Jude Burke | FE Week

Job advertised for new Education and Skills Funding Agency boss

The search has begun for Peter Lauener’s replacement as head of the Education and Skills Funding Agency. The job of chief executive of the funding agency, which will be formed through a merger of the existing Skills Funding Agency and Education Funding Agency on April 1, is advertised through the government’s civil service jobs recruitment […]

First major principal leadership programme unveiled since LSIS closure

A new FE principals’ leadership programme has been announced – backed with more than £1 million of government cash. The new training programme, which will be delivered by the Saïd Business School on behalf of the Education and Training Foundation, was unveiled today by the foundation’s associate director for leadership, Sir Frank McLoughlin. It is designed […]

Ofqual boss: lack of end point assessment organisations is ‘not irresponsible’

Ofqual’s chief regulator has said it’s “not irresponsible” for apprenticeships to be launched without an organisation in place to deliver the final exam. Speaking at FE Week’s Annual Apprenticeship Conference this morning (March 24), Sally Collier (pictured above) also said she “didn’t know” if having just half of approved standards with end point assessment organisation […]

London council unhappy with plans for local college to merge with group 300 miles away

A London borough council is unhappy over a planned merger between a local college and a group whose headquarters is 300 miles away from the capital. Lewisham Southwark College and Newcastle-based NCG have opened a consultation on a proposed merger, 18 months after a potential partnership was first mooted. The link-up was the college’s preferred […]

Unsuccessful applicants can reapply for apprenticeships register… but deadline is tight

Providers that feel aggrieved because they did not make it onto the new Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers will be able to reapply from tomorrow – with a quick turnaround needed to get them all in by 5pm on April 7. Apprenticeships and skills minister Robert Halfon (pictured above) made the announcement during education questions in […]

Damning Ofsted report that caused downfall of huge provider published

The damning Ofsted report that caused the downfall of huge apprenticeship training provider First4Skills has now been published. The Liverpool-based provider went bust earlier this month, affecting around 200 staff and around 6,500 learners, after the Skills Funding Agency pulled its contract. That action was prompted by a grade four rating from the education watchdog, […]

Major provider chaired by ex-SFA boss calls in administrators

A major training provider whose chair was the first chief executive of the Skills Funding Agency has gone into administration after failing to make it onto the new Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers. Derbyshire-based Positive Outcomes Ltd has a current Skills Funding Agency contract worth more than £11 million, but failed to make it onto the […]

Finance director blamed in new FE commissioner report

A former finance director has been singled out as the “root cause” of a major London college’s financial failings, in one of three recent FE commissioner reports. The former commissioner Sir David Collins and his team visited Lambeth College in September, following a “significant deterioration” in its cashflow. Their report found that college finances were […]

Struggling college has ‘agreed to release’ principal

A college that recently switched merger partner following an Ofsted grade four has “agreed to release” its principal. The departure of Simon Andrews (pictured above) from Stockport College, after just two years at the helm, was announced today. Former Guildford College Group principal Dr Mike Potter CBE will start as transitional principal on Monday. Louise […]