Paul Offord | FE Week

Ofsted should renege on its merger deal

“Big isn’t always beautiful” is something of an understatement coming from Ofsted in the context of FE providers. The biggest private training provider, Learndirect, was awarded a grade four last year and in recent weeks the biggest college group, NCG, slumped to a grade three. Despite this, the average size of colleges, far from shrinking […]

AoC criticises new public sector register of providers

A second register for apprenticeship training providers is being created for the public sector, and the Association of Colleges is furious that its members must pay to reap the benefits. The apprenticeship dynamic purchasing system has been launched by ESPO, which describes itself as a public sector-owned “professional buying organisation”. Providers must register before they […]

Unions write to AOC to justify 5 per cent national pay claim

Trade unions have written to the Association of Colleges to spell out exactly why they have resubmitted a claim for a raise of five per cent for the next academic year. They originally made the request at a meeting at the start of May, but the AoC said it would not consider a claim while […]

Staff at Lowestoft SFC out on the first of six strike days over merger

Staff at Lowestoft Sixth-Form College have walked out on the first of six days of strike action protesting a planned merger. The industrial action involves 20 of the SFC’s 70 staff, and is being led by NASUWT. Further strikes are planned for July 2, 3, 10, 11 and 12. A spokesperson for the teachers’ union […]

Top mandarin admits to contingency concerns over T-levels

The Department for Education should have left more time to make sure T-levels go to plan, according to its top civil servant. Jonathan Slater was questioned by the Public Accounts Committee today about his ministerial direction, published in May, in which he asked to defer the start date from 2020 to 2021. He was overruled […]

Skills minister: IfA is better but still not fast enough

The number of approved apprenticeship standards has exceeded those awaiting sign-off for the first time, but the skills minister still wants to see things done ‘faster and better’. In fact, a tough-talking Anne Milton told FE Week that she has pursued the Institute for Apprenticeships over the need to pick up the pace with “a […]

Ex-schools minister proposes DfE shake-up to stop schools and HE favouritism

Education ministers’ portfolios need a major shake-up if the historic favouritism shown to schools and universities is to change, according to a former schools minister. David Laws, who served as schools minister under Michael Gove and Nicky Morgan between 2012 and 2015, believes the current approach is “corrosive of good policy”. In an exclusive interview […]

How to apply for T-level teacher training funds

Details of how providers can ask for money to train industry experts who will teach the first T-levels have been revealed by the Education and Training Foundation. A £5 million pot, managed by the ETF on behalf of the Department for Education, was unveiled this morning by skills minister Anne Milton. Up to £20,000 per […]

Digital and science engineering UTC to open in Doncaster in 2020

A new university technical college is being created in South Yorkshire despite mounting problems with the programme, the Department for Education has confirmed. Doncaster UTC will train up to 750 learners in the “latest rail engineering techniques, as well as coding and 3D design skills”. It is scheduled to open in September 2020, and the official announcement explained that it aims to complement the […]