Morality and Further Education: towards a critical values foundation for the post‐compulsory sector in Britain

The Further Education (FE) sector has, arguably, witnessed more change and development over the last decade or so than any other sector of education in Britain. In addition to a massive expansion of post‐16 student numbers, the new corporate FE colleges have had to deal with sea changes in government policy in recent years. Traditionally concerned with “second chance” and vocational education and training (VET), the colleges are now set to play a central role in the “New Deal” for post‐compulsory students in the drive to develop a “learning society”. All such change has taken place in an ethical vacuum in which values are neutralised as the debate concentrates on purely technical questions. A values foundation for the new FE sector is outlined in the areas of VET, support and guidance services and the concepts of studentship and learning careers.