or looking for employment, will constitute a 'Covid Generation'.
Inequality of opportunity in equivalency
David Nicholls looks at the challenge for vocational qualifications.
Time for change – a new qualification for post-16 mathematics?
Emma Bell describes a model developed in the Centre for Maths Excellence at Grimsby Institute.
Critical interventions
David Kear discusses possibilities latent in the BTEC Digital Media programme.
From passivity to action
In an article originally published on the UCUleft website, Bob Jeffery details how UCU members at Sheffield Hallam University took on the attempted imposition of excessive workloads and defended the post-92 National Contract.
Convention for HE calls for targeted government investment to save the sector
Sean Wallis introduces the Convention for H.E. statement.
A failure of imagination
David Ridley criticises the Convention for H.E.'s standpoint.
Brokering Britain?
Steve Brown and Joel Petrie review a crucial study of ESOL provision.
From CSEs to a PhD
Karamat Iqbal explains his relationship with lifelong learning.
The Socialist Educational Association
Ian Duckett sets out the background, structure and aims of the Labour Party-affiliated organisation.
Resisting the far right in the North
Stephen Lambert emphasises the necessity to counter the growth of violent far right movements.


Issue 101, October to December 2020

Sharpest rises take unemployment to historic highs
Stephen Lambert considers whether Britain is returning to the great depression of the 1930s.
'Kickstarting' jobs for young people
Robin Simmons argues that the devil is not only in the detail of the Government's £2bn scheme but in the big picture too.
The Covid-19 crisis and the future of tertiary education: a Green Paper
Think-piece by Jane Lethbridge and Patrick Ainley aimed at staff and students at a mainstream university, proposing Green policy solutions.
Disruptive force or Trojan horse?
David Ridley looks at the political economy of online H.E.
Critical engagement with discursive texts
Cliff Jones encourages small groups to make critical sense of articles and papers.
Graham Birkin, adult educator, 1948 – 2020
Steve Bond and Catherine Burke pay tribute to their much respected former colleague.
Mike Cooley: towards a human-centred education
Obituary by Patrick Ainley of this major thinker.
How our local party developed an educational programme on antisemitism
Edd Mustill describes the recent series of sessions organised by Sheffield Heeley Labour Party.
Interpreting and changing the world
Article version of a talk given by Colin Waugh at a joint Independent Working-Class Education Network/Ella Baker School meeting in Birmingham on 7th March 2020.

Issue 102, January to March 2021


Student resistance grows but real alternatives still needed for the Covid generation
Martin Allen reviews the disastrous situation now afflicting many 16 to 24 year-olds.
'Finished at 55': standing up for the North's older workers
Stephen Lambert pinpoints the situation of a million-plus workless 50 to 64 year-olds.
Whose College of the Future?
In the lead-up to the promised White Paper, Rob Peutrell analyses recent proposals for reshaping FE.
PSE: from general education to general intellect
Patrick Ainley suggests a direction for FHE and PSE in today's changing labour market.
Freire for today
Eddie Playfair emphasises the continuing relevance of Freire's thinking.
Interview: the Dancing Princesses project
Interview with the editors of this important trilogy of multi-author books.
The crisis in care
Jane Lethbridge reviews Madeline Bunting's recent study.
Review: anti-Nazi Germans
Ian Birchall introduces an important new study by Merilyn Moos and Steve Cushion.
Why Unionlearn matters
18/11/20 speech in parliament by Mick Whitley MP.


Issue 103, April to June 2021

Introduction
Rob Peutrell introduces this issue's sequence of articles on the FE White Paper.
FE: its past, present and possible future
Colin Waugh describes how F.E. has come to its present state and suggests some steps that activists could take.
Betraying another generation
David Ridley diagnoses the current situation of young adults and argues for a changed orientation.
Another round of vocational qualifications won't create better jobs
Martin Allen argues for a broader curriculum and proper job creation.
The FE White Paper, an immediate reaction
Patrick Ainley looks at the socio-economic background to which the White Paper purports to respond.
A monocular perception
Rob Smith critiques the White Paper's assumptions about the purpose of FE.
FE White Paper another wasted opportunity
Paul Wilkinson focuses on the White Paper's funding shortcomings.
Trade Union Education and the White Paper: true lifelong learning
Janet Farrar identifies the potential benefits of some commitments made in the White Paper.
Responding to the White Paper – role of the private sector
Jane Lethbridge questions the increased role for employers announced in the White Paper.
VET, post-secondary education – a new settlement?
James Avis uses the concept of settlement to analyse the current situation.
Educating the future electorate
Stephen Lambert emphasises the need for citizenship education.
Whither political education in the face of cultural hegemony?
Dave Berry argues for dialogue-centred Independent Working-Class Education (IWCE).

