Across Paragon Skills and Shaping Lives, we have a team of Functional Skills experts who deliver around 20 workshops each week, to support the learners we have on programme. We try to accommodate our learners, so 4 of these are delivered on evenings. The workshops we deliver for maths and English different from most other…
By Dr Andy Hogg SEND Subject Matter Expert for Shaping Lives The cliff edge between the structured safety of full-time education and the unpredictable, high-stakes world of the adult workplace has never been steeper, and it is quietly derailing the early careers of our youngest workforce. Across almost every sector of the economy, a frustrating…
By Dr Andy Hogg SEND Subject Matter Expert for Shaping Lives Over the past 30 years, I have worked with children and young people across mainstream schools, special schools, international schools and alternative provisions. During that time, one belief I have held has remained constant: All behaviour is communication. When a child displays what we…
By Dr Andy Hogg SEND Subject Matter Expert for Shaping Lives The window has officially slammed shut. On May 18, 2026, the government closed its 12-week consultation window on the highly anticipated SEND White Paper, “SEND reform: putting children and young people first.” For months, the sector has been abuzz with debate over this overhaul,…
By Dr Andy Hogg, Shaping Lives. I have been supporting a mother who was recently told, quite flatly, that her child would not qualify for an Education, Health and Care Plan. The school staff did not suggest they would try and fail; they simply told her it was not appropriate to explore. They said he…
By Dr Andy Hogg, Shaping Lives. As we continue in the midst of the continuing and growing SEND crisis, with rising pupil numbers and increasingly complex needs, schools are facing “rising pressure” and unprecedented scrutiny from Ofsted. the right support, we risk children dropping out of the education system and this continued failure has profound…
Choosing your next step can feel exciting and a little overwhelming, especially when both options seem good. If you are thinking about a career in early childhood education, you might be wondering whether a childcare apprenticeship or a college course will help you get there faster. The good news is that both routes can open…
A new year always brings a moment to pause, reflect, and look ahead. As we step into 2026, it feels right to take stock of what has been achieved, not just in numbers, but in people, progress, and potential. Because behind every statistic is a learner building confidence, an employer strengthening their team, and a…
Apprenticeships play a powerful role in early years education. They bring together passion and growth, supporting nurseries, apprentices, children, and communities at the same time. At Shaping Lives, we see every day how apprenticeships help build confident professionals, stronger teams, and high-quality early years settings that children can thrive in. Here’s why apprenticeships matter, and…
If you are thinking about a career in early childhood education, you have probably noticed there are different apprenticeship levels to choose from. Level 2 and Level 3 are the most common starting points, but what do they actually mean, and what is the difference between Level 2 and Level 3 childcare apprenticeships? Whether you…
