Author: Billy Camden

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 […]

A major college that has been battling a financial crisis has clawed its way up to a ‘good’ Ofsted rating, four years after it tumbled from the top grade to the bottom. City of Liverpool College has experienced a rocky few years since its current principal Elaine Bowker took over in 2011, including two interventions […]

Colleges will get £600 for every extra student who studies maths at level three under a proposal due to be set out in today’s budget. According to The Daily Telegraph, the chancellor will announce the £177 million incentive as part of a bundle of new education measures. The money for maths skills will cover a […]

Nearly 200 of the UK’s most talented young tradespeople were rewarded with gold, silver and bronze medals at The Skills Show’s closing ceremony tonight – at which a Scottish college emerged as the biggest winner for the third year in a row. Those that finished in the top three positions in 55 different skill areas, […]

Nearly 150 young people have been named in WorldSkills UK’s official Squad, and are one step closer to competing against the globes best skilled young people. The names of those who will begin training with the aim of representing Team UK at WorldSkills Kazan in 2019 were announced tonight at the closing ceremony for The […]