Author: FE Week Reporter

Functional Skills could be set for a return to government favour with Skills Minister Nick Boles having revealed plans to make the qualifications “legitimate, valid, respected and admired”. The qualifications, which aim to equip learners with basic skills in English, maths and ICT, have increasingly been seen as mere “stepping stones” toward GCSEs by some, […]

Plans to introduce mandatory employer cash contributions for apprenticeships could be scrapped, Skills Minister Nick Boles has indicated. In his first interview with FE Week since his appointment in July, Mr Boles said that while routing funding through employers was “non-negotiable,” he hinted that the cash contribution element of the proposals might not be introduced […]

Professor Alison Wolf has told of her hopes that a new national vocational education centre to influence policy and develop best practice will address the country’s “woeful” FE research record. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is giving £3m for three years — with an option to extend a further two years with […]

The apprenticeship minimum wage could rise by 23 per cent if Labour wins next year’s general election. The party has clarified its position on the rate for apprenticeships, which went up to £2.73 per hour on Wednesday (October 1). A party spokesperson told FE Week that under its plans, he would “expect” the Low Pay […]

Two general further education colleges have been given the green light to open free schools in the latest round of government approvals. Weston College and Bedford College were among the sponsors of 35 new free schools announced by the Department for Education (DfE) last week. Weston’s free school, Bristol Futures Academy, will specialise in alternative […]

Hundreds of skilled young tradesmen and women from across Europe came together to compete in a range of skills at EuroSkills 2014, in Lille. The competition kicked off with a lively opening ceremony at the 7,000-seater Zenith Arena on Wednesday (October 1) with performances from former winners, welcome speeches and a parade of competitors. The […]

The principal of an East London college that stepped in to save sixth form learners dumped over their AS-level grades by an Eton-backed school has called for all providers to “keep faith with learners”. Eddie Playfair (pictured), as exclusively reported in FE Week sister newspaper Academies Week, has welcomed a number of former London Academy […]