FE Week Reporter | FE Week

Burton and South Derbyshire College revs into pole position at creative arts awards

Graphic design students from Burton and South Derbyshire College have scooped three top awards at a prestigious Young Creative Chevrolet Awards night. Laura Hobson (19), from Mickleover, in Derbyshire, was the biggest winner of the night, winning first place in the UK Visual Arts Category and second in the European leg, thanks to her special […]

Sheffield City College Principal is a Fellow

A principal hopes to promote excellence in science skills after being appointed a founding Fellow of a new national organisation. Sheffield City College Principal Julie Byrne has joined the NEF Institute of Innovation and Knowledge Exchange, which promotes excellence in science and innovation, and was launched at The Royal Society in London. Mrs Byrne said: “I […]

Stroud principal gets OBE for service to FE

A proud principal picked up her honour after being awarded an OBE from the Princess Royal. The official ceremony to award Stroud College principal Dr Beri Hare with an OBE took place at Buckingham Palace. The award, which was presented by Princess Anne, recognises Dr Hare’s services to further education. Dr Hare said: “It was […]

Northampton College gets shiny new facilities

Staff and students are enjoying top class facilities after moving into Phase One of Northampton College’s new building at Booth Lane. Professional theatre spaces, state-of-the-art automotive spray booths and dedicated science labs with central floating teaching islands are just some of the latest teaching technologies in the building which opened for learning back in April. […]

Funding will be cut if standards not met

NAS could withdraw funding from providers as they look into “every short apprenticeship” Funding will be withdrawn from providers who fail to meet standards as government agencies bid to tackle short apprenticeships. The National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) is working alongside the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) to review every short apprenticeship programme. It comes following the […]

Hatton proves a hit for Preston College boxer

Former boxing World champion Ricky Hatton is set to make a dramatic return to the ring – but instead of throwing leather he will be barking the orders. ‘The Hitman’ has taken out a trainers licence and the first fighter to team up with him is Preston College sports student and welterweight hopeful Adam Little. Hatton was in Little’s corner when […]

TyneMet and Northam Community College to reboot science, tech and maths courses

Engineering staff from TyneMet College, four teachers from Norham Community Technology College and Jo Lyons from the North Tyneside Education Business Partnership, visited Siemens’ Energy Services Plant. Staff from the two colleges discussed teaching and learning resources with experts at the major firm. While there, they met Carl Hopper, Energy Services STEM Ambassador, to […]

Government figures show adult apprenticeships more than tripled

Figures published this morning show that the number of apprenticeship starts aged 25 and above has more than tripled, to 175,500 in 2010/11. Provisional figures in the October 2011 Statistical First Release (SFR) show that whilst the number 0f 25+ increased by over 250% (from 49,100 to 175,500), all age apprenticeships starts increased 58% from 279,700 in 2009/10 […]

Poor vocational qualifications scrapped from performance tables by DfE

Vocational qualifications will not count in performance tables unless they’re high quality, the Department for Education (DfE) announced under new guidance today. The changes mean that vocational subjects will only be included on a ‘one-for-one’ basis with academic qualifications from 2014. The DfE hopes the new rules will stop schools from choosing subjects simply to […]