Fraser Whieldon | FE Week

#BackABid: Momentum building for campaign to bring WorldSkills to UK

Momentum is building behind FE Week’s rally of support for holding the WorldSkills competition in the UK, after a leading employer membership organisation threw its weight behind the movement. The Confederation of British Industry, which has over 700 member companies ranging from Shell to Greggs, has joined the #BackABid campaign, with chief policy officer Matthew […]

Ofsted verdict: HS2 college left employers to deliver training and failed to protect students from harassment

The grade four Ofsted report a National College went to the High Court to suppress has been published this morning. FE Week broke the news earlier this month that the HS2 College, renamed as the National College for Advanced Transport and Infrastructure (NCATI), had been found ‘inadequate’ by inspectors in November and had filed for […]

Ofsted watch: Fourth sixth form college makes it to ‘outstanding’ this year

Another sixth form college has received a grade one, making it the fourth such provider to receive the coveted result in 2020. Ashton Sixth Form College improved on the grade two it received before it converted to a 16 to 19 academy in February 2019. Not improving are independent training providers Piper Training and People […]

Derailed: HS2 college face Ofsted grade 4 after dropping legal challenge

The troubled National College for HS2 has abandoned its attempts to stop Ofsted publishing a grade four report, after dispatching lawyers to gag the watchdog in the High Court. FE Week understands the college has sought a consent order – used where the parties have reached an agreement – from the judge to drop the […]

West Kent & Ashford College has debts of over £100m to almost 70 organisations

The second college to enter education administration has debts and liabilities of more than £100 million to over 60 creditors. Insolvency practitioners from BDO have today released a statement of proposals for West Kent and Ashford College (WKAC). It shows the college has outstanding capital grants worth £86 million from the Education and Skills Funding […]

Careers advice: Colleges making ‘positive progress’ against Gatsby benchmarks

The Careers and Enterprise Company has released new analysis showing how post-16 providers are faring against the eight Gatsby benchmarks. It is a follow-up to the quango’s “State of the Nation” report put out in September that showed colleges’ and schools’ progress in meeting the markers of excellence in careers guidance had “accelerated”, after they […]

Ministerial ‘gap’ at the DfE needs to be resolved soon, says Tory MP

A Conservative MP has called for the “gap” at the Department of Education for a dedicated apprenticeships and skills minister to be filled ahead of an expected reshuffle this week. Gloucester MP Richard Graham requested prime minister Boris Johnson “resolve” the vacancy “soon” during a Commons debate on the effectiveness of the apprenticeship levy. His […]

How we fought to save our local college – and won

When the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea sought to sell off a local college, they reckoned without the passion and organisational skills of local residents, says Samantha Batra. It started in the wind and the rain outside the gates of the beleaguered college. It started with a gathering of staunch campaigners in 2016 as […]

Let’s celebrate the many apprenticeship successes

Jennifer Coupland took over as chief executive of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education last November. She reflects on her first National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) in the post. It has been a pleasure to travel across the country during NAW and speak to so many people who deliver and benefit from fantastic apprenticeships. Memorable […]