FE Week Reporter | FE Week

Failure warning as ‘less than half’ of traineeship providers deliver starts

The Department for Education (DfE) has “failed” to manage providers operating its traineeship programme, a senior MP has claimed. Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chair Margaret Hodge (pictured) made the comments in response to a report from the National Audit Office (NAO), which showed that just 200 out of 459 eligible training providers who said they […]

DfE gives colleges school data access to remove young learners’ hurdle

A major stumbling block holding up colleges looking to take on 14 and 15-year-old learners has been addressed by the government, FE Week can reveal. Colleges could recruit learners from the age of 14 from September last year but were hit with problems getting key student data — including learners’ past test results, attendance and […]

SFA’s £30.4m grant clears K College advances debt

Debts at the defunct K College were cleared after the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) dished out a £30.4m grant, FE Week can reveal. The SFA confirmed it paid the debt-ridden college before it was split into five campuses and taken over by East Kent College and Hadlow College from last month. The SFA said the […]

Edition 109: Margaret Mineham, Rebecca Garrod Waters, Tim Grant and Kate Roe

At least 13 colleges, independent learning providers and other skills bodies have started the new academic year under new leadership. he last academic year came to an eventful end, with retirements and resignations announced across England. Whitehall was no exception, with Nick Boles and Nicky Morgan having been announced as the new Skills Minister and […]

Hub breaks down on ILR data deadline day

Providers trying to submit information for the first individualised learner record (ILR) return of the academic year faced software issues on deadline day. Thursday (September 4) was the deadline for the first ILR return of 2014/15, but many providers found using the Skills Funding Agency’s hub software impossible due to technical issues. It is not […]

Sector bodies have their say on government plans

Officials at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) are currently sifting through the results of FE and skills consultations — one focussed on traineeships and the other on FE loans. The traineeship consultation began on June 19 and closed on August 14. It asked if traineeship providers should be paid based on learner […]

Peter Pendle, deputy general secretary, ATL

An “East End boy” with a passion for politics and a flair for all things FE, it’s hard to find a job Peter Pendle hasn’t done. From admin roles with British Rail to college vice principal via a seat on one council and policy roles at others, the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) deputy […]

Closer to employers and further away from funding agencies

In the 26 months since Geoff Russell stepped down as chief executive of the Skills Funding Agency, FE and skills has undergone much change — with more imminent. Having taken up post at Positive Outcomes independent learning provider this summer, he assesses the sector and considers whether it’s heading in the right direction. Further education […]

Co-operation is key to taking on school-age learners full-time

Bromley College was one of nine colleges given permission to enrol 14 and 15-year-olds full-time this September, in addition to six from last year. Sam Parrett outlines how the college went about preparing for the task. When the government announced in 2012 that FE colleges could recruit from the age of 14, I knew this […]