FE Week Reporter | FE Week

EFA unveil funding per student system

The Education Funding Agency (EFA) is to replace the current funding formula with a payment per student system in 2013/14. The reforms, outlined in the ‘16-19 funding formula review’, will affect all EFA funded provision for 16 to 19 year-olds, as well as students aged 24 or below with a learning disability or health and care […]

National day of action united FE against cuts and barriers to skills

After giving strong opinions on a comedian’s individual tax affairs, but refusing to be drawn into the individual tax affairs of Conservative Party donors, the Prime Minister returned to safer ground this week and launched an attack on the UK’s welfare entitlement culture. As well as announcing plans to cut housing benefits for people aged […]

WorldSkills UK squad selection highlights

Hundreds of skilled and talented FE students from across the UK last week fought for a chance to take place in WorldSkills, the world’s largest skills competition. They descended upon Stephenson College and North Hinckley and Warwickshire College, following the confectionery selections held in London late last month. After months of preparation, competitors underwent a […]

Vocational education the Swiss way

As another review into apprenticeships begins, guest reporter Shane Chowen visits Switzerland and reports on what we can learn from their apprenticeship system “For me the decision was easy. Most of the students at my school got apprenticeships, my dad did an apprenticeship; it’s a normal thing to do here. I’m looking forward to working […]

Nigel Duncan, principal, Fareham College

“You can turn on a sixpence and you can respond very quickly,” Nigel says. “To pull the team together is just a phone call away, rather than having to plan around lots and lots of diaries. “I love that cut and thrust, I love that sort of business acumen.” Despite its small size, Nigel Duncan […]

A traditional solution to an age-old problem

No one should doubt Professor Alison Wolf’s words when in her review of 14-19 education she said that ‘English and Maths GCSE (at grades A*-C) are fundamental to young people’s employment and education prospects. However, as we once again focus on improving the English and Maths skills of the flow into and stock of the […]

Moving to functional skills

The change to Functional Skills comes after almost a decade of one approach to literacy and numeracy provision and, on the whole, this change is welcome. For a long time, there has been a groundswell of concern that the Skills for Life strategy became about chasing qualifications and preparing learners for multiple-choice tests rather than […]

EFA publish 16-19 funding guidance for 2012/13

The Education Funding Agency has published a series of documents outlining its funding arrangements for 2012/13. It includes version 1 of the funding regulations, which affects all learners aged 16 to 19 and some learners aged 19 to 24 who are funded by the Agency. Meanwhile version 1 of the rates and formula document provides information […]

Sixth-form colleges fear for their future

A report by the Sixth Form Colleges Forum (SFCF) warns that many colleges “fear for their future” because of the government’s drive “to create a market” in 16 to 18 education. The Sixth Sense report (see right) argues that the government promotes school and academy sixth forms at the expense of sixth-form colleges. It says […]