John Hyde, executive chairman of HIT Training – and FE Week’s regular Raw Hyde columnist – was one of 20 FE and skills figures recognised in this year’s Queen’s Birthday honours list.

He was given a CBE, along with Margaret Serna, Lincoln College chair, and Malcolm Trobe, interim general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders.

Mr Hyde’s award came as recognition of his services to the FE and training sectors in a career that has lasted more than 30 years, most recently at HIT.

He co-founded the hospitality and care sector training and apprenticeship provider, alongside managing director Jill Whittaker, in 2006.

He said: “I am delighted to accept this award on behalf of all my staff at HIT and other colleagues working to deliver apprenticeships and upskill the country.

“The satisfaction for me is seeing employees in the hotel and catering sector gain skills, confidence and competence through their apprenticeship to improve their life chances and earning potential.”

Ms Serna’s CBE was for services to FE.

She told FE Week: “I am deeply honoured and very proud that I am being recognised for a role that I consider it a privilege to be able to undertake.

“I have been a board member for eight years and chair for five years now and have found working towards enriching the lives of young people through training and education a deeply rewarding and life enhancing experience.”

Mr Trobe also received his CBE for services to education.

He told FE Week: “I am delighted to have received this honour both personally and in terms of the recognition it gives to ASCL’s work in representing the voice of school and college leaders across the UK.

“It is a great privilege to represent an organisation whose members work incredibly hard to provide an excellent education for millions of young people.”

Roberta (Bobbie) McClelland, deputy director for reforming FE provision at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), was awarded an OBE for services to further and vocational education.

She said: “I was surprised and delighted to receive this award, which is recognition of the contribution made by all those I have worked with to support further education.”

A BIS spokesperson said: “We are delighted that Bobbie has been awarded this well-deserved honour, in recognition of her work on further education.

“Bobbie has been instrumental in the drive to ensure this vibrant sector creates life changing opportunities for learners and delivers the skills our economy needs to grow.”

Two sixth form college principals are among those to have received an OBE.

These are Julian Appleyard of Rochdale SFC and Pauline Hagen of New College Pontefract, both of whom were recognised for services to education.

Mr Appleyard said: “I was surprised to hear the news and was shocked to receive a letter from the Cabinet Office about six weeks ago asking whether I would accept the honour.

“I thought it was a wind up! It is truly humbling.”

Ms Hagen said she was “proud” and “grateful” for her honour.

“I’m also grateful to the team at NEW College Pontefract, for their talent, their drive and their profound commitment to our vision. This recognition will inspire us to climb more mountains!”

An OBE also went to former chief executive of the Association of National Specialist Colleges (Natspec) Alison Boulton, for services to education.

She said: “My work has always been about improving access to meaningful further education for young people with learning difficulties in order to improve their quality of life and opportunities.

“I hope it has made a difference, though I know there is still a long way to go.”

 

Here’s our list of FE and skills-related who have been awarded:

 CBE

John Allan Hyde, executive chairman, Hospitality Industry Training – for services to the FE and training sectors

Margaret Joan Serna, chair, Lincoln College and managing director, Thames Group (UK) Ltd – for services to FE

Malcolm James Trobe, interim general secretary, The Association of School and College Leaders – for services to education

 

OBE

Julian Charles Appleyard, principal, Rochdale Sixth Form College, Lancashire – for services to education

Simon Paul Blagden, MBE Chairman, Fujitsu UK – for services to the economy and skills.

Alison Margaret Boulton, lately chief executive, Association of National Specialist Colleges – for services to education

Pauline Hagen, principal, North East Wakefield College, Pontefract – for services to education.

Anthony Gerard Larkin – lately director of business and enterprise, Royal National College for the Blind – for services to FE and disability sport

Roberta Ann McClelland, deputy director, reforming FE provision, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills – for services to FE and vocational education

Oluseyi Oluyemi (Seyi) Obakin, chief executive, Centrepoint, commissioner, UK Commission for Employment and Skills – for services to youth skills, employment and homelessness

Enid Josephine (Josie) Teasdale, lately chair of governors, Barnsley College – for services to education in South Yorkshire

Mark White, The Chair Designate of Stockton Riverside College,  for services to education particularly in Teesside.

 

Members of the Order of the British Empire

Keith Charles Brown, chair, College of North East London – for services to FE

Sally Anne Evans, co-founder, Trinity Specialist College, Birmingham – for services to education

Jennifer Johnson, chief executive officer, Kids Allowed – for services to apprenticeships

Andrew Paul Morris, Teacher, Westcroft Sports and Applied Learning College and founder, Timken Vocational Training Centre and Sunbeam Enterprises – for services to special education.

Christian James Notley, UK Training Manager, Worldskills – for services to the World Skills Competitions in Leipzig 2013 and Sao Paulo 2015.

