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15 May 2026

Author: Billy Camden

Milton visits first FE college since becoming minister

A college in the midst of completing a three-way merger was chosen by Anne Milton as her first FE provider to visit since she became skills minister. Ms Milton (pictured above right), who replaced Robert Halfon after a shock sacking last month, was given a tour last week of Surrey-based Carshalton College – which is […]

Iraqi refugee turned biomedical scientist crowned BTEC student of the year

An “inspirational” refugee student from Salford City College has been crowned ‘BTEC student of the year’ at a prestigious national awards ceremony hosted by Pearson this afternoon. The stunning Royal Horticultural Halls in London was the setting for the seventh National BTEC Awards, where 22 students, teachers and employers were singled out for excellence, from […]

Provider’s grade four imperils hundreds of learner loans

Hundreds of learners on loans-funded courses are facing an uncertain future after their training provider received the lowest Ofsted rating. Health and Fitness Education Ltd, in Lancashire, received an ‘inadequate’ across the board in a report published June 27. It delivers training in health and fitness through government-funded advanced learner loans, and had around 225 […]

Ofsted survey tools used by only 2% of learners

Two Trip Adviser-style tools for rating providers during inspections which cost Ofsted just over £90,000 to develop receive responses from just two per cent of learners on average, FE Week analysis reveals. Learner View was launched in 2012 and cost £65,000 to create. It was designed to draw together the opinions of students about their […]

Minister met with key studio school officials to discuss ‘review’ of model

Academies minister Lord Nash met with key officials from the studio schools programme to discuss a review of the model’s “concept”, new documents have indicated. The Department for Education meeting records showed that Lord Nash (pictured) met the Studio Schools Trust in March, with the purpose of the meeting listed as being “to review the […]

Controversial 2014/15 achievement rate data will now be published

The government has U-turned on its decision not to publish controversial achievement rate data – after FE Week revealed that ministers were hiding the figures. Two weeks ago, the Department for Education published revised national achievement rates tables for 2015/16 for individual providers – but without comparable figures for previous years, which are needed to […]

UTCs demand more funding than mainstream schools

The body behind the ailing university technical college model has called on the government to apportion more funding to them than to mainstream schools. The Baker Dearing Trust also wants school leaders to assess which students might best fit the scheme – instead of just sending them unsuitable learners – as well as changes to […]

DfE U-turn on hiding controversial apprenticeship data ‘welcomed’

The DfE’s rethink on publishing the revised provider achievement rate data for 2014/15 is a welcome change of heart – though it is possible that FE Week’s front page two weeks ago claiming they were hiding the data prompted tough questions within the department. It may seem like a technical issue, but this is very […]

Ofsted chief stresses ‘real challenge’ with apprenticeships register

Ofsted’s chief inspector has reiterated the “real challenge” faced by the education watchdog following the influx of new training providers who deliver apprenticeships. Amanda Spielman described the issue as a “big problem” during an interview with Laura McInerney, the editor of FE Week’s sister paper FE Week, at the Festival of Education and Skills today. […]