Author: Billy Camden

The country’s exams regulator has begun an investigation into “direct claim status” in an attempt to tackle qualifications malpractice in FE. Last year, Ofqual launched an inquiry into qualifications fraud in the private security sector after a sting by the BBC found staff at Ashley Commerce College, in Ilford, were prepared to sit exams for […]

Nearly a fifth of apprentices at level two and level three are illegally paid less than the minimum wage, according to the government’s long-delayed apprenticeship pay survey. Eighteen per cent were found to be paid below the appropriate national minimum wage or national living wage (for workers aged 25 and above), up from 15 per […]

Nearly 400 staff at one of the largest colleges in the country face an uncertain future while post-merger restructuring gets underway, a union has claimed. Nottingham College, a new body formed formed between New College Nottingham and Central College Nottingham, which finally merged on June 8 after a 10-month delay, is currently consulting on a […]

Learners stuck with heavy loans debt but no qualifications, after a training provider went bust, are still being forced to make repayments, even though the government promised these would be deferred. The situation has been brought to FE Week’s attention by nine learners affected by the demise of Hampshire-based Edudo Ltd, which we reported in […]

Private training providers have maintained their near 10-point lead over colleges in the government’s annual learner satisfaction survey, which was published this week. The Department for Education released the results of its annual survey, which had 364,589 respondents, representing 18.2 per cent of all learners, on June 13. Private providers scored 90 out of 100 […]

There was a sharp rise in the number of EU students taking up advanced learner loans this year despite the looming spectre of Brexit, government statistics show. Figures for take-up of all FE loans were released by the Department for Education last week, and the overall picture showed starts had gone up compared with the […]

Ofsted’s inspection budget is expected to fall by nearly £15 million over the next three years, despite more than doubling the number of providers in scope for inspection. The education watchdog released its annual report and accounts this morning. Since 2010/11, Ofsted’s financial resource has been reduced by over £54 million. It currently sits at […]

Six Conservative MPs, including three former education ministers, have been nominated to stand for election to chair the House of Commons education committee. The deadline for nominations officially passed at 3pm today, and Nick Boles, Rehman Chishti, Robert Halfon, Tim Loughton, Stephen Metcalfe and Dr Dan Poulter have officially made the ballot. The MPs had to […]