Latest news from FE Week | FE Week

New ad campaign tells youngsters to ‘get in’ to apprenticeships and ‘go far’

The government and top employers have today launched a ‘Get In, Go Far’ TV advertising campaign for apprenticeships as teenagers up and down the country prepare to collect their GCSE results tomorrow.

Existing apprentices are shown taking selfies in their places of work and speaking about their experiences in the adverts, which are also set to feature on posters, in print media and on YouTube (see below). It will get its first airing tonight during an episode of Coronation Street.

The launch coincides with the publication of details of 40 new employer-designed apprenticeships in sectors including engineering, hospitality and the legal profession, through phase two of the apprenticeship trailblazer project, launched in March — six months after the launch of phase one.

And to celebrate the launch of the ad campaign, which follows 2012’s “new era for apprenticeships” and last year’s “apprenticeships deliver,” Business Secretary Vince Cable met apprentices working at ITV studios in Leeds.

He was given a behind-the-scenes tour of the set of Emmerdale and learned about the work apprentices did behind the scenes on the show.

Dr Cable, speaking at the Emmerdale set, said: “The reforms to apprenticeships enable employers to design and deliver apprenticeships that meet their needs, giving young people valuable qualifications and helping them to build successful careers from television production to advanced manufacturing.”

Meanwhile, Skills Minister Nick Boles also took ‘selfies’ with apprentices at Google’s London HQ, as part of the campaign launch.

He said: “As another group of young people achieve their GCSE and A-level results, there has never been a better time to consider an apprenticeship. The new campaign features some great success stories which show exactly how far an apprenticeship can take you.

“I would recommend any young person that isn’t sure what to do next, to look at some of new and exciting apprenticeship opportunities available to them.”

More than 200 employers and training providers were involved in designing the 40 new apprenticeship standards through phase two of the apprenticeship trailblazer project.

Mustafa Mohammed, chair of Dental Health Trailblazer which published apprenticeship standards today, said: “I am delighted to be involved in such an exciting project.

“Employers will be able to grow their own talent, ensuring the next generation of professionals have all the practical skills and experience needed to continue the high standards expected in dentistry.

“It will also help combat the falling numbers of British technicians, strengthening the dental industry and UK economy.”

Phase one of the project was launched in October 2013 and the first eight trailblazers, covering industries including aerospace and digital industries, published their standards in March.

The trailblazer scheme aims to ensure every apprentice in England is enrolled on a scheme which has been designed and approved by employers by 2016/17.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QmA6GskCYk

Main pic: from left, Business Secretary Vince Cable meets apprentices Jade Emmett, Imogen Shaw and Rebecca Newell on set at the Woolpack Pub from Emmerdale at the ITV studios in Leeds. Credit: John Giles/PA

Financial dispute leaves ‘32,000’ paying students at My Distance Learning College in dark over certificates

A Rotherham-based provider has warned that 32,000 paying learners might not get their certificates after a number of awarding organisations pulled their approval.

NCFE (formerly the Northern Council for Further Education) has stopped certificating My Distance Learning College (MDLC) claiming it had “outstanding invoices owing”.

And it has also emerged that awarding organisations Cache (Council for Awards in Care, Health and Education) and VTCT (Vocational Training Charitable Trust) have withdrawn their approval for MDLC, too.

A spokesperson for the provider, which launched four years ago and now claims to have a turnover of £3m, claimed it was fighting for the certificates of “32,000 students across the UK” to “prevent them from potentially losing out on tuition fees totalling hundreds of thousands of pounds”.

Joshua Cole (pictured), MDLC director, conceded there was an issue with payment, but said NCFE had, for the first time in four years, asked for money upfront.

He also alleged his firm’s dealings with other awarding organisations had been hit by an accusation of malpractice from NCFE, which declined to comment on the claim.

He said: “Unless we find an alternative awarding organisation then we are in serious trouble. We are worried about our learners waiting for certificates and around 15 staff would be affected if the company closed.”

The MDLC quals offer, as listed on its website today, included a level three Cache certificate in assisting and moving individuals for social care settings, priced at £274. It also included an NCFE level three certificate on principles of business and administration at £334.

