Latest news from FE Week

All ‘credible’ apprenticeship and traineeship growth requests granted by SFA

All “credible cases” from the latest round of growth requests for apprenticeships and traineeships have been funded, the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) announced today.

This is the result of the agency’s recent “targeted growth exercise”, which also included increases in providers’ 2016-17 allocations “where there is evidence of increased performance”.

It comes after the SFA announced on May 11 that growth requests were being offered for the delivery of any of the new apprenticeship standards.

A statement uploaded onto gov.uk at the time said the offer would apply to standards — not existing apprenticeship frameworks — but did not specify which ones.

But when asked by FE Week if this meant providers needing more funding could lodge growth requests for “any of the new standards”, an SFA spokesperson said: “Yes, on standards, we have not been specific on sector areas”.

“Requests are subject to affordability and our normal credibility checks,” she added. So far 112 new standards have been approved by the government for delivery.

The SFA announced the result of this process today.

A spokesperson said: “We have funded all credible growth cases to grow delivery in these priority areas ahead of the start of the funding year.

“Alongside this exercise, we have also reviewed the baseline data used in calculating 2016 to 2017 apprenticeship and traineeship allocations, reflecting provider earnings for 12 months up to March 2016.

“Where there is evidence of increased performance, we have increased providers’ 2016 to 2017 allocations accordingly.

“All increases will be included in 2016 to 2017 contract variations which we will be issuing shortly.”

The targeted growth request – which included traineeships as well as apprenticeships – also covered delivery at higher and /or degree level, food, farming and agritech, and those that are science, and technology, engineering and maths (STEM)-based.

Earlier this year providers branded “ridiculous” the overdue news that many of their 16 to 18 apprenticeship and traineeship growth requests had not been funded in full by the SFA.

The agency announced in early February that it had awarded an additional £25m to colleges and training providers to deliver 16 to 18 apprenticeships — but there was no extra cash for 16 to 18 traineeships.

The announcement, which should have been made on January 8, was in response to growth requests submitted by providers to help fund apprenticeships and traineeships in 2015/16.

It came just a week after FE Week exclusively revealed that the delay in confirming the growth requests was due to an over-spend by the Department for Education.

The SFA was unable to say how much funding had been allocated ahead of publication.

Newly appointed shadow education secretary announces intention to stand down at next election

The shadow education secretary Pat Glass has announced her intention to stand down from Parliament at the next election – having served less than two days in her new role.

Glass, an MP appointed by Jeremy Corbyn to succeed Lucy Powell yesterday morning, has written to the Labour Party to give notice she will not be a candidate “whenever the next general election takes place”.

Speculation is rife that a snap election could be called in the autumn in response to political turmoil following the EU referendum result.

Glass, a former council education advisor, said she had found the last six months as an MP and as shadow Europe minister – during which she received death threats – “very, very difficult” and described the referendum as “incredibly divisive”.

“It divided families and communities and I have found it bruising in many respects,” Glass said. “It has had an impact on both me and my family as I am sure it has had on many others.”

Glass said it had been a “privilege and an honour” to work with her local party, but said that she wanted to give officials as much time as possible to select a new candidate “given that the election could come as soon as October 2016”.

The announcement is likely to exacerbate concerns about Labour’s ability to hold the government to account on behalf of schools, which are already rife following the resignation of a further four members of the shadow education team.

‘Morally wrong’ – says former top BIS official over unknown apprenticeship end-point assessments

A former civil servant at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), has challenged the head of the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) and Education Funding Agency (EFA) – saying it is “morally wrong” to start an apprentice on a course without knowing what the end-point assessment will be.

Dr Susan Pember, who worked as a senior civil servant at BIS for 12 years – including six years focused on FE funding, spoke out against Peter Lauener, chief executive of the SFA and EFA, over the lack of clarity around end-point assessment for apprenticeships.

Dr Pember said: “I think it’s really morally wrong to start an apprentice on a programme when you don’t know how they are going to be tested at the end.

“You wouldn’t start somebody on the equivalent of an A-level without knowing the assessment at the end.”

She added that she felt the new infrastructure being developed by BIS and the SFA, with a new set of providers that only offer end-testing, is “open to fraud” and “misuse”.

The comments came in a debate at the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) annual conference on June 28, and Dr Pember’s remark elicited a round of applause from the audience of delegates.

In response to a subsequent audience question on how to avoid providers teaching for these end-tests, Mr Lauener described end-assessment as “the servant of the process, not the master”.

