Pippa Allen-Kinross | FE Week

Movers and Shakers: Edition 254

Your weekly guide to who’s new and who’s leaving John Widdowson, chair, Workers’ Educational Association Start date: July 2018 Previous job: Principal, New College Durham Interesting fact: John had his heart set on a career in law. He fell into education by accident, after taking a teaching job at a college to earn some extra cash – and was hooked […]

Ofsted criticises ‘new’ apprenticeship provider for ‘insufficient’ off-the-job training

The future of apprenticeship provision at a new provider is in doubt after its Ofsted early monitoring visit warned they were making ‘insufficient progress’ and not allowing enough time for off-the-job training. Mitre Group Limited has become the latest provider to be slammed by the inspectorate, coming under fire for the quality of its apprenticeship […]

West Notts College handed DfE warning after requesting £2.1m in exceptional financial support

A cash-strapped college has received a financial health notice to improve from the government after requesting exceptional financial support to the tune of £2.1 million. West Nottinghamshire College will now be referred to the FE Commissioner for an independent assessment to test the college’s “capability and capacity to make the required changes and improvements”. A […]

IFS: FE the ‘biggest loser’ in cuts to government funding

Further education has been the victim of the sharpest cuts in the education sector over the last 25 years, according to a new report. The Institute of Fiscal Studies’ inaugural report on education spending in England said 16-18 education “has been the biggest loser” from changes to funding, with spending per student falling by eight […]

‘He will be sorely missed’: Warm tributes paid to AELP founder Frank McMahon

One of the original founders of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers has died after a short illness. Frank McMahon was the vice chair and treasurer of AELP from its creation in 2002 until April 2018, and helped develop its membership to over 900 providers in that time. Martin Dunford, chair of AELP, said Mr McMahon was “very committed” to the association’s cause. […]

Revealed: Uncovered emails discuss ‘review’ of studio schools programme, but DfE still denies it happened

The Department for Education is still denying it conducted a formal review of studio schools – despite FE Week discovering an attempt to cover-up internal emails which openly discussed the existence and timescale of the review. It was revealed last year that the former academies minister Lord Nash had met with the Studio Schools Trust to “review the concept of studio schools”, according to […]

Schools falling short of new DfE rules on career guidance

Schools are failing to comply with new careers guidance rules, further fuelling concern from FE providers that the Baker clause is being ignored. FE Week analysis found the 10 biggest multi-academy trusts in England have not conformed to a new requirement that says all schools should publish detailed careers information online. And in a survey of FE providers commissioned by […]

Major slash in store for apprenticeship funding rate bands

The Institute for Apprenticeships will soon confirm controversial changes to dozens of apprenticeship funding rate bands, according to the skills minister. Writing in her monthly column in FE Week, Anne Milton said the rate changes will be published online “shortly” and further reviews will take place in the autumn. To date, the IfA has refused […]

Nine things we learned from the DfE’s T-levels response

The Department for Education has today published its response to its consultation on T-levels. It sought opinions on the planned implementation of the new post-16 technical qualifications, which the government claims will set a new “gold standard” in training, the first of which will emerge from 2020. The consultation generated 430 responses, weighing in on […]