FE Week Reporter | FE Week

‘End assessment is a big change in the system and employers are understandably nervous’

The prospect, not to mention the potential cost, of end assessments in Trailblazer apprenticeships has proven a cause for concern for employers and providers. Richard Guy attempts to address these concerns. One of the biggest changes in the apprenticeship reforms is the introduction of independent end assessment for all apprenticeships. It’s clear from recent news […]

Size matters in qualification reform

The challenges facing the FE and skills sector are not just being experienced by providers — awarding organisations (AOs) have also got to ensure their offer is in line with reforms, explains Gemma Gathercole. The old saying goes that with great power comes great responsibility. The education and skills system holds great power to transform […]

Listening to community learning learners

Last month marked my first decade in FE. This time 10 years ago I’d just about finished my induction at City College Plymouth (then Plymouth College of FE), couldn’t grow a beard (many say I still can’t) and was probably just about used to calling my teachers by their first names. If there is one […]

Skills Minister Nick Boles issues ‘nothing to fear from college mergers’ assurance

Skills Minister Nick Boles has tried to reassure colleges undergoing post-16 education and training area reviews that mergers were “nothing to be afraid of”. He was told today by Shadow Consumer Affairs and Science Minister Yvonne Fovargue (pictured right) that colleges in her Makerfield constituency feared that their local Greater Manchester review launched last month […]

FE providers focused on ‘dubious qualifications of little economic relevance’ are among ‘guilty parties’ for apprenticeships failings, Wilshaw tells CBI conference

Ofsted boss Sir Michael Wilshaw told conference delegates that FE providers dishing out “dubious qualifications of little economic relevance” were among the “guilty parties” for apprenticeships failings. The chief inspector was in an uncompromising mood today as he addressed the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) West Midlands education and skills conference, with a speech that […]

Ofqual chief explains ‘transparent’ audit system for new Regulated Qualifications Framework to FAB conference

Ofqual chief Glenys Stacey has spelled out how its “transparent” audit system will work under the new Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF). Ms Stacey told the Federation of Awarding Bodies’ conference today that Ofqual would be publishing the results of its audits, as she challenged awarding bodies to create qualifications that are “valid”. “We will be […]

SFA director stepping down as joint service with EFA to be established

Skills Funding Agency (SFA) finance director Paul McGuire is stepping down next month — which will clear the way for responsibilities falling under his remit to be shared with the Education Funding Agency (EFA), FE Week can reveal. The announcement was made by Peter Lauener (pictured below left), who became chief executive of both agencies […]

Do area reviews pose a threat or an opportunity?

Bob Harrison considers the role of technology in post-16 education area-based reviews. Why is everyone so twitchy now Skills Minister Nick Boles has announced a process which some feel is not only hasty, but fundamentally flawed and is merely being used as a thin cloak for the cuts expected in the next comprehensive spending review? […]

‘Inadequate’ sixth form college has made ‘significant progress’, Ofsted monitoring visit finds

Hartlepool Sixth Form College (SFC) has made “significant progress” in improving on its previous inadequate Ofsted rating, the education watchdog’s latest FE monitoring visit report has found. The monitoring visit took place last month —10 months after it was rated as inadequate overall following its last full inspection, and seven months after the publication of […]