This was then disputed by Mark Dawe, chief executive of AELP, who said: “You can say that but it never happens.

“The end-point assessment drives behaviour and you will get teaching to the test.”

He added: “The whole thing around end-point assessment … I just think is a nightmare.

“I have heard it in so many corners now that it is a car crash that is going to happen.”

Pat Glass appointed shadow education secretary in Corbyn team shake-up

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has appointed former shadow education minister Pat Glass as shadow education secretary following the resignation of Lucy Powell.

Ms Glass, MP for North West Durham, is one of a number of new appointments following the continuing mass resignations of Mr Corbyn’s shadow cabinet yesterday and today.

It comes after Thursday’s referendum vote, which saw the UK vote to leave the European Union leading to the resignation of prime minister David Cameron.

Ms Glass, aged 59, was elected to parliament in May 2010, following a career working in local education authorities. She is an expert on special educational needs and has advised the government and councils across Yorkshire and the Humber.

Her special interest is in education, and she was a member of the education select committee from July 2010 until March 2015.

In September 2015, she was appointed shadow education minister with responsibility for childcare by Mr Corbyn following his election as Labour leader, at the same time that Ms Powell was appointed shadow education secretary.

Ms Glass was promoted to shadow Europe minister following Mr Corbyn’s reshuffle on January 5.

Ms Powell was among 12 shadow cabinet members to resign on Sunday citing concerns about Mr Corbyn’s leadership. A further five shadow ministers have so far reportedly stepped down this morning.

In her resignation letter to Mr Corbyn, Ms Powell reportedly wrote: “Given the big challenges faced by our country and our party over the coming months, and the possibility of an imminent general election, I do not have the confidence that you can bring the party together, lead us to a general election and be an effective opposition.”

Director of apprenticeship levy says new provider register will be a level playing field to ‘let the employer choose’

The government’s director of levy implementation has sought to reassure AELP delegates over the new register of apprenticeship providers, telling them it will be open to providers that are “best placed” to deliver.

But Keith Smith, who heads up the levy implementation team at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, was unable to give any detail about what the criteria for the new register will be, despite being pressed for it by FE Week’s editor Nick Linford.

It comes after Mr Smith told delegates at FE Week’s Annual Apprenticeship Conference (AAC) in March that the government would be consulting on a new set of criteria for providers who want to deliver apprenticeships.

He told delegates at today’s conference that providers who currently subcontract would “absolutely” be able to access the new register, in response to a question from the audience.

“It’s central to what we need,” he said.

“For me it’s about who’s best placed to do the right programme.

“If that’s employers who want to take control, great. If it’s new providers coming onto the market, great. If it’s the current stock of providers that want to offer their good quality offer, great. All of those things are great.

“Everyone can come forward equally, level playing field, and let the employer choose,” he continued.

But when asked by FE Week’s editor Nick Linford about the consultation promised in March, Mr Smith was unable to provide any detail.

Alongside the existing “old stuff” around due diligence, capacity and capability, Mr Smith said the register would include “some new stuff around quality”.

He added: “That’s particularly the bit we want to make sure we’ve got absolutely right”.

The consultation – which Mr Smith said was “imminent” – would help the government to “build this around the best that you do”.

He continued: “What we want to do is find is find a simple, fair way to test everybody about the sorts of things you know is what should happen in a good performing or high performing college or training provider.

“We won’t make any decisions on the detail or the substance of it until we’ve engaged on that conversation with you.”

In March, Mr Smith told AAC delegates that he would “no longer be the middle man” and employers would be able to contract directly with training providers once the levy is introduced in April 2017.

He said the new register of training providers was needed because “what employers are telling us really clearly is, we need to know bits of information about the providers … we actually want to get some confidence that these providers are going to deliver a certain set of services to us”.

At the time, Mr Smith promised the consultation on the register would be taking place “over the end of spring, early summer time”.

Skills minister announces “little delay” to publishing apprenticeship reform detail

Skills Minister Nick Boles has admitted that a string of key apprenticeship reform announcements will be further delayed following Brexit.

The government was due to provide further funding information for apprenticeship reforms by the end of this month, with the long-awaited Sainsbury review report setting out new technical professional education (TPE) routes into work, and a subsequent skills white paper, also expected imminently.

But Mr Boles told the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) conference today there would be a “little delay” following the British public’s decision to leave the European Union – although they can be expected before the summer recess.

He said: “We should all continue to assume and work on the assumption that the apprenticeship levy is coming in, in the way planned as planned.

