Paul Offord | FE Week

Exclusive: Further delays to controversial provider register

The controversial new apprenticeship provider register has been delayed, FE Week can reveal. The first wave of applications now won’t be accepted until the end of October instead of the 3rd of next month as previously stated. Mark Dawe, chief executive at the Association of Employment and Learning Providers was quick to contact FE Week, […]

SFA pauses loans process after FE Week exposes delays

Growth requests for advance learner loans have been paused until further notice, after FE Week exposed lengthy delays with processing. The announcement was made by the Skills Funding Agency in this evening’s online Update bulletin. It said the agency was “changing the way providers apply for growth to their loans facility” and would not accept […]

#SaveOurApprenticeships rally planned for Labour Party conference

FE Week will hold a special rally in support of its #SaveOurApprenticeships campaign at next week’s Labour Party conference in Liverpool. Shadow skills minister Gordon Marsden will attend the event alongside many other committed MPs, party members and sector leaders, at the Pullman Hotel on the evening of Tuesday, September 27. We want to send […]

Westminster Kingsway name change rejected, but others find loophole

Westminster Kingsway College’s bid to have itself rebranded as Central London Colleges Group was rejected over concerns its new name would undermine its neighbours, it has been revealed. A Freedom of Information request found that the college’s request was turned down even though another institution, formed by the recent merger between Bromley College, Bexley College […]

Ofqual fines Pearson £85,000 over widespread certification failures

An £85,000 fine set to be waged on Pearson will be Ofqual’s second financial penalty against an awarding organisation. The Ofqual notice explained that in May 2012 Pearson notified Ofqual that it had acquired Education Development International PLC, and “intended to cease registration of all EDI branded qualifications by January 2014 and complete certification for […]

A full house for FE Week’s #SaveOurApprenticeships campaign

The #SaveOurApprenticeships campaign against devastating cuts in apprenticeship funding was launched at the Houses of Parliament to a packed gathering of sector leaders and senior politicians — including the minister tasked with implementing the plans. It was standing-room only in Committee Room Nine on Wednesday (September 14), as editor Nick Linford kicked off the event. […]

Star names unveiled for AoC annual conference

Star names unveiled for this year’s Association of Colleges annual conference and exhibition include broadcaster Steph McGovern, comedian Ruby Wax (pictured), and apprenticeships and skills minister Robert Halfon. The annual event will take place from November 15 to 17 at the ICC Birmingham. FE Week readers will be familiar with conference chair Steph McGovern — […]

Festival of Learning award winners announced

Outstanding tutors, projects and employers were recognised through The Festival of Learning Awards 2016. A notable winner, the Leicester City Football Club Community Trust, was credited for its employability program boosting the employment prospects of its home city’s hardest to reach young people through work-related training or education. Emily Bird, from LCFC Community Trust, said: […]

Skills minister dismisses calls to delay apprenticeship levy launch

The new skills minister has dismissed widespread calls to delay the apprenticeship levy launch, even after 10 major professional bodies called on him to rethink. Robert Halfon (pictured) dismissed the findings of an FE Week investigation, claiming any hold-up past next April’s launch date would delay “millions of opportunities for both business and people”. Yet […]