FE Week Reporter | FE Week

Happy learner = outstanding college

Students’ Unions (SU) can ruffle the feathers of some college principals, for others they are their gateway to enhancing the student experience and driving up quality. I have been involved in the student movement for five years. Representing students as a class representative, as President of City College Norwich Students’ Union and now as a […]

The SFA survey says…

The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) have published the results from their first College and Training Organisation Survey. Responses were received via an online survey from just over 250 people. The findings showed that 60 per cent felt the SFA had not made good progress in reducing the bureaucractic burden on the sector. Read the full […]

Good luck with R02

Colleges and other providers are being reminded that the first ‘required’ Individualised Learner Record (ILR) is due by 6pm on October 6th. The Data Service said: “Providers are encouraged to start using the new systems to check, validate and submit their R02 return”. For more information click here.

FE Week mini-mascot (Edition 4)

Follow the adventures of FE Week’s biggest and smallest fan! Mostly this week I have been driving in my car – it’s not quite a Jaguar And also you can follow our FE Week mini-mascot on Twitter @daniellinford

No change to MLPs

The SFA and YPLA have confirmed that there will be no change to Minimum Levels of Performance (MLP). The SFA said in their weekly update: “As a result of the consultations currently taking place, no changes to the process on MLP are proposed for the coming year, or to the Minimum Levels thresholds that were […]

Unemployment ‘free-for-all’

Leaked Skills Funding Agency email reveals more late policy changes, but will colleges refund the fees? Colleges will for the first time be able to claim full funding for unemployed learners not on a state benefit, following a policy update by the Skills Funding Agency (SFA). Leaked email correspondence between SFA staff confirms the changes […]

Lifelong Learning Accounts launched without a launch

Lifelong Learning Accounts were made available last week despite no formal announcement and minimal publicity from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS)and the Skills Funding Agency (SFA). At the time of publication neither the SFA nor BIS had published a press release, although the SFA had included them as an item […]

FE colleges could be “left to stand on their own two feet”

Government reforms could see colleges given greater freedoms under plans to deregulate further education (FE). The Education Bill, which is at the Lords Committee Stage, contains a range of measures to give colleges greater freedom from government control. However, the Department for Education (DfE) say they could go further. A spokesman for DfE said: “Ministers […]

No delay to simplification of adult funding formula

The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) is rumoured to be shortly announcing a delay to the full roll-out of a new funding formula for 2012/13. However, the SFA deny this is the case, and reassure FE Week that: “Work to introduce a simplified funding system, as set out in the BIS document Further Education – New […]