Nick Linford | FE Week

Merger plan investigated by BIS

The proposed merger of two colleges is being investigated over concerns they may not have followed correct procedure, FE Week can reveal. A six-week formal consultation on the plans for Birmingham Metropolitan College and Stourbridge College launched on January 18. The merger would see the 12,500-student Stourbridge College dissolve on May 31 with its property, […]

London colleges’ decline

A London college that admitted success rates could have been exaggerated by up to 10 per cent two years ago has been hit with an Ofsted grade fall. Croydon College was rated as in need of improvement, having been graded good following inspection in July 2009. In 2011, the college’s then new principal, Frances Wadsworth, […]

Tax campaign taken to Treasury chief at Commons

he government has pledged to look into “correcting an anomaly” that sees colleges pay VAT while school sixth forms escape the charge. Three colleges in Cambridge teamed up with local MP Dr Julian Huppert to put pressure on Treasury ministers over the issue that has been branded within the sector an “absurd discrepancy”. Cambridge Regional […]

Special 16 page AoC in India supplement

Download your copy of this special 16 page supplement, produced by FE Week and sponsored by NOCN Click here to download (18mb PDF) A paper copy of the supplement will also be sent to FE Week subscribers. If you do not already subscribe to FE Week then click here to find out more.

FE Guild countdown picks up pace

The latest stage in the development of the proposed FE Guild is “going to be difficult” to complete in such a short pace of time, according to the independent chair of the guild’s steering group. A formal consultation has begun, and will run until Friday, February 22, leaving providers who want to contribute just three […]

Government acts on ‘conflict of interest’

The government has set up a Skills Funding Agency-led review to look into the issue of potential conflicts of interest where awarding organisations also deliver education, FE Week can reveal. Ofqual, the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) are also on board in a task and finish group […]

AoC in India : Down to business

The AoC India UK delegation arrived safely in New Delhi by early evening yesterday, just in time for the first official meeting of the programme. The programme kicked off with an introduction to Sannam S4, who have been appointed by AoC India to manage the market entry of member colleges in India. Sannam S4 are […]

Government plans new team to exploit international education opportunities

During a trip to India to promote vocational education the Skills Minister has announced that the government will establish a 10 person team in Westminster to ‘capatalise on the growth of demand for UK education from abroad.’ The Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) announcement comes ahead of the government’s education sector industrial strategy due to be published […]

Careers advice ‘getting worse,’ warns government education committee

The quality and quantity of young people’s career advice is not good enough and is getting worse, a government review has found. A “deterioration” in guidance since the service became the responsibility of schools in September was identified by the Education Select Committee, whose report on careers guidance was released today. The committee chair, Graham […]