However, he added: “We had planned to be published further detailed information about the pricing of specific apprenticeship standards in the next few days. I’m sure you will understand that is now going to be a little delayed, but only a little we still expect to get that information out well before the summer break.”

It comes after FE Week reported on June 20 that the government was looking at slashing the amount smaller firms will have to pay towards the cost of apprenticeships training after the levy launch next April.

Employers of all sizes currently have to pay a third of training costs with the Skills Funding Agency agrees to covering the rest, under the pilot for new apprenticeships.

That means a £1 employer cash contribution returns £2 funding – up to a cap – for the relevant standard.

But FE Week has learned the government is looking at a making a much bigger contribution after April 2017 for employers not using their apprenticeship levy pot — either because their wage bill is too small to pay into it, or because it has run out.

For every £1 invested by such employers, we understand that the SFA will paying up to £9, according to plans set to be announced later this month.

Mr Boles also mentioned the Sainsbury Review later in his speech.

“We will also be going ahead soon – I cannot give you a particular date, but again before the summer recess – with the publication of the Sainsbury review.

“We will be going ahead with publication of that and the government skills plan and that too will not change in any important respect as a result of recent events.”

The detail promised this month and now delayed was:

> provisional funding bands, which will set the maximum amount of funding which is available for each apprenticeship from April 2017
> the provisional level of the government support that will be available towards the cost of apprenticeship training if you aren’t a levy paying employer, from April 2017
> the provisional level of the extra payment you can get for hiring 16 to 18 year old apprentices, from April 2017
> the provisional amount that will be paid for English and maths training for apprentices who need it, from April 2017
> eligibility rules that set who you are able to spend apprenticeship funding on and where
> more information on who can provide apprenticeship training and how you can set up your organisation to deliver apprenticeship training

Movers and Shakers: Edition 179

Worthing College has announced that vice-principal Paul Riley will lead it on an interim basis — following the announcement that its principal Peter Corrigan would be leaving his post at the end of August.

The move also promotes Steven Fodden, the current assistant principal, to interim vice-principal.

Mr Corrigan has served the college for more than 30 years and will be moving on to other professional opportunities in the FE sector.

The chair of governors Paul Amoo said: “We would like to thank Peter for his achievements, his loyalty, dedication and commitment to students and staff.

“It has been a pleasure to work with him and we wish to express our gratitude for having led the move to our outstanding new campus, for achieving an Ofsted ‘good’ rating in all areas, and for leaving the college in a much improved financial position.”

The college governors confirmed that they will now put arrangements in place for recruiting a permanent principal during the next academic year.

Commenting on the interim arrangements, Mr Amoo said: “We are delighted that Paul and Steven have agreed to lead the college working with governors, staff and students, in achieving our goals and ensuring the best possible opportunities and successes for everyone.”

Meanwhile, the current principal at Shrewsbury College, Steve Wain, will switch over to lead Swindon College at the end of August.

Mr Wain, who has been at the helm for four years, will replace the outgoing Andrew Miller, who retires from his post at Swindon College later in the year.

Mr Wain said he is “very much looking forward” to his new role.

“Swindon is a vibrant town, with a growing economy and excellent future prospects,” he said.

“Swindon College is playing a crucial role in supporting economic growth and in providing much needed education and training for the wider community.”

The outgoing Mr Miller joined Swindon College in January 2010, and took it from a grade three Ofsted rating to grade one (outstanding) in 2013.

He said he is pleased to be able to leave the college in “such an excellent position”.

And Devon-based apprenticeship training provider, Skills Group, has appointed Chris Jeffery as a non-executive director to advise on its skills funding strategy.

Within the role, Ms Jeffery, who has nearly 30 years’ experience in the training and development sector, has been tasked with “promoting and representing” the interests of local employers in the national debate about apprenticeship reforms, and the apprenticeship levy.

Commenting on her new role, Ms Jeffery said: “It is a real pleasure to work with such a unique and successful organisation.

“I hope to help Skills Group over the transition created by the reforms in a way that builds on their ethical and moral compass, helping to add more value to their partnerships with local employers and to further improve the learner experience.”

Ms Jeffery was a founding member and chair of the Devon & Cornwall Training Provider Network, and now serves on the board of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers.

Previously, she established a chain of five hair salons around Plymouth, alongside achieving her teaching qualifications, before becoming an external verifier for City & Guilds.

She was then appointed as the managing director for Academy of Training Ltd in 1988.

