FE Week Reporter | FE Week

Strength at the top is key to improvement concludes Ofsted

Strong, effective leadership is one of the key features of success, suggests Ofsted’s How Colleges Improve report. Winning colleges were seen to share characteristics of strong governance and management — as well as a clear vision and direction. The report, commissioned by the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) and Ofsted, highlighted how colleges built […]

Short shrift for new-look Ofsted reports

Joy Mercer, AoC Jan Webber, ASCL Reports of inspections under the new common inspection framework (CIF) are to become shorter, Ofsted has said. The move will disappoint many in FE who see the reports as a valuable source of information on where colleges and providers are […]

Colleges undecided on ‘Trip Advisor’ website

Providers are remaining on the fence about Ofted’s Trip Advisor-style Learner View website. The website, which cost £65,000 to develop and went live in time for Ofsted’s 2012/13 inspections, draws together the opinions of students about their courses and comes up with provider ratings. Students are faced with statements such as ‘my course/programme meets my […]

De Vere Academy putting 100% of learners on an access to apprenticeship

The De Vere Academy of Hospitality has been given permission by the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) to start all of their learners on an access to apprenticeship. “As agreed with NAS and the Skills Funding Agency (SFA), De Vere’s work trial programme allows all starts to be on a six week access pathway with the […]

SFA publish 2012/13 funding rules for a third time

A third version of the funding rules for 2012/13 have been published by the Skills Funding Agency (SFA). It updates version two, published in May, and replaces all of the funding requirements documents that currently exist. Some of the changes affect the evidence which providers need to submit to the SFA in order to prove […]

Employer Ownership of Skills pilot delayed by Ministers

The Employer Ownership of Skills pilot will not launch in August as planned, according to the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES). Applicants were supposed to be contacted by the Commission in June and July, with the delivery of successful bids starting in August. However, a UKCES spokesperson told FE Week they were still waiting for Ministers […]

‘Soul destroying’ A4e course exposed on Twitter by former NUS Vice President

An employability course managed by the ‘welfare to work’ firm A4e has been criticised on Twitter by a former NUS Vice President. Ed Marsh, former VP for Union Development, has been using the social network to expose numerous shortcomings in sessions delivered by 5E Limited, a subcontractor working on behalf of A4e. The course, which […]

Holt to apprenticeships review

A review into how businesses can be encouraged to hire an apprentice has been delayed by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). Social entrepreneur and jeweller Jason Holt has finished his review, but the report and government response will not be published by the end of the month as planned. “The date slipped, but […]

Young landscape gardeners selected for WorldSkills UK squad

Seven landscape gardeners have earned a place in Squad UK for WorldSkills Leipzig 2013. The competitors were chosen after competing in a three day selection event at the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park. The selected landscape gardeners are: – Matt Beasley, 18, from Winsford, Cheshire, who attends Reaseheath College. – Matthew Bradley, 18, from Crumlin, Co.Antrim, Northern […]