Jude Burke | FE Week

First ever loans-only provider to get Ofsted ‘outstanding’

A loans-only provider has been rated ‘outstanding’ – the first such provider to receive the highest possible rating from Ofsted. Civil Ceremonies Limited, which offers level three courses in funeral, naming and couples’ celebrancy entirely funded by advanced learner loans, was rated grade one across the board in a report published this morning. It follows […]

Ofsted watch: An ‘outstanding’ start to the new year

An independent provider has been rated ‘outstanding’ in its first ever inspection report, while all the other full reports published over the festive period returned a ‘good’ rating. A bumper crop of early monitoring visit reports have also been published – one that resulted in a ‘significant progress’ verdict in all areas, while at the […]

Death announced of former principal Garry Phillips

Former City College Plymouth principal Garry Phillips has passed away. His death over the Christmas period was confirmed by the college today. “It is with great sadness that we heard that Garry Phillips has tragically and unexpectedly passed away. Garry’s family have asked that their grief and privacy is respected at this time. “The funeral […]

DfE ends subsidies for Chartered Institution for FE

The Department for Education will no longer financially support the Chartered Institution for FE – leaving its future in doubt. The institution, which was conceived in 2012 and has so far received £1.5 million in subsidies, will receive one final payment at the end of this month – after which it will be on its own. […]

Queen’s New Year honours: Who got what in FE and skills?

Twenty-three leading figures from the FE and skills sector have been recognised in the Queen’s New Year honours, published today. These included one CBE, 10 OBEs, 11 MBEs and one British Empire medal – but no knighthoods or dames. Lynsi Hayward-Smith, a trustee for the Education and Training Foundation, received a CBE in recognition for […]

2018: The year in FE Week cartoons

As 2018 draws to a close we take a look back at the story of the year, as told through the medium of FE Week’s cartoons. Skills minister Anne Milton and her boss, education secretary Damian Hinds – the stars of the final cartoon of the year – between them racked up the most appearances, […]

IfA ‘considering’ releasing apprenticeship overspend presentation

The Institute for Apprenticeships is “considering” releasing a presentation given to employers that warned of an imminent apprenticeship overspend. The admission came in a letter, sent today, from its boss Sir Gerry Berragan, in response to a request from shadow skills minister Gordon Marsden. “We are considering the request and will respond as soon as […]

Seven things we learned from the government’s response to select committee apprenticeships report

The government has today published its response to the education select committee’s report, The apprenticeships ladder of opportunity: quality not quantity”, published in October. Here are seven of the key findings from the response: Discounted transport for apprentices won’t arrive anytime soon Last year the Conservative party’s general election manifesto promised to introduce “significantly discounted […]

Sixteen colleges facing UCU strike action in the new year

Sixteen colleges across England face “significant disruption” in the new year, after members of the University and College Union voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action in an ongoing dispute over pay. Staff at 10 colleges whose ballots closed today will join the six colleges that took action in November in a second wave of […]