Author: Billy Camden

The government has moved a step closer to removing funding for applied general qualifications, such as BTECs, that compete with T Levels and A-levels. The Department for Education will today launch the second stage of its consultation on the future of vocational and technical qualifications at level 3 and below, which will run for 12 […]

The government has been urged by their own researchers to stump up funding for assessing prior learning in apprenticeships, after providers were found to be struggling with the financial viability of complying with the rule. It comes as the Department for Education launches a recruitment drive for three new apprenticeship compliance officers, who will focus […]

Two well-known sector leaders have been appointed as the new co-chairs of the Federation of Awarding Bodies. Kirstie Donnelly, chief executive of the City & Guilds Group, and Alan Woods, chief executive of the Vocational Training Charitable Trust (VTCT), will take up the posts at the membership organisation’s next annual general meeting on 8 December. […]

Ofsted has this morning published the letters from its first 10 “interim visits” of FE providers that are taking place this autumn. The five-page letters include inspectors’ findings from interviews with both leaders and learners about the provider’s response to Covid-19, but do not include a judgement grade. They include information about what actions leaders […]

A college surviving on bailout funding is seeking to balance the books with a management clear-out. Twenty managers who currently cover 10 roles at Greater Brighton Metropolitan College (GB Met) were informed yesterday evening that they are at risk of redundancy. No teaching or back office jobs are currently affected. GB Met triggered formal FE […]

A college has announced plans to close its campus for a two week “circuit breaker” to combat rising coronavirus cases in its area. With the backing of the University and College Union, Preston College has made the decision ahead of Lancashire’s move into tier three – the top level of England Covid restrictions – from […]

The traineeship tender is set to be deluged with “in excess of 3,000 bidders”, with the vast majority likely to miss out on a funding allocation, claims one consultant. The Education and Skills Funding Agency finally launched the bidding process for 19 to 24 traineeship funding on 7 October, but it is being run on […]

New Institutes of Technology (IoTs) will require greater collaboration between colleges and set more ambitious student recruitment targets, FE Week can reveal. A bidding process for wave two, to open a further eight IoTs, on top of the 12 existing institutes, was launched by education secretary Gavin Williamson (pictured) last week with the backing of […]