Author: Billy Camden

Colleges have been urged by their membership organisation to pay exam fees to awarding bodies this summer following the cancellation of GCSE and A-level exams. A joint letter from the Association of Colleges and Federation of Awarding Bodies states that this action should be taken to “protect all parties” during the coronavirus crisis. It adds […]

The Education and Skills Funding Agency’s director of apprenticeships, Keith Smith, is leaving the role later this month. He will move to the Department for Education as its new director of post-16 strategy. Smith will be replaced by Peter Mucklow, who is currently the ESFA’s director of further education. Eileen Milner, chief executive of the […]

The Association of Colleges has called on Ofsted to suspend all inspections until at least January 2021 owing to the disruptions caused by coronavirus. The membership organisation says scheduled inspections should only go ahead where specific concerns have been raised about safeguarding or an inspection is requested by a provider. Last month Ofsted announced it […]

College staff do not require personal protective equipment, new government guidance has stated. The guidance also warns cleaning items such as soap “may be rationed” as the supply chain dries up, and rules out any future coronavirus testing for all educational staff. A document on ‘implementing social distancing in education settings’, updated this morning, states […]

Twenty four apprenticeship providers have been suspended from taking on new starts after receiving poor Ofsted ratings so far in 2020. In accordance with Education and Skills Funding Agency rules, any new provider found to be making ‘insufficient progress’ in at least one area of an early monitoring visit from the inspectorate will be temporarily […]

Rebecca Long-Bailey has been appointed as the shadow education secretary following a Labour Party reshuffle by new leader Keir Starmer. Long-Bailey, the MP for Salford and Eccles, takes over the position from Angela Rayner, who was elected deputy leader and appointed chair of the party over the weekend. Long-Bailey joined parliament in 2015, was previously […]

On Saturday, FE Week hosted its second webinar looking at the latest legislation and guidance from the government regarding the response to the coronavirus pandemic, for the FE and skills sector. Sponsored by Learning Curve Group and presented by Shane Mann, publisher of FE Week, the session included chief executive of the Association of Colleges […]