FE Week Reporter | FE Week

Staggered and late ESF tenders ‘affecting bid quality’, AELP warns

The staggered launch of bidding windows for £650m-worth of European Social Fund (ESF) cash between next month and May could result in providers competing on the basis of “available resources rather than delivery expertise,” the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) has warned. The first bidding window — for provision for young people considered […]

Exclusive: Public Accounts Committee chair says topslicing is ‘outrageous leeching’ of public cash

The issue of topslicing with lead providers skimming off around 40 per cent of government funding for delivery before dishing out contracts has been branded an “outrageous leeching of taxpayers’ money” by Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chair Meg Hillier (pictured). The Labour MP (pictured) told FE Week the National Audit Office (NAO) was going to […]

Learning Technology: a shared future

‘Partnership agreement’ signed by NCG and UCU leaders to consign string of bitter disputes to history

The University and College Union (UCU) and NCG (formerly Newcastle College Group) have signed a “partnership agreement” they hope will ease future negotiations over staff pay and conditions and consign previous bitter disputes to history. Chief executive of NCG Joe Docherty (pictured above left) and UCU regional official Iain Owens (pictured above right) signed the […]

Skills Minister Nick Boles unveils deep pan degree apprenticeships

Skills Minister Nick Boles was on hand to roll out Pizza Hut’s first ever apprenticeship scheme. Ranging from level one to degree standard, the programme aims to provide apprentices with a range of skills, from guest service and hospitality leadership, through to more technical requirements focusing on food production and financial analysis. The apprenticeships will […]

What next for FE after the Comprehensive Spending Review?

The sector might not be about to change quite as drastically, or catastrophically, as had been expected from Chancellor George Osborne’s Budget. But the need for change is nevertheless as urgent as ever, explains Kirstie Donnelly. So the Comprehensive Spending Review has finally been announced and, after months of speculation about exactly how deep the […]

Postnatal progress earns Zoe just deserts

An ex-offender who passed an exam less than 24 hours after giving birth has been honoured for her efforts to turn her life around through FE, writes Billy Camden. Zoe Marie Roberts feared a traumatic past would continue to lead her to a life of crime — but she decided to change track and enrolled […]

Sarah Wright, principal, Central Sussex College

A typist course at Warwickshire College at the age of 29 was the moment Sarah Wright knew her “life was going to be different”. Today she sits in the principal’s chair at Central Sussex College safe in the knowledge of when and where her next paycheque will come from — but such certainty and security […]

Movers and Shakers: Edition 157

Abingdon & Witney College deputy principal Di Batchelor will take the step up to principal after the Christmas break when Teresa Kelly retires. The board of governors said it appointed Ms Batchelor because of her “impressive personal contribution” to the college’s recent progress in curriculum development, teaching and learning, and the development of new facilities. […]