Author: Pippa Allen-Kinross

A council has received the lowest possible rating for its adult and community learning provision after leadership and management was found to be ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted. Despite being rated as ‘requires improvement’ in every other area, North East Lincolnshire Council has been left with an overall ‘inadequate’ grade after inspectors warned leaders had been “too […]

The Department for Education has told Ofsted to reinspect more ‘outstanding’ colleges and schools, but stopped short of dropping the controversial exemption. Nick Gibb, the schools minister, has asked the watchdog to review its risk assessment arrangements and ensure it inspects 10 per cent of grade one schools and colleges over the coming year. However, he […]

It has been a mixed week for FE as two colleges succeeded in climbing higher in the ranks, while two new providers received the lowest possible Ofsted grade. The greatest accolades were handed to Preston College and St John’s School and College, both of which managed to climb from a ‘requires improvement’ rating up to […]

Fears are growing over the creation of a postcode lottery for adult learners, leading one devolved area to seek special treatment from the Department for Education, FE Week can reveal. From August 2019, more than £600 million of the £1.5 billion adult education budget will be devolved to the seven mayoral combined authorities. However, these […]

An academy trust run by a college has been warned it will be stripped of its only school if standards don’t improve – the latest in a string of college-run trusts falling into trouble. The Burton and South Derbyshire Education Trust – set up by Burton and South Derbyshire College – was warned the Kingfisher […]

The cabinet office is reviewing the training providers used for civil service apprentices, to decide who will take over from a government provider with “unsafe” recruitment practices. Last week, FE Week exclusively revealed that the Education and Skills Funding Agency had terminated the levy funding of Premier People Solutions following a shocking monitoring report from […]

The names of the first six national leaders of governance have been revealed by the Department for Education. The roles, which pay £300 a day for an estimated 50 days’ work a year, have been established to provide mentoring and support to governors at colleges identified as needing extra help. Serving governors or clerks from […]

A troubled college group has appointed a seasoned troubleshooter as its interim principal. Cornwall College Group lost its former head Raoul Humphreys earlier this month, when he stepped with immediate effect in an attempt to “expedite” a government bailout for the financially strained college. Dr Elaine McMahon will now take over as interim principal and […]