Fraser Whieldon | FE Week

Talks under way on threshold rate for college adult education under-delivery

Intense negotiations are taking place within government to determine the extent to which colleges will again be allowed to keep funding for courses that did not take place amid disruption from the pandemic. In a typical year, colleges are allowed to keep 100 per cent of the national adult education budget funding if they achieve […]

UK pulls out of EuroSkills competition owing to Covid-19 uncertainty

The UK will not take part in this year’s EuroSkills competition – the first time the country has pulled out of any WorldSkills competition in history. The decision, which has also been taken by Finland, Netherlands, and Norway due to Covid-19 restrictions, has been announced as WorldSkills Europe, the organisers of EuroSkills, revealed the competition […]

DfE expanding FE teacher recruitment programme with £3m tender

Suppliers are being sought to bring as many as 4,000 teachers into the further education sector by 2025, as part of an expansion to a major recruitment scheme. The Department for Education has launched a tender, worth £3 million, for national delivery partners for the Taking Teaching Further programme, which was earmarked for an expansion […]

Ofsted confirms remote inspections extended until March 8

Ofsted has confirmed that in-person routine inspections will not be returning until March 8 at the earliest. The education watchdog had originally planned to undertake remote inspections until the February half-term before reviewing its next steps. However, new guidance published as part of the inspectorate’s rolling Covid-19 update today confirmed that planned inspection work will be carried […]

Experienced sector leader appointed new Hull College Group chair

The former principal of Trafford College has been made the new chair of Hull College Group, FE Week can reveal. Lesley Davies OBE has been appointed less than a week after the shock resignation of Daf Williams, who left after the college launched an investigation into spending under his watch. Interim principal Lowell Williams began […]

MOVERS AND SHAKERS: EDITION 341

Your weekly guide to who’s new and who’s leaving. Louise Doswell, Principal, Preston’s College Start date: June 2021 Previous job: Deputy chief executive and deputy principal, York College Interesting fact: She enjoys walking, playing golf and gardening. Jane Hickie, Chief executive, Association of Employment and Learning Providers Start date: January 2021 Previous job: Managing director, […]

WorldSkills Diversity and Inclusion Heroes award winners 2021

An apprentice who hosted STEM career events at schools, and a provider giving back to the LGBTQ+ community have been recognised at the WorldSkills UK Diversity and Inclusion Heroes awards. This is the second year of the awards, following the inaugural event at WorldSkills UK LIVE in 2019, run in partnership with Coca-Cola European Partners. […]

Colleges to reopen by 8 March at the earliest, DfE confirms

Colleges will begin reopening to more students from 8 March if the government’s Covid-19 vaccination targets are met, the Department for Education has confirmed. Prime minister Boris Johnson (pictured) announced yesterday that this would the earliest that schools could reopen, but failed to mention whether this would apply to the further education sector. Last night […]

PAC college financial sustainability report: The 7 recommendations

The Public Accounts Committee has set the Department for Education a list of tasks to address the “fragile” financial health of the further education sector. Its report published today on ‘Managing colleges’ financial sustainability’, includes proposals on amending the college funding formula, how they pay VAT, and the expensive yet ineffective intervention regime. As well […]