FE Week | FE Week

National charity opens London’s first-ever autism college

A national autism charity has celebrated the official launch of London’s first-ever FE college for learners with complex autism. Samantha King reports Operating across two campuses in Tottenham and Isleworth, Ambitious College is the first specialist day college solely for young people with autism, catering for those between the ages of 16 to 25. After […]

Movers and Shakers: Edition 205

Your weekly guide to who’s new and who’s leaving Clare Marchant has been named the new chief executive of the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, which operates the application process for all British universities and offering advice to college staff on how to help college leavers complete the application process. Ms Marchant will take up […]

Biohazard cleaning lecturer awarded medal for excellence for his quirky teaching methods

A biohazard cleaning lecturer has been awarded a medal for excellence from the qualification board City and Guilds. Stuart Wilson, a tutor at Accrington and Rossendale College, received the award for his innovative teaching methods, which include creating realistic crime scenes using Nutella, tomato sauce and even tinned vegetable soup. He was recommended for the […]

FEATURE: College puts on all-wheelchair production of Chicago to raise disability awareness

A college’s musical theatre department will put on a unique version of Chicago in order to raise awareness of disability in the arts. Samantha King reports Inspired by Kieron Hoult, a 17-year-old musical theatre student and wheelchair user, staff and students at Stratford-upon-Avon College wanted to give the classic musical a twist by putting the […]

Training provider receives top accolade for their investment in employees

The Learning Curve Group has joined the 13 per cent of organisations in the UK to be awarded the Investors in People gold standard award. The accreditation recognises organisations with good people management and provides resources for businesses to innovate, improve and expand, with a focus on their staff. As part of the award application […]

Meet Lancashire’s youngest English teachers

Eighteen college students have become the first teens in Lancashire to qualify as volunteer ESOL teachers as part of a nationwide language initiative. The Nelson and Colne College students, all aged between 16 and 19, will teach conversational English to Muslim women in Pendle, Burnley and Accrington as part of the national Talk English project. […]

LGBT campaigner Peter Tatchell tells students about his 50 years of activism

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell paid a visit to Bradford College last week to talk to students about the 50 years he has spent campaigning for LGBT rights. The 65-year-old recounted tales of his activism over the last half century, including being the 300 violent assaults he has sustained from anti-gay and far-right extremists. Tatchell […]

Movers and Shakers: Edition 204

Your weekly guide to who’s new and who’s leaving Malcolm Goodwin has been appointed the new principal of Capel Manor College in Enfield, London. Mr Goodwin has worked at the college since 2013, first joining as an assistant principal before becoming vice-principal and deputy over the course of four years. He will succeed current principal […]

Gordon Marsden lays out Labour’s FE policy objectives

Labour would establish an official pre-apprenticeship programme, and support apprenticeships for care leavers, veterans and people with disabilities, according to the shadow skills minister Gordon Marsden. During his speech at the Annual Apprenticeships Conference, Mr Marsden made clear his support for technical education, and hit out at “the lack of adequate resources” the government is […]