FE Week Reporter | FE Week

Planned name announced for new organisation following Niace and Inclusion merger

The planned new name for the merged National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (Niace) and the Centre for Social Inclusion (Inclusion) has been revealed to FE Week. Niace chief executive David Hughes (pictured above) said this morning that the name his team had decided on was the Learning and Work Institute, although it still has […]

AELP chief executive dismisses Ofsted criticism of ‘floor mopping and coffee making apprenticeships’

The Association for Employment and Learning Providers’ (AELP) chief executive Stewart Segal has hit back at Ofsted for criticising “floor mopping and coffee making apprenticeships” that he says don’t exist. Ofsted’s long-anticipated report in apprenticeships, which FE Week was shown a sneak preview of over the weekend, will be highly critical of apprenticeships for not […]

College expects 40 ‘net’ job losses to result from cost cutting measures that could affect up to 300 people

Leeds City College expects a total net loss of 40 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs to result from a cost cutting programme that it is feared could affect nearly 300 people. A college spokesperson told FE Week this afternoon that it had launched a 45 day consultation period yesterday (October 19) on its “funding challenge response […]

Natspec chief executive standing down after eight years

Chief executive of the Association of Specialist Colleges (Natspec) Alison Boulton will be standing down in January, FE Week can reveal. A Natspec spokesperson confirmed today that she will be replaced by Clare Howard (pictured below right), who is currently deputy managing director of Association of Colleges Sport. Ms Boulton said: “It has been a […]

Wealthy universities must support struggling FE sector

Jonathan Simons, head of education at Policy Exchange, explains why a new report published by his think tank is calling for a radical rebalancing of funding between higher education and FE. What do 3m apprenticeships, the Northern Powerhouse, improved social mobility, increased economic growth, a One Nation approach to governing and turbocharged productivity all have […]

Strike action planned for November 10 after union ballots members on AoC pay freeze proposal

The University and College Union (UCU) has announced planned strike action on November 10 after balloting members over an Association of Colleges (AoC) pay freeze recommendation for 2015/16, FE Week can reveal. The UCU FE committee met on Saturday to discuss the ballot result, which saw 74 per cent of members vote in favour […]

Asbestos dust, dangerous workshop lathes and repetitive strain injury among issues prompting more than 20 Health and Safety Executive notices

More than 20 Health and Safety Executive (HSE) notices have been served to FE colleges in the last five years with issues ranging from dangerous workshop lathes to concerns over asbestos dust and repetitive strain injury, FE Week can reveal. Three notices have given to colleges so far this calendar year, with a further nine […]

Public consultations to be held for all new Trailblazer assessment plans

All trailblazer assessment plans are going to be put out to public consultation from the end of this month, FE Week can exclusively reveal. Jennifer Coupland, deputy director of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and Department for Education (DfE) apprenticeship strategy and policy unit, set out the plans in a letter emailed […]

Edition 151: Movers and Shakers

Ellen Thinnesen will be the new principal of Sunderland College come the New Year, following the retirement of Anne Isherwood. Ms Thinnesen will arrive from Tameside College where she was deputy principal. Prior to this, she held various senior management and teaching roles at Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education. Ms Thinnesen said she […]