FE Week Reporter | FE Week

Government reviews FE scrutiny info

The Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) has launched a review of the data it publishes on FE and skills every quarter that allows government to be held to account for its policies. A consultation on the Statistical First Release (SFR) —information on 19-plus government-funded FE programmes in England — is underway until the […]

College job over after school achieves grade one

Hull College has given up its sponsorship of a formerly failing local school having guided it to top marks from Ofsted. Hull College stepped into take over Pickering High School Sports College in 2008, when just 18 per cent of learners were gaining the benchmark five GCSEs at A* to C grades and government officials […]

Prime Minister lays out apprenticeships as ‘first priority’ but sector awaits policy details

The creation of more apprenticeship starts is the “first priority” out of legislation announced in the Queen’s Speech, the Prime Minister has said. Speaking in Parliament following the Queen’s address on Wednesday, David Cameron said the new employment and welfare benefits bill, which requires that ministers report annually on apprenticeship growth, would help his government […]

ETF sets out stall for new professional body

The Education and Training Foundation (ETF) has launched a new professional membership body for FE practitioners. The creation of the Society for Education and Training (Set) follows the demise of the Institute for Learning (IfL), which transferred its legacy and assets to the ETF in November after running into financial difficulties. Set’s £63 annual membership […]

Ofsted denies ‘jumping gun’ with Bolton College GCSE criticism

Ofsted has denied “jumping the gun” on an impending funding condition after a report appeared to criticise a college that fell from a ‘good’ to ‘requires improvement’ judgement for failing to meet it. From August, any learner aged 16 to 19 on a study programme with a grade D in GCSE English or maths has […]

Phil Hatton, former Ofsted inspector and FE consultant

As a former Ofsted inspector, FE consultant Phil Hatton has probably seen some of the best and worst practices that teaching can offer. He’s very keen to talk about his experiences — whether that’s the freedom of having left an organisation you’ve been part of for years, or the glee of being able to give […]

UTCs take eight spaces in list of 50 worst for absence

Eight University Technical Colleges (UTCs) have been listed among England’s worst providers for overall absence. The Department for Education statistics, for last autumn, show how Elutec, in Essex, is the worst of the UTCs with a figure that put it at eighth in the list of shame among providers which recruit pupils aged five to […]

There’s another Budget soon — be sure your sector voice is heard

My last column was all about the politics of FE. I got a few encouraging responses publicly on Twitter and some, let’s say, agitated responses from people concerned about what the general election results will mean for our sector. To be clear, I am done talking about the latter and want to focus now on […]

Apprenticeships — it’s about learning and it’s about time

Bill Lucas was a keynote speaker at an international conference in Sweden on vocational education and training recently. Here he shares his arguments and reflects on some broader themes for FE globally. Before we can even begin to think about pedagogy in FE and the wider skills sectors we need to stop and think much […]