Fraser Whieldon | FE Week

Another exams U-turn: DfE now says it has ‘full confidence’ in Ofqual after Williamson refusal

The Department for Education has made another exams U-turn by saying it now has “full confidence” in the regulator – just a day after education secretary Gavin Williamson refused to do so. Williamson has been widely reported as attempting to lay the blame for this year’s results fiasco with Ofqual. He was reported as refusing four […]

500 students still awaiting BTEC results

There are still 500 BTEC results “outstanding,” the chief executive of Association of Colleges said this morning. Speaking to ITV’s This Morning, David Hughes said those students would get their results today or tomorrow. A spokesperson for Pearson, the BTEC awarding body, said: “We are aware that some students are still waiting to receive their Level 3 BTEC […]

The DfE has published its first board minutes in over 2 years – here’s what we learnt

The Department for Education has published its first set of board minutes since February 2018 – more than two years ago. It follows freedom of information requests from FE Week’s sister title FE Week asking for the information. The DfE first told FE Week it could not release the board minutes because it planned to published […]

BTEC results are usually a reason for celebration, not this year

High-achieving students failing their whole qualification, almost half failing to achieve a pass – read journalism lecturer Nick Reinis-Keightley’s insider account of BTEC results day. This time of year is usually my favourite of the academic calendar. Sharing success stories, assisting students with their progression and celebrating all of the incredible work put in by […]

More than 180 colleges to share £200 million of capital funding, government reveals

Colleges have been handed up to £4.5 million to repair and refurbish buildings and campuses in a £200 million boost for providers, details of which have been revealed today. More than 180 colleges will share the boost, according to the Department for Education, in what education secretary Gavin Williamson called “brilliant news” for the sector. […]

Colleges told to expect revised A-level results tomorrow

Colleges have been told to expect revised grades for their A-level students tomorrow. However the Joint Council for Qualifications, which represents exam boards, has not released any further details – saying more information would come shortly. It follows an announcement that schools and colleges will receive their GCSE results at 00.01 tomorrow. This would be […]

Ofqual: Small number of level 2 results will be delayed this Thursday

Exams regulator Ofqual has warned the results of a small number of level 2 qualifications due for release this week may be delayed. In a statement on the grading of vocational and technical qualifications released this afternoon, Ofqual says a small proportion of vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs) were put through a grading algorithm, similar […]

Cambridge Technical & National students to receive centre-assessed grades, exam board announces

Exam board OCR has announced students who took its Cambridge Technicals and Cambridge Nationals qualifications will receive their centre-assessment grades following the government’s U-turn on allowing GCSE and A-level students to do the same. OCR had been following a standardisation process similar to what had been used to decide A-level and GCSE grades, asking teachers […]

Stats watchdog to launch review into Ofqual’s results algorithm

The government’s statistics watchdog is to launch a review into how Ofqual’s controversial results algorithm was developed. The review will look at statistical models used for exam grading to “highlight learning from the challenges faced through these unprecedented circumstances”. It will not look at the implications of the model on individual results, or take a […]