Issue 104, July to September 2021
Politicising the education crisis
David Ridley argues for a strategy based on community support for student occupations.
Luck and the lonely teacher
Bea Groves-McDaniel reflects on her experience in adult education.
Reform, revolution and the RevEDlution
Jason Boucher and Jennifer Lindsell advocate overall change as the proper response to the pandemic.
Functional Skills exams: the final pandemic fiasco
Lisa Fortescue-Poole highlights the discriminatory treatment of students seeking Functional Skills qualifications.
A-levels: not as golden as they once were
Martin Allen restates the case for replacing A-levels.
Letter to the editors
Roy Stafford comments on material on the FE White Paper in PSE 103.
Mentoring matters
Robin Simmons describes research aimed at helping NEET young people to access education and training.
Youth prospects
Patrick Ainley reviews a comparative study of young people's situation in the UK and Germany.
Government ID plan could exclude two million voters
Stephen Lambert points out the dangers of the Government's new bill.
Introduction
Rob Peutrell introduces a feature based on the recent PSE Zoom discussion of professionalism.
Professionalism and pedagogy are organising issues
Janet Farrar empasises the need for practitioners to see professional development within a union framework.
Professionalism, job control and workplace organising
Howard Stevenson argues for collective organisation around the 'frontier of control'.
Trade unions and teacher professionalism
Jane Lethbridge describes some parallels between the professional position and relevant union organisation of school teachers, health and social care professionals and FE practitioners.
Sad loss of Nigel Todd
Tribute by Colin Waugh.

Issue 105, October to December 2021


Steve McQueen’s Small Axe films: what they mean for FHE projects Roy Stafford
Huge opposition to defunding BTECs Martin Allen
Post-16 Education: NEU DGS candidates speak Dan Whittall
Management fixation with observations Nina Doran
Lesson observation: beyond performance management Matthew O’Leary
We are fighting for everyone’s future David Ridley
Review: David Ridley’s ‘method of democracy’ Patrick Ainley
The promise of higher education (article with images) Luca Morini
Is it worth doing a degree? Kate Purcell
Being an academic activist in a neoliberal university Gurnam Singh
Government must keep UC and WTC uplifts! Stephen Lambert

Issue 106, January to March 2022

BTECs' future still in the balance
Martin Allen assesses the situation as the Skills Bill progresses through parliament.

To have or have not: the North's growing education class divide
Stephen Lambert looks at 'under achievement' in the North East.

Future workers, 'levelling up' and a 'skills revolution'
Hannah Walters explains how current conversations around vocational education don't tell the whole story.

Goodbye, Mr Laarschot
A Nottingham FE teacher reflects on the recent resignation of Nottingham College CEO, John van de Laarschot.

Education, skills and social justice
PSE conversation with Bill Esmond and Liz Atkins about their book.

Breaking down barriers through research
Heather James calls for more support for research in FE.

Teaching in the time of Covid
Kerry Scattergood talks to Rob Peutrell about the Working and Living in FE collective writing project.

Peter Scott on the crisis in H.E.
Patrick Ainley reviews Peter Scott's recent book on the crisis in H.E.

Artificial intelligence in FE and HE
John Preston summarises arguments from his new book.

Community Wealth Building
Jane Lethbridge reviews the recent account of CWB in Preston by Matthew Brown and Rhian Jones.

William Blake as precursor of independent working-class education
Article version of talk given by Colin Waugh on 17 September 2021.

Issue 107, April to June 2022

Nuala Burgess
'The market, sixth-formers and post-school choosing'
Nuala Burgess looks at who wins and who loses.

