Author: Jude Burke

A major U-turn that should allow mandatory technical qualifications to be included in new apprenticeships had been widely welcomed by the sector. The change was announced at a special Institute for Apprenticeships briefing event, days after it was exclusively revealed on the front page of the previous FE Week. “I think we’ve recognised that where […]

A college was bailed out twice in December, to the tune of £1.5 million each time, FE Week has learned. Figures revealing the amount of exceptional financial support dished out to Bradford College – which is currently in FE commissioner intervention – were published accidentally by the Department for Education last week. No reason is […]

Robert Halfon is set to give the keynote address on the theme of social justice and skills at an event run by the Centre of Social Justice, the Learning and Work Institute, and the Open University on Monday morning. The chair of the Commons education select committee will set out his vision for how FE […]

Strict rules that apprenticeships cannot involve qualifications are set to be overturned next week, FE Week understands, potentially unsticking a series of standards held up for years by the ban. The Institute for Apprenticeships is expected to announce that qualifications, such as technical certificates that show evidence of knowledge, will be considered in the future. […]

An independent learning provider has boosted its grade to ‘outstanding’ – reversing a trend that has seen a number of providers lose the top accolade in recent weeks. Ixion Holdings (Contracts) Limited received the highest grade overall and in five headline fields in a report published January 30, and based on an inspection in November. […]

Financially struggling colleges should seek bailouts from the restructuring fund while they still can, the FE commissioner has said in his annual report. “There remains an opportunity for colleges, while the restructuring facility is available, to access support to put them in a strong position ahead of the introduction of the insolvency regime and the […]

A change to adult education funding rules that will put digital skills training on a par with English and maths won’t come into force until 2020. The Department for Education confirmed the news, as previously announced by skills minister Anne Milton at the Bett Show in London on January 24, in a new advert searching […]