Nick Linford | FE Week

Elmfield investigation ‘frustrates’ MP

An ongoing official investigation into defunct provider Elmfield Training has “frustrated” Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee chair Adrian Bailey, who said he was waiting to probe the firm’s dealings. The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) had been looking into the provider’s business even before it went into administration in November owing £11m. It went under […]

Ofsted issues warning over ‘misleading’ tweet

Ofsted is set to warn the boss of a London-based subcontractor to remove a Twitter post that wrongly suggested her firm had received a “successful” visit from the education watchdog. Krissy Charles-Jones (pictured), chief executive of Bright Assessing, tweeted on December 12 last year to thank her team for “such a successful Ofsted”. And the […]

Vocational quals in a league of their own

For the first time FE league tables have been released separately, listing institutions’ performance in academic and vocational qualifications. The tables, published by the Department for Education on Thursday (January 23), have met with a mixed response from the sector. While some have welcomed the distinction between the two qualification types at level three, others […]

Baker ‘delighted’ as Gove green light means UTCs hit 50 mark

The number of University Technical Colleges (UTCs) is set to hit 50 after six more of the institutions offering vocational education to 14 to 18-year-olds got the go-ahead from the Department for Education (DfE). The newly-announced UTCs will be located in Bolton, Peterborough, Scunthorpe and Warrington, with two in London. The colleges were the brainchild […]

Delays in traineeship benefits exemption branded a ‘mess’

Frustration is growing among providers as they continue to wait for the government to bring in a promised benefits exemption for traineeships. Nearly two months after Chancellor George Osborne, in his Autumn Statement, said the programme would be freed from a rule limiting the time learners could take part while claiming, the FE and skills […]

Restaurant closure hits apprentice chefs

More than a dozen apprentice chefs were left stranded with their independent learning provider apparently having gone to the wall. The Restaurant Academy, in Plymouth, closed suddenly on Friday, January 17, after just three months of operation. It is understood that a notice was placed in the door last week. It stated that the restaurant […]

Apprentice loans still processed due to ‘comms failure’

Business Secretary Vince Cable was grilled by MPs over why apprentice FE loans were still being officially advertised and processed despite the policy having been dropped. He faced questions, along with civil servants Martin Donnelly and Howard Orme, about the loans for apprentices over the age of 24 being scrapped, as exclusively revealed in December […]

Business Secretary grilled by MPs over failed apprentice FE loans

Business Secretary Vince Cable (pictured) was grilled by MPs over apprenticeship FE loans during a sitting of the Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) Select Committee this morning. He faced questions, along with civil servants Martin Donnelly and Howard Orme, about the loans for apprentices over the age of 24 being scrapped, as exclusively revealed at […]

Rise in ‘economically inactive’ 16 to 24-year-olds

The number of 16 to 24-year-olds not in work in the UK has risen slightly, a monthly report has revealed. According to the latest labour market statistics released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the number of 16 to 24-year-olds considered to be “economically inactive” rose by 1.16 per cent from 2,495,000 in the […]