Author: Billy Camden

Earlier this month the Institute for Apprenticeships bragged about approving standards at a faster rate than ever before after they signed off their 300th. But since then FE Week has found that over a dozen are being completely ignored by employers. When asked why this was the case, the IfA was tight-lipped and the Department […]

A specialist land-based college branded “unsafe” in a shocking grade four report in April has made swift improvements to ensure the safety and welfare of students. Moulton College, based in Northamptonshire, was hit with an ‘inadequate’ rating after Ofsted found learners were in danger when studying in areas such as construction and equine studies. It […]

The government appears to have broken its own rules in its Institutes of Technology competition, by putting NCG through to the final bidding round despite the group’s grade three Ofsted rating. An update about the IoTs process was published yesterday which stated the Department for Education has now sent “interim guidance” about the next stage […]

Ofqual will soon begin auditing apprenticeship end-point assessment organisations to find out how they are mitigating risks around the capacity and capability of assessors. The exams regulator today confirmed its approach to its external quality assurance of EPAs, by publishing a final set of rules. The conditions and guidance, which come into force tomorrow, will […]

Over three quarters of a million pounds will be invested in colleges over the next two years to engage inactive students in sport and physical activity. AoC Sport announced today that Sport England will devote the sizeable chunk of its National Lottery funding to colleges from September 1, 2018 until August 31, 2020. It will […]

Training providers will have their European Social Fund cash protected until the end of 2020, even if a “no-deal” Brexit is reached. Chancellor Philip Hammond (pictured) made the promise today that any funding that organisations secure through EU programmes will be “guaranteed” by the UK government until that date. It was always the case that […]

The Department for Education has this morning published its annual report, revealing payoffs, various bonuses and millions in unrecoverable debt. The accounts sets out the expenditure and performance of the department over the period April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2018. FE Week has the main findings:   1. Hinds’ ministerial direction ‘demonstrated strong commitment’ […]

An independent specialist college showed the best of FE this week as it maintained its ‘outstanding’ rating, but the worst of the sector was also displayed when a private provider was branded ‘inadequate’. Foxes Academy, based in Somerset, was given a grade one across the board for the third time since 2007, in a report […]

The Department for Education spent more than £90 million on university technical college and studio school projects that went on to fail, new data shows. The government updated its register of capital spending on free schools, which includes the acquisition and construction costs for the 14 to 19 technical institutions. Analysis of the data shows […]