Sally Ann Obertell, director of marketing, relationships and communications, John Ruskin College, South Croydon – for services to Education

 

Medallist of the Order of the British Empire

Rianne Lee Chester, Worldskills 2015 gold medal winner in beauty therapy – for services to skills

Gary Doyle, Worldskills 2015 gold medal winner in plumbing and heating – for services to skills

Edward William Harringham, Worldskills 2015 gold medal winner in cabinet making – for services to skills

 

Skills Minister Nick Boles has reportedly warned that Brexit could put an end to the apprenticeship levy.

He spoke out on the issue during a recent event in Westminster, organised by Policy Exchange.

A spokesperson for the think tank told FE Week today that Mr Boles had raised concern about prospects for the levy — during a speech he delivered on the European Union and possible ramifications if the British public votes to leave, through the referendum on June 23.

He was reported, in City AM, as asking: “Do you think the chancellor will feel it is prudent to introduce a new payroll tax in the middle of a recession, when business confidence has been knocked by a decision to leave the single market and unemployment is rising?

“Like all public services, funding for apprenticeships, and other support for young people, depends on the economy being strong and businesses being profitable.”

The levy plans, first announced by the government last July and set for launch in April 2017, are currently being developed by the government.

It is set at 0.5 per cent of an employer’s paybill, and will only be payable by businesses with a paybill of more than £3m will pay – around two per cent of employers.

But Mr Boles reportedly indicated that the programme could still be dropped in the event of a Brexit vote.

It comes after Professor Alison Wolf, who made the case for an employer levy to fund apprenticeship training in a report published days before the government first unveiled plans for the charge, told MPs last week she thought it was “very odd” only large employers would pay the levy.

“If you’re going to have a proper apprenticeship system, and one that’s attractive to young people, you’ve got to get small and medium employers involved,” she said to the Commons sub-committee on education, skills and the economy on June 8.

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) predicted in November that the levy would raise £3bn in 2019/20, but this was subsequently revised down in March to £2.9bn.

The money raised is set to be ring-fenced, so it can only be spent on training apprentices and all levy-paying companies will receive a 10 per cent top up on monthly levy contributions.

 

 

Ofqual chair Amanda Spielman has been approved by the government as the next Ofsted chief inspector.

A Department for Education (DfE) source confirmed that the government had cleared the 55-year-old’s appointment.

Ministers will now wait on agreement from the Commons education select committee for final approval, FE Week understands.

A DfE spokesperson said she was the right sort of person to refocus Ofsted and ensure it makes a difference.

However, the move first reported on in the Times Education Supplement is unlikely to be welcomed in some education circles, as as she has not worked as a teacher before and spent much of her career in corporate finance.

Ms Spielman, who was profiled by our sister paper School’s Week, came up against a number of other high-profile candidates for the post – reportedly including the likes of Russell Hobby, general secretary of heads’ union the NAHT, and Toby Salt, chief executive of the Ormiston Academies Trust.

 

Here’s Ms Spielman’s CV:

 

July 2011 – Present Chair Ofqual

June 2011 – Education Advisor, Ark

2005 – 2012 Research and policy director, Ark

2002 – 2004 Consultant

1996 – 2000 Strategy Director, Nomura International

1995 – 1996 Principal, Mercer Management Consulting (Boston)

1993 – 1995, Director, Bridgewater Business Analysis

1986 – 1992, Manager in Corporate Finance, Kleinwort Benson

1982 – 1986, Accountant, KPMG UK (formerly KMG Thomson McLintock)

Principals of general FE colleges in England have been snubbed in this year’s Queen’s Birthday honours – as FE governors take the limelight.

The lack of recognition is in marked contrast to last year’s birthday honours which saw the principal of City and Islington College, Frank McLoughlin, receive a knighthood.

But Margaret Serna (pictured above), chair of Lincoln College, received a CBE in this year’s list, while Josie Teasdale, lately chair at Barnsley College, was given an OBE as was Mark White, chair designate of Stockton Riverside College. Keith Brown, College of North East London chair, got an MBE.

The list also includes honours for 11 heads of schools, academies or multi-academy trusts, along with two sixth form college principals.

It is the first time since FE Week was launched in 2011 that no general FE college principals in England have been named in an honours list.

The most recent New Year’s honours included a CBE for former Exeter College principal Richard Atkins, and an OBE for Sam Parrett, principal of Bromley College since 2010.

And last year’s birthday honours also saw former Leeds City College principal Peter Roberts receive a CBE, while Shelagh Legrave, principal of Chichester College, and Desmond Lambert, former principal of Plumpton College, both received an OBE.

Two principals were awarded CBEs in the New Year’s honours announced at the end of 2014 – Michele Sutton, former Bradford College principal, and Dawn Ward of Burton and South Derbyshire.

A further four principals were handed OBEs in the same honours list.