Martin Allen
'Curriculum alternatives'
Martin Allen investigates how the relation between vocational and academic courses has developed over time.

Carol Azumah Dennis and Mel Green
'bell hooks, 1952-2021 writer, activist, teacher: an appreciation'
Two black women sit and talk about bell hooks and her impact on them as teachers and individuals.

Daniel Whittall and Robert Poole
'Post-16 education, regional inequality and democracy'
Daniel Whittall and Robert Poole look at what lies behind Eton College's move to open sixth form colleges, and propose an alternative.

Robin Simmons
'Kickstart – another false start'
Robin Simmons critically reviews the Kickstart job creation scheme for young people.

Stephen Lambert
'Can educational practitioners learn anything from academic social research?
Stephen Lambert, director of the social enterprise company Education4Democracy, says yes'.

Jane Lethbridge
'Review: how to really level up the UK'
Jane Lethbridge reviews the recent UK New Economics Foundation Closing the Divide publication.

Patrick Ainley
Consolidating education
Patrick Ainley critiques the commodification being introduced across all education sectors in the UK.

City of Liverpool College UCU Branch
'Urgent: sacking of Nina Doran'
This City of Liverpool College UCU Branch Circular explains the background to the victimisation of Nina Doran for union activity.

Colin Waugh
'Black Spartacus, black Jacobins'
Colin Waugh looks at Sudhir Hazareesingh's recent biography of Toussaint Louverture and considers its relation to C. L. R, James's The Black Jacobins

Richard Clarke
'What is 'useful' knowledge?'
Article by Richard Clarke based on his talk on 24 February at Birkbeck College 'Useful Knowledge 200' conference.

Issue 108: July to September 2022
The North-West arise!
PSE talked to a UCU branch activist involved in the North-West FE industrial action.

Forgotten or the future?
Mike Pevitt takes a look at what lies ahead for Further Education.

The university casualisation crisis must end
Teleola Cartwright reflects on life and work on a zero hour contract.

Did someone say ‘well-being’?
Nick Stevenson on good health becoming the new normal.

The implications of a changing workforce in HE
Jane Lethbridge considers how the changing workforce is reshaping education.

Review: A new technical elite?
Martin Allen reviews Bill Esmond and Liz Atkins', Education, Skills and Social Justice in a Polarising World: Between Technical Elites and Welfare Vocationalism, Routledge, 2022.

T-levels: too big to fail?
Martin Allen looks at the T-level rollout, and questions some of the assumptions and capacity.

T-levels: a UCU view
An abridged version of a UCU document by Gila Tabrizi, UCU policy officer: ‘The future of post-16 qualifications’ .

Ten years after the ESOL Manifesto: protest, pedagogy and professionalism
It’s now ten years since Action for ESOL published its ESOL Manifesto. Rob Peutrell and Melanie Cooke consider why the manifesto still matters.

Vocational FHE now: what would valid general education within it be like?
Article version of a talk given by Colin Waugh at a PSE zoom session on 28 April 2022 (notes added to clarify specific points).

Issue 109: October to December 2022

‘Raymond Williams and education’
Sharon Clancy reviews Ian Menter’s new book.

‘A difficult summer for 18-year-olds’
Martin Allen argues that this cohort has possibly endured more stress and uncertainty than the previous ‘Covid generation’.

‘Aspirations of white working-class boys’
Philip Dore looks at the factors influencing white working-class boys’ aspirations and the implications for educators.

‘Diversity and inclusion in higher education’
Gurnam Singh investigates the possibilities of movement from cognitive awakening to moral action.

‘Sign or be sacked: the struggle at Richmond Upon Thames College’
Kitty Howarth talked to a Richmond Upon Thames College UCU activist about their struggle against imposed new contracts.

‘The improvising teacher’
Cliff Jones reviews Nick Sorensen’s book.

‘Fundamental questions posed for students and teachers’
Response by Patrick Ainley to David Ridley’s No Consolation. Radical Politics in Terrifying Times.

‘What is IWCE?’
Article version of a talk given by Colin Waugh at an Independent Working-Class Education Network zoom event on 8 September 2022.