In “Cut to the bone?” (19 September) Stephen Hoare pointed out that further education has not benefited from the promise to maintain core education. In England, FE has lost some 25 per cent of funding and in Wales we are close behind that. He might have stressed even more just how valuable this sector is. Entering the FE college where I work you would be hard pressed to guess whether it is a special school, vocational college, art college, university, adult education centre or sixth form college. FE is all of those and more. It often takes the most vulnerable students – those who have not done well in the school system and those with learning difficulties. FE also attracts those who prefer more vocational courses or are attracted by better learning outcomes.If any politi