FE Week Reporter | FE Week

Action on minimum wage ‘ridiculously late’

The National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) has acted to ensure all jobs on its vacancy matching website conform to the National Minimum Wage (NMW) — more than three months after it rose three pence to £2.68. Companies had been advertising for apprenticeships that, according to the adverts, would have paid below the NMW. It was scandalous […]

Huge under-delivery on 16 to 18 apprenticeships

More than 520 providers under-delivered on their August 2012 16 to 18 apprenticeship allocations by a total of £241.5m. Research by FE Week into figures released by the Education Funding Agency, shows 769 colleges and independent learning providers (ILPs) were initially going to be funded with £826.9m for the programme. In spite of these difficulties […]

Technical issues +

Newham College principal Denise Brown-Sackey quits after series of allegations

Newham College principal Denise Brown-Sackey has quit after a series of damaging allegations relating to the London college. She had taken a leave of absence two months ago after it was claimed the college failed to take action over a recording of head of drama Dr Mark Walcott seeming to make homophobic comments about gay […]

Thought of mum inspires cancer fundraising

Every year South & City College Birmingham hair and beauty students organise a charity fundraising event and this year’s had personal resonance for learner Kerry Farrelly, writes Chris Henwood. When South & City College Birmingham hair and beauty lecturers asked learners who should benefit from their annual charity event, Kerry Farrelly thought of her mum. […]

‘Twas the week after Christmas

Former House of Commons Education Select Committee specialist Ben Nicholls is head of policy and communications at London’s Newham College. He writes exclusively for FE Week every month. ‘Twas the week after Christmas and, bursting with glee, Staff and students returned to the Land of FE. For those not in the know, FE-Land is a […]

Who told Sir Michael Wilshaw that Leps have all the answers?

Ofsted Chief Inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw’s second annual report on FE and skills pointed the sector in the direction of greater heeding of local enterprise partnerships. But to what extent is this deference warranted, asks Mick Fletcher. The Chief Inspector’s annual report on FE and skills follows a now predictable format. It contains some useful […]

Asha Khemka, principal, West Nottinghamshire College

Asha Khemka was always certain that one day she would be “somebody”, but she says there was never a plan. However, determination and success appear to be in the Khemka family genes. At the tender age of 33, her grandfather became the youngest judge to ever be appointed in the Indian state of Bihar, before […]

Quotas ‘not the answer’ to white, middle aged male dominance on college boards

The national picture of college governing boards is overwhelmingly one of white, middle-aged men, the results of an Association of Colleges survey revealed last month. Barbara Cohen looks at the legal issues. The national picture of college governing boards is overwhelmingly one of white, middle-aged men, the results of an Association of Colleges survey revealed […]