Author: Fraser Whieldon

The Department for Education has published the thresholds and eligibility criteria for its new ‘Covid workforce fund’ – but said colleges cannot make claims until next spring. The fund was announced in November to help cash-strapped general, sixth form and specialist colleges pay for high staff absence rates, by meeting costs including bringing in supply […]

The search for a new Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education chair has begun after it was announced Antony Jenkins will be leaving next summer – almost a year earlier than planned. The government’s apprenticeship quango said today that Jenkins, who started as shadow chair in 2016 before taking on the role permanently when the […]

Rapid-result coronavirus tests will be rolled out to all secondary schools and colleges across England from January, the government has confirmed. In an announcement today, the government said the rollout means students will not need to self-isolate if one of their number tests positive, providing they agree to daily testing. From January, staff will be […]

The government must “urgently” set out the exam adaptations that can be used by an estimated 130,000 students sitting BTEC and other technical assessments in January, the Labour Party has said. Shadow education secretary Kate Green today called it “unforgivable” that ministers had “neglected” these learners in their plans for aiding GCSE and A-level exams […]

A chain of large training providers run by a well-known entrepreneur has collapsed amid a government investigation into their funding contracts. Four companies – MiddletonMurray, Astute Minds, Teaching and Learning Group, and FNTC Training and Consultancy – which were owned by entrepreneur and media commentator Angela Middleton, have entered administration. FE Week understands the Education […]

The government’s skills “boot camps” have moved into their second pilot phase ahead of plans for a countrywide rollout backed by £43 million from the new National Skills Fund. Colleges and training providers began recruiting earlier this month for the next set of the 12- to 16-week courses, which have been expanded to tackle not […]

The government has said the names of colleges receiving emergency cash support must be kept a secret so as to avoid “disadvantaged learners” missing out on being educated. The Department for Education included this claim in a host of reasons why it will not name five colleges that received emergency funding earlier this year, in […]

Further education providers are being asked to remain “on-call” up to the day before Christmas eve to assist with contact tracing, but will be able to decide when they can be contacted. New guidance sent out to providers by the Department for Education today, seen by FE Week, says it has agreed with Public Health […]