FE Week Reporter | FE Week

Governors take driving seat with Data Dashboard

Governors will have greater access to performance information on their institutions with Ofsted’s launch of an online dashboard expected to take place on Monday (May 8). The Data Dashboard has been designed to allow governors to assess how the provider is meeting the economic needs of its local area and the priorities set out by […]

Fewer than two applications for every traineeship vacancy

Official figures showing fewer than two applications for each traineeship vacancy have sparked concern about a “general lack of awareness” of the government’s new flagship youth unemployment scheme. A freedom of information (FOI) request from FE Week showed just 4,160 online applications were made for 3,480 traineeship vacancies in the eight months since the programme’s […]

Specialist colleges leader tells of concerns over new SEN law

The impact of a new law aimed at improving special needs provision in general FE and sixth form colleges could be limited by funding and capacity constraints, a sector leader has warned. Alison Boulton (pictured), the chief executive of the Association of National Specialists Colleges (Natspec), has said a new legal obligation for colleges to […]

Royal seal of approval for horse rehabilitation centre

London Olympic eventing silver medallist Zara Phillips was guest of honour at the opening of Warwickshire College’s new Equine Therapy and Rehabilitation Centre. Ms Phillips, who is the daughter of Princess Anne, was given a tour of the facilities and a demonstration of an equine water treadmill used for training and rehabilitating horses, which is […]

College launches student paper

LeSoCo College in South London has launched its first ever student newspaper. The first edition of the LeSoCo Times was written and created by students and covered everything from funding cuts to fashion, food banks and film reviews. The newspaper’s sponsor Michael Buckmaster-Brown, founder of Emblem publishing, provided help and advice. Principal Maxine Room said: […]

Apprenticeship reforms must be tested, says AoC

The Association of Colleges has called for government proposals for apprenticeship funding reform to be “carefully modelled and trialled” over fears changes could create barriers and reduce quality. In its response to a technical consultation on the proposals to use PAYE or a credits system to fund apprenticeship, it warned that not enough was known […]

Best feet forward for sports massage demonstration

The first person in the UK to qualify as a sports massage therapist using just her feet demonstrated her techniques to students studying for a level three diploma in spa therapies at Doncaster College. Sue Kent was one of thousands of people across the world born with disabilities in the 1950s and 1960s because their […]

Marcel secures US basketball scholarship

Barnet and Southgate College BTec student Marcel Thomas Lee secured a basketball scholarship at an American university. The 19-year-old level three sports and basketball learner sent two video clips — one of him training and one of him playing a game — along with his academic results to Hardin Simmons University, in Texas, to secure […]

Rock samples collected from former working mine

Chemistry A-level and level three applied science BTec students from South Cheshire College went underground in a former working mine to collect rock samples. A group of 24 students visited the site at Ecton Hill, in Staffordshire, which was mined for copper and lead for more than 3,500 years up to its closure in 1891. […]