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11 April 2026

Author: Jude Burke

Ofsted rates Birkenhead Sixth Form College as outstanding in all areas

A sixth form college in the north west has become only the second in the country to be rated outstanding by Ofsted under the common inspection framework. Birkenhead SFC received grade ones across the board – up from its previous grade two – in a glowing report published Monday (January 30). The verdict means that […]

Parent anger over Daventry UTC closure

An angry parent of a student “devastated” by the news that her university technical college would close in the summer has demanded to know why the school took on new learners even though it knew it was in trouble. Daventry UTC, which opened in 2013, announced in early December that it would close its doors […]

‘Inadequate’ Gateway SFC pulls back from Leicestershire area review

A struggling sixth form college has pulled out of its ongoing area review, after a special intervention by sixth form commissioner Peter Mucklow. The Leicester-based Gateway SFC received an ‘inadequate’ grade from Ofsted in October, and Mr Mucklow (pictured) made the recommendation based on a visit he made in November. His report into the 1,600 […]

Ofsted watch: West Cheshire College no longer ‘inadequate’

A mostly encouraging week for FE, with regards to Ofsted reports, saw West Cheshire College shed its inadequate tag. It went up to grade three from its previous inadequate rating, in a report published January 23 and based on a visit in December. Leaders at the 6,300-learner college were praised for having “rigorously monitored the […]

Report shows college struggle with ‘endemic’ sexualised behaviour

Ofsted has blasted a college for “endemic” sexualised behaviour and incidents of sexual assault in a damning new report. In November, the inspectorate awarded Hereward College the lowest possible grade for its most recent inspection, which saw it fall from the ‘good’ rating it had earned just 18 months ago. That report said the college’s […]

Large drop in number of standards lacking end-point assessors

The proportion of learners on apprenticeship standards without an approved assessment organisation is dropping rapidly, according to new figures. Statistics published in October showed 42 per cent of all starts (1,790 out of 4,240) until July had no assessment organisation to choose from – a situation that former top skills civil servant Dr Sue Pember […]

Ofsted watch: Two grade crash to inadequate for independent training providers

Two of the three independent training provider full inspection reports published this week have resulted in a two grade crash to inadequate. And two other providers have lost their outstanding rating in another less-than-positive week for the FE and skills sector. Just one of the 11 full reports published between January 14 and 20, based […]

Ofqual to discuss conflict-of-interest concerns with NSAFD organisation

Ofqual will hold talks with an awarding organisation owned by the National Skills Academy for Food and Drink, over alleged conflict of interest “issues raised” through an FE Week investigation. The qualifications watchdog announced its plans to intervene in the wake of our report that the NSAFD was misleading providers by trying to sell them […]

Ofsted watch: Poor start to the year for FE colleges

No college inspection report to have been published by the education watchdog since the beginning of the year has resulted in a higher grade. It’s part of a general downward trend across the general FE, independent learning provider and adult and community learning sectors at the start of 2017. Ten of the 15 Ofsted reports […]