Author: Billy Camden

Lord Baker has mounted a robust defence of university technical colleges, despite the growing list of setbacks to befall the 14-to-19 programme he helped build. In an exclusive interview with FE Week’s Billy Camden, he refutes claims from other major players who once backed it, including George Osborne, that the movement is in serious trouble. […]

A college in Hertford will be kicking itself this week after Ofsted praised it for “much improvement” since its last inspection, but not enough to boost it up to a grade two. Hertford Regional College received ‘requires improvement’ ratings across the board in 2016. Ofsted went back in for a full re-inspection two months ago […]

The boss of a college that saw its turnover slashed last year was given a huge 31-per-cent salary increase in 2016/17 – taking his wage to £260,000. Garry Phillips’ whopping pay rise made him the fifth highest-paid principal in the country last year, at a time when Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College’s turnover dropped […]

It is crunch time at the nation’s largest college group, which is cutting staff and faces the return of Ofsted for a full inspection over its achievement rates. NCG will receive visits from two teams of inspectors on Monday, FE Week can reveal. One team will examine four of its colleges – Newcastle College, Newcastle […]

Another struggling university technical college has denied distancing itself from the UTC movement despite a rebrand now that it has joined a multi-academy trust. Once known as “Sir Charles Kao UTC”, the 14-to-19 technical training provider has changed its name to “the BMAT STEM Academy”. It is joining the Burnt Mill Academy Trust, based in […]

The former skills minister has appeared to question the whole design principle behind the government’s plan for prestigious new T-levels. Speaking in Westminster Hall this afternoon, Robert Halfon said that while there should be a “rocket booster” attached to the new technical qualifications, he is unsure about forcing 16-year-olds to choose between wholly academic and […]

A troubled Northamptonshire college has appointed a familiar face as an interim leader after its principal resigned in the wake of a damning grade four Ofsted report. Stephen Davies stepped down from Moulton College last month following a shocking report, which said learners, including those with high needs, were not safe. Ann Turner (pictured above) […]

George Osborne, who as chancellor was one of the driving forces behind university technical colleges, would consider scrapping the starting age of 14 if he were still in charge at the Treasury. The former MP told the Commons education committee that he had been examining early issues with the project just before he left office […]

UPDATE: Strike dates have been set for May 22 and 23, the UCU has announced today (May 4) Staff at a London college involved in a long-distance merger with one of the country’s largest college groups have voted to strike over pay. Members of the University and College Union at Lewisham Southwark College had already […]