FE Week Reporter | FE Week

Skills Minister Nick Boles acknowledges ‘concerns’ that qualifications reform has gone too far

Skills Minister Nick Boles said he was prepared to investigate whether qualifications reform had “gone too far” as he addressed MPs for the first time in his new role today. At a Westminster Hall debate on youth unemployment and Ofsted this morning, Mr Boles (pictured above in action) said he had heard “concerns” about the extent […]

UCU set to ask college staff to reject biggest pay offer in five years

College staff across England will be urged to reject their biggest pay offer in five years when the University and College Union (UCU) puts the deal to members, FE Week can reveal. The Association of Colleges (AoC) had put its “full and final offer” for 2014/15 to the UCU last month. The offer included removing the lowest current […]

Filling UTC classrooms — why did it go wrong at Hackney?

Hackney University Technical College (UTC) revealed this week low recruitment from September meant it would be closing for good the following academic year. It prompted tough criticism from 157 Group executive director Lynne Sedgmore, so Neil Patterson looks at the recruitment issues facing UTCs. As a fellow UTC principal, the news that Hackney UTC is due […]

Chair at inadequate-rated Stockport College tells board he is stepping down

The chair of governors at Stockport College, which was hit with an inadequate Ofsted rating last year before being placed in administered status by the FE Commissioner, is to step down amid concerns for the future of 150 jobs. Trevor Rees (pictured) told fellow college corporation board members on Thursday (July 10) that he would […]

Sector welcomes new Skills Minister and Education Secretary as Cabinet-bound Matthew Hancock issues farewell message

The FE sector has been quick to have its say on today’s appointments of Nick Boles to Skills Minister and Nicky Morgan to Education Secretary. Former Skills Minister Matthew Hancock has been appointed as Business, Enterprise and Energy Minister and will attend Cabinet in his job (although not as a Cabinet post-holder), which is a new shared role at the […]

New Skills Minister Nick Boles admits to knowing ‘nothing’ about sector

New Skills Minister Nick Boles admitted to knowing “nothing” about the sector during his first parliamentary appearance in the job, but said he was “keen to learn” about FE and skills. Likening himself to dim-witted Faulty Towers waiter Manuel (pictured right), played by Andrew Sachs in the 1970s BBC comedy series, Mr Boles told a Westminster […]

Nicky Morgan replaces Gove at DfE as Cameron promotes women to top jobs

Loughborough MP Nicky Morgan, who has served in two Treasury positions, is the new Education Secretary following the departure of Michael Gove. Ms Morgan, aged 41, moved into Mr Gove’s job at the Department for Education (DfE) after his move to the office of Chief Whip in the House of Commons. London-born Ms Morgan, a […]

Nick Boles is new Skills Minister after move to joint role at BIS and DfE

Former Planning Minister Nick Boles has taken on a joint role at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Department for Education (DfE). Although it has not been officially confirmed the 48-year-old Tory, a former flatmate of Michael Gove, will take on the skills portfolio, a Downing Street spokesperson told FE Week that […]

Hancock to attend Cabinet in new business role as Cameron shakes up top team

Matthew Hancock has moved to a new shared role at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and Department for Energy and Climate Change. The MP for West Suffolk and former Skills and Enterprise Minister has been appointed as Business, Enterprise and Energy Minister, taking on the work of former Business Minister Michael Fallon, who […]