Jude Burke | FE Week

Fears over ‘market instability’ in rush to roll out AEB devolution

The rushed timeframe ahead of next year’s devolution of the adult education budget means providers will struggle to “hit the ground running” next August and may lead to “market instability”, an expert has said. The warning comes as the first combined authorities are gearing up to start their tender process this month, with contracts due […]

IfA loses funding rate review battle but uncertainty drags on

An employer group that won an appeal over the Institute for Apprenticeships’ handling of funding rate recommendations is still waiting for a final decision, FE Week can reveal. We reported in May that the education and training trailblazer group had rejected the IfA’s recommendations for the three FE teaching standards it is developing. The group lodged an appeal against the […]

Dame Asha WILL stay on the IfA board despite West Notts resignation

Dame Asha Khemka remains a “valued” Institute for Apprenticeships board member and will not be leaving the role, despite her resignation from West Nottinghamshire College earlier this week. FE Week reported yesterday that the institute had refused to say if it still backed Dame Asha, more than 48 hours after news broke of her departure […]

IfA silent on support for board member Dame Asha following resignation

The Institute for Apprenticeships has refused to say if it is backing its board member Dame Asha Khemka, after she resigned from West Nottinghamshire College on Monday. The former principal was one of just two FE college leaders appointed to the IfA’s board in January last year. FE Week reported on Monday that she […]

Decision on management apprenticeship funding bands delayed following employers’ appeal

Three controversial management standards are not among those to have their final funding bands confirmed by the Institute for Apprenticeships today, after the employer group behind them lodged an appeal. Details of the funding bands for 12 of the 31 standards involved in the IfA’s review, which began in May, were published today following sign-off […]

IfA funding band review: 12 of 31 standards signed off by education secretary

Final funding bands for 12 of the standards that were part of the Institute for Apprenticeships’ review have been published, following sign off by the education secretary Damian Hinds. Of the 12, seven have had their funding cut and three have remained the same, while a further two have had their funding rate increased. Funding […]

Milton bashes unions for lack of FE focus in fight for funding

The skills minister has had a “big go” at the country’s largest education union for focusing on schools at the expense of FE. Anne Milton made the comments about the National Education Union during a fringe event at the Conservative party conference this morning. “I had a big go at the teachers’ union and said, […]

Greater London Authority to launch adult education budget tender next week

The Greater London Authority is set to become the first devolved area to launch a tender for its adult education budget later next week. Contracts worth around £130 million will be up for grabs from October 12, according to a prior information notice published by the GLA last week. “It is intended that successful providers […]

Failing colleges that merge ‘can expect’ Ofsted monitoring visit

Grade three or four colleges that merge can expect to receive a monitoring visit before their first full inspection, Ofsted has confirmed today. The clarification, which applies to mergers from January 2018 onwards, follows criticism that poor-performing colleges had been able to get away without any Ofsted scrutiny following a merger. According to the FE […]