Author: Billy Camden

The long-awaited public consultation for T-levels has today been launched by the government. The consultation, which has been delayed for over a year, comes in the form of an online survey and is made up of 45 questions. It is seeking views on the implementation of the new “gold standard” technical qualifications, which are expected […]

The skills minister has offered her “sincere apologies” to FE providers which have been caught up in the non-levy tender debacle and insisted the delay is to ensure government “gets it right”, in an exclusive interview with FE Week. Anne Milton admitted she understands the “frustration” the sector has been put through with this exercise, […]

It was ‘good’ news all round for FE this week as all inspected providers either maintained or improved their ratings to a grade two. Two colleges, which previously hit the headlines for management issues, were celebrating after boosting from ‘requires improvement’ to ‘good’. Its welcome news coming after FE Week revealed earlier this month that […]

The results of the second attempted tender for funding apprenticeships with small employers (non-levy) are expected imminently, FE Week understands. We reported last week that the ESFA had “postponed” releasing the outcomes of this procurement exercise, following extended delays and ultimately an aborted first attempt, as more time was needed to evaluate a “high volume” […]

Learndirect’s apprenticeship achievement rates have continued to fall, Ofsted has found in its first monitoring visit to the provider since its grade four earlier in the year. Inspectors revisited the nation’s biggest FE provider at the end of October, and noted several improvements, while highlighting various areas of concern. One of the most concerning findings […]

The national minimum wage for apprentices will rise again in April, from £3.50 to £3.70 per hour, the chancellor announced in his budget statement today. This will be the second raise in a year, after the wage went from £3.40 per hour to £3.50 seven months ago. It will now increase by a further 20 […]

The government will invest an extra £20 million to help colleges prepare for the introduction of T-levels, the chancellor has announced in his autumn budget speech. “We are introducing T-levels and today I announce a further £20 million to support FE colleges to prepare for them,” he told the nation. It is thought this cash injection […]

The government has set aside £8.5 million to pilot “innovative approaches” to improving its controversial GCSE maths resit policy. Earlier today, the chancellor delivered his budget speech in parliament and announced various new forms of funding for FE. When the Treasury later released its full budget statement, it revealed it wants to find ways to […]