Jude Burke | FE Week

Transparency questions raised over cash for consultants

Consultants working with colleges on FE and skills area reviews have been paid £3.5m in ‘transition grants’, FE Week can reveal. But the Department for Education has refused to reveal which companies the money is going to, raising serious questions about transparency. Previous requests by FE Week for information on the number of grants that […]

Council u-turn on outsourcing adult education

Councillors have U-turned on their decision to outsource local authority adult learning services – citing the current area reviews of post-16 education and training as a key reason for the decision. In June funding cuts prompted Croydon Council to agree to find a private provider to run its community and adult learning service from 2017, […]

MPs given clearest public indication yet of u-turn on apprenticeship funding cuts

Top skills mandarins have given the clearest public indication yet that they will reverse huge apprenticeship funding cuts exposed by FE Week for disadvantaged 16 to 18 year-olds, during a bruising encounter with the Public Accounts Committee. The cuts were raised in this afternoon’s evidence session by Bridget Phillipson, MP for Houghton and Sunderland South, with […]

Ministerial bypass sparks ‘woeful’ area review row

The UCU has blasted the “woeful” lack of transparency in the area review process, after it emerged that key guidance waiting for ministerial sign-off has been circulating in draft form for months. The Department for Education has still not officially published a crucial set of implementation guidance that was originally due in July, because final […]

Council wants small-school sixth forms to merge or close

Brighton and Hove council wants to merge or close its small-school sixth forms, it has announced following a review of local post-16 education. Its report calls for school and academy governing bodies to “consider the future financial viability of their sixth form provision” and develop a plan to increase numbers or merge with another school. […]

Ofsted picks Damar to train its apprentices

Ofsted is using just one training provider for its new cohort of 31 apprentices, FE Week can reveal. The recruits will all follow a two-year business administration programme at levels two and three with Stockport-based provider Damar Ltd. In March, the Skills Funding Agency was found to be using a total of 13 different providers […]

AoC calls for delay to apprenticeship funding reforms for first time

The Association of Colleges’ has for the first time added its voice to organisations calling for a delay to the implementation of reformed apprenticeship funding from May 1. Chief executive David Hughes spoke out after FE Week exclusively revealed yesterday that publication of the controversial new apprenticeship provider register has been delayed – news that […]

Principal of inadequate college resigns despite ‘full backing’ from governors

The principal of a troubled college is stepping down just six weeks after he was given the “full backing” of his governing body, following a damning grade four Ofsted verdict. Stuart Wesselby’s resignation from Tresham College of Further and Higher Education will take effect from September 30, the college has confirmed. It comes after the […]

New FE commissioner revealed, and there are two

The role of the FE commissioner will be split in two following Sir David Collins’ concern over his workload covering both intervention and area reviews. Two candidates were shortlisted to take over from Sir David, and FE Week understands that Richard Atkins will become the FE commissioner. Mr Atkins was principal of Exeter College from 2002 until March 2016, […]