Billy Camden | FE Week

‘Policy not politics’: New Ofqual boss attempts to play down independence fears

Jo Saxton has said she would “absolutely speak out” as Ofqual boss if she felt any government decisions were going to “undermine the interests” of students after being quizzed over her independence by MPs today. Education secretary Gavin Williamson named Saxton, his policy adviser and a former academy trust boss, as his preferred candidate for […]

Winners of delayed £18m skills bootcamp tender revealed

The training providers and colleges chosen to deliver the remaining national skills bootcamp programmes have finally been named. FE Week can today reveal that 24 organisations have won funding in the government’s £18 million tender. Among them are 13 independent providers, six colleges, four mayoral combined authorities or local enterprise partnerships, and one university. FE […]

Sluggish start for government’s free IT qualifications

Take-up of the government’s flagship free digital skills qualifications, which will replace all low-level IT courses studied annually by over 100,000 people from next month, flopped in their first year. Announced five years ago and finally launched last August as a free “entitlement” alongside English and math courses, just 270 people had achieved an Essential […]

ESFA chief executive Eileen Milner to stand down

The chief executive of the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) Eileen Milner is to stand down, FE Week can reveal. The senior civil servant told staff today that the “time has come” for her to “go to a new challenge”. Milner was appointed in 2017 shortly after the organisation formed through the merger of […]

DfE tells schools and colleges to prepare for return of on-site Covid testing in September

Schools and colleges have been told to prepare for the return of on-site Covid testing from the start of the autumn term, with test kits and PPE to be sent out. In a letter sent to education leaders, seen by FE Week’s sister publication FE Week, schools minister Nick Gibb states the government wants education […]

ESFA’s adult education budget tender results delayed… AGAIN

Outcomes for the national adult education budget tender have been hit by a second delay. Results were originally supposed to be communicated on June 24 but the Education and Skills Funding Agency last week announced they would not meet the deadline. Bidders were told the next day that the outcomes would be ready for today […]

Ofsted confirms inspection changes following sexual abuse review

Inspectors will review sexual abuse records and consider how colleges handle related incidents when Ofsted returns to routine inspections in September, the watchdog has confirmed. Ofsted has today updated its FE and skills handbook to reflect the changes it promised to introduce following a recent review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges. The review […]

Sector leaders warn of ‘barmy’ delays to 16-18 traineeship expansion

Providers are being blocked from offering traineeships to 16- to 18-year-olds as the government drags its feet on a “market entry exercise” that was promised last October. Sector leaders are warning that the issue, described as “barmy”, will put the nail in the coffin of chancellor Rishi Sunak’s target to triple the number of starts […]

£73m adult education budget tender outcomes delayed

[UPDATE: A day after this article was published the ESFA said the outcomes will now be communicated on Monday 28 June.] The outcomes of the national adult education budget tender have been delayed, the Education and Skills Funding Agency has announced. In a message to bidders this afternoon, the agency said the results of […]