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Students make their own horror film with Star Wars actress

Andover College students acted in and helped shoot a feature-length horror movie. The film has attracted widespread interest because it starred professional actress Daisy Ridley — who will appear in the new Star Wars film, writes Paul Offord. The movie world may appear to exist in another galaxy far, far away to most […]

Striking Lambeth College staff return to work just days before holiday

Lambeth College staff who have been on strike since June 3 over new contracts went back to work today — just two days before the summer break. The move, which means workers will be entitled to full holiday pay having returned to work before the end of the college year, comes after three days of […]

Council powers ‘should merge’ with SFA, EFA and DWP to form a new skills service, says local authority body

The Local Government Association (LGA) has called for a “joined-up employment and skills service” formed of powers from the Department for Work and Pensions, the Skills Funding Agency, the Education Funding Agency and councils. Its report, Investing in our nation’s future: the first 100 days of the next government, says the the move would “stop […]

‘Catch-up’ criticism over tech bacc

Labour has accused the Conservatives of playing “catch-up” on tech baccs after just five colleges were revealed to be planning to run courses that would count towards the new performance measure. The tech bacc level three performance measure for 16 to 19-year-olds will be made up of a tech-level vocational qualification, a maths qualification and […]

Tuned in for community radio shows

Level two and three creative media students from South Cheshire College showed they were on the right frequency at a community radio station. Cheslyn Gobey, aged 16, Clarke Johnson, Andrew Blackburn, Jack Such, all 17, Katie Hollinshead, Rob Hemmingway, both 18, Sam Lawrence, 19, and Tom Smallwood, 20, produced and presented two three-hour shows at […]

Leading academic sends Miliband back to classroom over ‘confusing’ technical degree plan

Professor Alison Wolf has issued a stinging attack on Labour leader Ed Miliband’s plans to “revolutionise learning and training” by introducing technical degrees at university. The Kings College London academic (pictured), whose government-commissioned review of vocational education for 14 to 19-year-olds was published in early 2011, branded the idea “confusing,” while Skills Minister Matthew Hancock labelled it […]

Helping to save the Amazon rainforest in Peru

Endangered trees were planted in the Amazon rainforest by Birmingham Metropolitan College students. The nine higher national diploma uniformed public services students helped out on a reforestation scheme in the Manu National Park during a three-week stay in Peru. It involved clearing unwanted bamboo and planting Peruvian pine, capirona and iron trees — which are […]

Exeter College treble at BTec Awards

Exeter College achieved treble success at the National BTeC Awards. The provider, which was rated outstanding by Ofsted in January and has more than 3,200 learners on level one to five BTec courses, won the outstanding BTec school/ college of the year award at the ceremony run by Pearson UK in London on July 3. […]

Fresh water supplied to Madagascan village

An english teacher from Wigan-based Winstanley College raised more than £3,000 to bring fresh water to a remote village in Madagascar. Fran Pridham saw how residents from the village of Filemahana faced a five-mile walk to the nearest fresh water well during a holiday in 2012 on the island, situated off the coast of Africa. […]