Apprenticeships and skills minister Gillian Keegan has answered teacher and student questions on the sector's future post-coronavirus. 

The minister thanked college staff and told Tes she was constantly impressed with the work the sector was doing to support learners. 

Ms Keegan also stressed that the government's decision to allow for students on many qualifications to receive grades calculated by their teachers, and the flexibility built into the government's guidelines, was aimed at allowing as many learners as possible to progress.

"Every single thing we have done since we closed schools and colleges has been about allowing and facilitating young people to get on to the next stage, which is why we are doing this unprecedented step and calculating exams, for example," she said. 

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GCSE exams 

She added that discussions were still ongoing with Ofqual and exam boards to establish how many learners were likely to sit GCSE exams in the autumn, but the opportunity was there for any student wishing to do so. "There are a number of discussions ongoing and we probably need a bit more time until there is clarity, but most important are the numbers [of students wanting to sit the exam] that will make the difference."

The minister also discussed colleges' need for PPE as they began to open for more students, as well as mental health support and the challenges students will face trying to find part-time jobs in an economy hit by the coronavirus pandemic. 

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