Author: Nick Linford

Providers will have just eight working days to check and correct their 2013/14 academic year data as the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) yesterday announced a further delay to their new funding software. At the 25 September information authority board meeting Rich Williams, head of the Data Service (which sits within the SFA) said: “We intend […]

An Eastbourne-based firm that prints qualification certificates is facing allegations of corrupt payments made in Africa. Smith & Ouzman Limited, which specialises in security documents, as well as four British nationals, was charged at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today. They are accused of having been involved in payments totaling £413,552.12 that were used to influence the […]

An allegation of poor financial management at a Bedfordshire college, along with concerns about “extensive” staff restructuring and redundancies, has been passed onto Education Secretary Michael Gove. There are also worries about  “a lack of joint working with the local authority” at Barnfield College, according to two local MPs. Gavin Shuker, Luton South, and Kelvin Hopkins, Luton North, […]

A West Yorkshire training provider is to have its £500,000 Skills Funding Agency contract terminated after an audit raised concern about learner records and financial dealings. The agency confirmed to FE Week that its agreement with iCOCO Training, based in Cleckheaton, would end in early December. However, an agency spokesperson said it was “not conducting […]

A hard-hitting report by the government’s social mobility commission has attacked college performance and recommended funding for employment outcomes rather than recruitment. The Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission’s 348-page document concluded: “Current policies are likely to be insufficient to address entrenched and unacceptably high levels of youth unemployment and inactivity.” It had used damning […]

Former Elmfield director Ged Syddall and Skills Funding Agency finance director Paul McGuire look set for a “no-holds-barred” grilling by MPs over allegations of apprenticeship malpractice. It is understood they will be called before the House of Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee by the end of next month in light of an investigation […]

The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (Niace) wants Pupil Premium cash from the government to fund a huge expansion in family learning across the country. It unveiled a report today, called Family Learning Works, outlining how family education programmes improved child and adult numeracy, literacy and other key skills. Family programmes aim to encourage […]

Nine former employees of welfare to work provider A4e have appeared in court charged with fraud. The six women and three men face more than 50 counts between them, including forgery, possessing an article for use in fraud and conspiracy to defraud. Among the accused is a former contract manager, a former administrator and seven […]