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Youth unemployment at new record high

Figures released this morning show UK youth unemployment is at the highest level since 1992 – just one month after the previous record was set. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed there were 1.03 million unemployed 16 to 24 year olds in the three months to October 2011, which is up 54,000 from the […]

NAO report critical of BIS and SFA bureaucracy reform

Government efforts to reduce bureaucracy in further education (FE) lack clarity and the complete picture, according to a report released today. Issued by the National Audit Office (NAO), ‘Reducing bureaucracy in further education in England’ is critical of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and Skills Funding Agency (SFA) approach to reform. It […]

Chris Shapcott (NAO) asks for “more detailed and clearer picture” of reforms

We spoke to Chris Shapcott, National Audit Office director of regulatory reform, about the NAO report titled ‘Reducing bureaucracy in further education in England’ published today. Q) Were these numbers what you expected? In a way, we produced the report because we didn’t know what to expect! That in a way was the point. In […]

#FElecture is a Christmas hit

More than 100 FE experts packed Central Westminster Hall for The Inaugural Lsect Christmas Lecture last night. With 2011 winding down to the festive close, Nick Linford, managing director of Lsect and managing editor of FE Week, gave a rousy round-up of a number of important policy documents. Among the topics covered during the lecture included […]

Dozen new ‘studio schools’ announced

A dozen new vocationally-based schools, with links to major employers such as Sony and Glaxo, have been revealed by the government. The Department for Education (DfE) released this morning the details of the new “studio schools” for people aged 14 to 19 to open in September 2012. Six studio schools are already in place – the first of […]

Funding for 16-19 year-olds in 2012/13 announced

More than 30,000 extra 16-19 education places will be funded next year to cope with the raising of the participation age to 17 in 2013. The Funding Statement, released by the The Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA) today to set out the funding available for 16-19 education and training for 2012-13, shows the government plans […]

Employers need greater incentives to invest in apprenticeships, say UKCES

A single skills market is needed to make employers invest more in apprenticeships and training, according to a report published today by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES). The document, titled ‘Employer Ownership of Skills’, says “more can be done to leverage additional employer investment”, and that government schemes have led to “significant […]

FE Week mini-mascot (Edition 13)

Follow the adventures of FE Week’s biggest and smallest fan! Mostly this week I have been trying to get this scratchy hat off” And also you can follow our FE Week mini-mascot on Twitter @daniellinford

West Suffolk College release charity single

Kind hearted musicians have created a Christmas charity single. Music Performance students at West Suffolk College have produced the single to raise money for children’s charity Camille’s Appeal. Fifteen students on the second year of an Extended Music Diploma have been involved in writing and producing the single, called This Winter. It is a classic […]