Jessica Fino | FE Week

Levy-lockout update: Employers lose access to £37 million from first 2 months

Employers lost access to £26 million of their apprenticeship levy funds in June, the skills minister has revealed. The figure, revealed in an answer to a parliamentary question from Catherine McKinnell, the MP for Newcastle upon Tyne North, means that a “staggering” £37 million has been clawed back by government after the first two months […]

Enhancing the debate: what we discussed at our first roundtable

We at the IAPG seek to build an apprenticeship system that boosts both individual success and UK productivity, writes Neil Carmichael. Ministers have rightly been focusing on the apprenticeship system in England over recent years as we face extraordinary change in the face of multiple challenges. These include: low productivity; skills shortages; changing skills needs; […]

Just 7% of college principals are from a BAME background

The number of colleges led by a non-white principal has fallen to a low of 7 per cent, new FE Week analysis has revealed. A number of initiatives to encourage and support Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) leadership have stalled in recent years and now three of the nine regions in England have no […]

College failing to protect vulnerable students from ‘acute risk of self-harm’, Ofsted finds

A college with 200 vulnerable young learners has been warned by Ofsted its arrangements to keep students safe are “weak” and it’s not taking appropriate action to protect them from “acute risk of self-harm”. The education watchdog carried out an unannounced monitoring inspection last month at Suffolk New College following safeguarding concerns that had been […]

MOVERS AND SHAKERS: EDITION 288

Your weekly guide to who’s new and who’s leaving. Shakira Martin, Head of student experience, Rose Bruford College Start date: July 2019 Previous job: President, National Union of Students Interesting fact: When she was younger, she choreographed dances for church performances and school talent shows. She claims to have been twerking way before Miley Cyrus […]

Hinds blames colleges as their share of apprenticeships slumps to 26 per cent

Apprenticeships delivered by colleges fell to just 26 per cent last year, according to analysis by FE Week, and education secretary Damian Hinds has accused colleges of “not winning enough” funding. When asked by the education select committee last week about financial constraints within the FE sector, Hinds blamed colleges for failing to secure more […]

Ofsted watch: Busy week with good news for most providers

It has been a promising week for all types of FE providers, with 22 positive reports published by the education watchdog. However, the week wasn’t without its bad news, with three ‘insufficient progress’ early monitoring visits and one provider dropping from grade two to three. Two other providers were also rated ‘requires improvement’. Crewe Engineering […]

WorldSkills 2019: Team UK given send-off at Parliament

Skills minister Anne Milton told 37 of the UK’s best and brightest young skilled people they are about to face the “biggest challenge” of their lives during a special send-off event ahead of WorldSkills 2019 today. Delivering a heartfelt speech in the House of Commons, Milton told the Team UK competitors and their families she […]

IfA’s second funding band review: Another 17 standards signed off

Funding bands for another 17 apprenticeship standards under review by the Institute for Apprenticeships have now been approved – with the majority experiencing a reduction. A total of 30 standards have been under review since December. The first 10 had their funding rates approved in May. For the latest 17, changes for those that have […]