Nick Linford | FE Week

Commissioner points at leadership hitting staff morale

FE commissioner Dr David Collins criticised leadership styles at two colleges and said staff morale was being hit, his newly-released findings have shown. Dr Collins was appointed last year to investigate colleges issued with notices of financial concern, inadequate Ofsted ratings or which failed to meet standards set by the government. But summaries of Dr […]

Pay cut fears for apprentices

Fears have emerged that government proposals to streamline “difficult” minimum wage rates for apprentices could lead to lower pay. The Low Pay Commission (LPC) has been asked to look at simplifying the rate for apprentices, which is £2.68-an-hour for those in year one before normal worker minimum rates apply. A government spokesperson said: “The current […]

Skills Funding Agency job cuts ‘ideological’

A programme of job cuts at the Skills Funding Agency has been attacked as “ideological” by MPs who warned that staffing reductions could hit apprenticeships. Around 20 Labour and Democratic Unionist Party MPs have so far signed an Early Day Motion (EDM) in Parliament condemning the cuts. The agency shed 600 of 1,900 staff through […]

Copycat claim after Labour lays out youth plans

Labour has been accused by Skills Minister Matthew Hancock of copying Conservative Party policy with proposals to drop JobSeekers Allowance (JSA) for 18 to 21-year-olds. Labour leader Ed Miliband’s proposals to instead bring in a parental means-tested youth allowance dependant upon enrolment in training up to level three, were compared to an announcement in October […]

Progression payment for traineeships

The government has launched a long-awaited consultation on moving to a new traineeship funding system in which providers are paid based on learner destination. Progression into apprenticeships, jobs or further learning could be incentivised from 2015/16 under the proposals. Skills Minister Matthew Hancock said: “This consultation will test whether a funding approach designed specifically for […]

Full-time learner concerns lead to EFA review on planned hours

Fears that a new planned hours system of funding 16 to 19 study programmes was being misused have prompted a review by the Education Funding Agency. It is understood that the agency was alerted to possible problems after greater proportions of learners were registered as being in full-time study than were previously seen under the […]

Ofsted sees ‘insufficient progress’ at inadequate Lesoco and Stockport

Two colleges branded inadequate by Ofsted last year have both emerged badly in the latest of three monitoring visits each from the education watchdog. Lesoco, in South London, and Stockport College have shown weaknesses during previous monitoring inspections and both were again making “insufficient progress” in key areas, said inspectors who visited last month. A […]

Labour to announce plans to scrap JSA for 18 to 21 year olds and replace with a youth training allowance

Ed Miliband, the labour leader, will today endorse proposals to introduce a youth allowance linked to being enrolled in training. Targeted at those who have not obtained a level three qualification, the youth allowance will replace job seekers allowance (JSA) payments with a parental means-tested youth allowance for those aged 18 to 21 years. […]

WorldSkills duo Ashley Terron and George Callow figure in Queens 2014 Birthday honours list with former SFA chief Kim Thorneywork

WorldSkills 2013 gold medal-winning duo Ashley Terron and George Callow have been recognised in the Queen’s 2014 Birthday honours list along with former Skills Funding Agency interim chief executive Kim Thorneywork. Former apprentice bricklayer Ashley (above left) and cabinetmaker George (above right) were honoured with British Empire Medals for their services to skills while Ms Thorneywork […]