Author: Billy Camden

A London-based training provider worked with employers who did not recognise the names of their apprentices, according to a damning Ofsted report which rated it ‘inadequate’ in every category. Inspectors found that Touchstone Education Solutions Ltd, which has Education and Skills funding Agency contracts totalling more than £2 million, also does not withdraw learners in […]

During a hot-topic panel session at the Association of Colleges conference, several new college governors asked about how to avoid “serial offender” college principals. Nazir Afzal OBE became chair of Hopwood Hall College on September 1, 2018, after stepping down as pro-chancellor at Brunel University the previous month, before which he was chief crown prosecutor […]

A high-profile college in financial crisis is expected to make another 75 redundancies over the next four months as it continues its efforts to find savings, FE Week understands. The move at West Nottinghamshire College, which was headed up by Dame Asha Khemka until she resigned last month, follows the loss of about 100 jobs […]

Ofsted’s chief inspector was quizzed by FE Week’s chief reporter, Billy Camden, on a selection of topical questions at the Association of Colleges’ annual conference   College finances – should they feature in the leadership and management judgment? Several college leaders and boards have come under heavy criticism from the FE commissioner for their management […]

Defunct apprenticeship firm Aspire Achieve Advance paid for its former managing director’s child’s school fees as part of a “generous bonus”, FE Week can reveal. Andy Palmer (pictured) worked at the provider, better known as 3aaa, from September 2013 to October 2015 before becoming managing director of another disgraced FE giant – Learndirect – in […]

The boss of the Association of Colleges has told his members Ofsted is “quite right”, after the inspectorate found some colleges risk giving students “false hope” by putting them on courses where there are slim job prospects. Amanda Spielman, the chief inspector, drew gasps from delegates at the AoC conference this week when she questioned […]

Confusion surrounds the skills minister’s view on college and private provider partnerships, after FE Week discovered that her published speech for the Association of Colleges conference contradicts what she actually said. Anne Milton told over 1,000 delegates on Tuesday that she wants to see “more and more apprenticeship training being offered by colleges and where […]

Petroc has been crowned the best college in the country in FE Week’s exclusive league table for 2018. This year’s NICDEX gave 186 colleges a score of up to 40, with 10 marks available in four categories: learner satisfaction, employer satisfaction, 16-to-18 positive progression and adults into employment. The league table was first devised in […]

Significant senior staff vacancies and non-existent strategic and financial plans are just some of the issues facing a cash-strapped London college which was left in tatters by its old leader, its new principal has revealed. Karen Redhead lifted the lid on the difficulties at Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College during a hot-topic panel session […]