In 2010, Ms Jeffery took on a role as strategy and policy adviser for GP Strategies Training Ltd until the position at Skills Group came up this year.

Seventeen-year-old youngest to land national DJ slot

The country’s next Chris Moyles could be just around the corner in the form of Stoke on Trent College’s Lucas Yeomans — after the teenager became the youngest DJ to land himself a slot on a national radio station, writes Billy Camden.

Seventeen-year-old Lucas Yeomans will be coming to you live from the airwaves every week, after he bagged a regular Saturday morning slot for a national radio network.

The first-year creative media student at Stoke on Trent College was recruited to present on Signal Radio and its network of 11 stations, which broadcasts to more than 100,000 listeners every week, after being talent-spotted while doing work experience at the station.

He became the youngest DJ at the station, starting off on the so-called B-team of presenters, who provide cover when regulars are off sick or on holiday

But after impressing during his first few live shows, Lucas has now managed to snap up his own Saturday morning radio show, from 1am to 5am.

Speaking to FE Week on the morning of receiving the news, Lucas said: “This is very exciting, I’m really eager to get going on it. I still get that buzz as if it was my first show every time I go on air so I know it is what I want to be doing.”

The opportunity came about through links with Stoke on Trent College and Signal Radio, which gives students the opportunity to work behind the scenes at the station and take part in masterclasses with radio station staff.

On Lucas’ last day of work experience, the teenager was asked along to an interview and two weeks later he got a call asking if he could do an overnight show as the presenter was ill.

Lucas said: “The first show I did felt like the scariest moment of my life, but they taught me how to use the resources and gave me pre-prepared features and music. I came up with a bit of random talk as well.”

Now managers have marked Lucas out as a future star.

Terry Underhill, programme director for Signal’s parent company, the Wireless Group, said: “I’ve been massively impressed with Lucas. He has huge potential.

“We get many hundreds of people contacting us, wanting to be radio presenters, but Lucas has that x-factor.”

Lucas, who also volunteers on a community radio station, said he was chuffed with the attention from his “fans”.

He added: “The best part for me has to be entertaining the audience.

“During one of my shows a guy requested a song because he was doing the graveyard shift. I made a little joke about it on air and the person emailed in again saying ‘you legend’. It is those kinds of things and little perks that make me love it so much.”

Lucas has hankered after a media career ever since his primary school days, when he presented a talent show with his classmates.

He said his ultimate dream is to follow in the footsteps of his TV presenting heroes James Cordon, Alan Carr and Jonathan Ross to have his own chat show.

He would equally like to continue on the radio with a drive time or breakfast show on BBC Radio 1 mirroring the likes of Chris Moyles and Nick Grimshaw.

Lee Beddow, programme quality leader for media at Stoke on Trent College, said: “Lucas is the first student we’ve had who has become a Signal presenter. But we’ve had other students go on to help produce the breakfast show and help with sport.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for him. I tuned in to listen at 4.30am on one of his shows and was excited to hear one of our students on air.”

Lucas’ top three bands:

1. Circa Waves

2. Peace

3. Catfish and the Bottlemen

Burton & South Derbyshire College joins AELP after quitting AoC

The Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) has picked up a new member that quit rival organisation the Association of Colleges (AoC).

FE Week revealed last September that Burton & South Derbyshire College was leaving the AoC, although no comment was provided at the time to explain its reasons for doing this.

It has now spoken out after confirming it had joined AELP.

A spokesperson said that the college “reviews all corporate subscriptions annually to ensure that we target resources on arrangements which offer the best value for money in terms of support, opportunities and relevance in prevailing market conditions and context of the FE landscape; particularly in the current climate of apprenticeship reform and in light of the impact of the planned levy on employers.

“We’re delighted that Mark Dawe (pictured above) has taken the helm at AELP at this critical time and look forward to engaging with the association on these and other important issues for the sector in the coming year,” she added.

The AELP now has 804 members, including more than 40 colleges.

Former chief executive of awarding organisation OCR, Mr Dawe, was appointed as the new AELP boss of in March.

A spokesperson for AELP said: “We are delighted that another college committed to work based learning is joining AELP.

“Anyone who is delivering apprenticeships should be joining AELP and that includes colleges.”

A spokesperson for the college received a grade two Ofsted rating in December 2011 and was allocated £6m by the Skills Funding Agency as of July.

It received a grade three ‘requires improvement’ rating from Ofsted following its latest inspection in March.

An AoC spokespersons said its “policy is not to comment on individual colleges”.