FE Week Reporter | FE Week

Bigger and Batter Fish and Chips at Bournemouth and Poole College

FE Week challenged the twittersphere to come up with some fishy puns for this fabulous college story. Apprentices at the Dorset college took part in a 24 hour challenge to make the largest portion of fish and chips – ever. 42 pieces of coley, 100 kgs of potatoes and a massive tub of mushy peas […]

BIS to ‘sweep away’ apprenticeship red tape for employers

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has announced a package of new measures today that will cut data returns and audit requirements for apprenticeship delivery, despite fraud and the misuse of funding reaching ‘a record high’ (Click here to read the BIS press release). (Click here to read FE Week’s coverage on the increase […]

New VP for Central Sussex College’s Sixth Form Haywards Heath

Richard Hailstone has been appointed the new Vice Principal for Sixth Form Haywards Heath campus at Central Sussex College. Richard is now responsible for managing the campus and its 1,200 students. The appointment follows the retirement of former Vice Principal Dr Alex Burford. Richard said: “I am delighted to be joining Central Sussex College and […]

Ofsted proposes changes to inspection of FE providers

Ofsted has launched a consultation regarding proposals to revise the inspection of further education colleges, work-based learning providers, adult and community learning (ACL) provision and ‘Next Step’ provision. The revisions are said to ‘streamline and simplify’ the current framework, which is based on Ofsted’s Common Inspection Framework for FE and skills, so that inspections focus […]

£6.5 million given to train engineering students in renewable energy

Business Secretary Vince Cable announced a £6.5 million investment yesterday to help train top engineering students in a new Industrial Doctorate Centre in Offshore Renewable Energy (IDCORE). Leading universities and global companies such as EDF Energy, Shell and Rolls Royce will train 50 students in a range of low carbon technologies such as wind, wave […]

ESOL funding u-turn?

The Skills Funding Agency confirmed this week that all ESOL learners who are actively seeking work could be eligible for full funding, irrespective of whether they are in receipt of work related benefits or income related benefits. The clarification is good news indeed and gives ESOL providers the opportunity to use the flexibility the government […]

NAS concerned about quality following rapid apprenticeship expansion

The National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) and Skills Funding Agency have this week published a statement (click here) saying they are “determined to see that recent rapid expansion of Apprenticeships is not achieved at the expense of quality”. This follows exclusive coverage published by FE Week which detailed training providers delivering 12 Week Apprenticeships (click here) as […]

‘Neet’ young people hits record second quarter high

The number of 18 to 24 year-olds currently not in employment, education or training (Neet) has shot up to 18.4% in England. The figure, taken from April to June of this year, is the highest second quarter recorded by the Department of Education since 2006. Almost a million young people (979,000) aged between 16 and […]

Adult education ‘campaigner-in-chief’ hands over the helm at NIACE

It is an honour to be able to pay tribute to Alan Tuckett, who retired from the National Institute for Adult Continuing Education on Wednesday after serving 23 years as its Chief Executive after an inspiring career in our sector. Professor Tuckett’s journey in adult education began in the mid-70s as a lecturer in Brighton […]