But they will no longer be certificated.

Mr Cole claimed that just over four months ago NCFE gave MDLC notice it was removing its approved status under a clause of convenience that did not require a reason.

He said it then asked for a list of all of learner starts on courses certificated by the awarding organisation and he claims it said learners would be given 12 months to complete.

Mr Cole said he gave NCFE the list, only to receive a bill for immediate payment for around £20,000 for all the certificates. He claimed to have refused to pay on the grounds that during four years of dealing with NCFE he had always paid piecemeal as each learner completed. At this point NCFE refused any certifications until it was paid, he said.

Mr Cole said he then tried to move a number of MDLC students to a Cumbria-based provider called Great Achievers — where until earlier this week he had been a director, according to Companies House — but it too had its approval removed this week by NCFE, he claimed.

However, he also accused NCFE of telling other awarding organisations that it had cut ties with MDLC because of malpractice, and he was therefore planning to sue NCFE for defamation.

The MDLC spokesperson said: “Chiefs at the NCFE have issued a notification about MDLC to 70 other awarding bodies under an Ofqual malpractice clause. When challenged on this by MDLC, however, NCFE has repeatedly said the decision was not based on any suggestion of malpractice and was under a clause of convenience. MDLC is in the process of issuing a claim for defamation against the NCFE over the notification.”

Mr Cole said: “The damage that has been done to the business means we have no option but to resort to legal challenges. However, I now fear for the future of the business as no other awarding bodies will be willing to work with us as a result. This has been disastrous for both us and our students and I’m desperate to find a solution that ensures we can both enjoy a prosperous future.”

An NCFE spokesperson declined to comment on Mr Cole’s claim of a malpractice accusation, but said it had issued the clause of convenience because of the unpaid bill, saying: “There are no concerns about quality or malpractice in this situation.”

She added: “These [unpaid] invoices relate to the registration fees that must be paid by MDLC in return for NCFE providing external quality assurance and certification to learners registered with MDLC on QCF [Qualifications and Credit Framework] and IIQ [Investing In Quality] programmes accredited by NCFE.

“NCFE is taking appropriate action to deal with this matter. Unfortunately, until this situation is resolved NCFE will be unable to provide external quality assurance visits and certification to MDLC and its learners.”

A spokesperson for VTCT said it suspended MDLC’s approved centre status last month over finance and quality assurance concerns.

A spokesperson for Cache said: “We have not authorised MDLC to engage in the so-called ‘re-selling’ of our courses and they might be breaking the law by doing so.

“We are currently taking legal advice regarding MDLC’s actions and have been advised that a further comment at this time is not appropriate.”

Mr Cole claimed to be unaware of VTCT’s actions. And he said it was common practice for providers to re-sell courses — meaning qualifications were granted through one provider but given out by another.

He said: “We re-sell our courses to many companies and Cache always knew this. I think they took the decision after hearing about the action NCFE had taken.”

An Ofqual spokesperson said: “We are aware of the issue [between MDLC and NCFE] and are monitoring the situation. We will not comment further at this time.”

Free school’s A-levels claims ‘misleading and could be used against less voguish sixth form colleges’

The head teacher of the selective free school London Academy of Excellence, which only accepts learners that achieve at least five As at GCSE, came under fire for comments about A-level performance from a local sixth form college principal. James Kewin takes up the issue.

We accept that all providers use performance data in ways that will present their institution in the best possible light, But the London Academy of Excellence (LAE) claim that it has achieved “the best ever results by a sixth form college in the UK” is not only misleading, it risks being used by policymakers as proof that the 16 to 19 free school programme should be accelerated.

This would almost certainly be at the expense of the ninety three ‘official’ but less voguish sixth form colleges that consistently deliver outstanding outcomes for learners and do so at a much lower cost to the public purse.

The press release issued by LAE, and most of the resulting media coverage, overlooks the fact that it is a high selective institution. It requires prospective students to have at least five A or A* GCSEs and at least a grade B in GCSE maths and English language.

While all sixth form colleges have some form of entry criteria, this is typically five GCSEs at grades A to C and students are usually provided with the opportunity to resit GCSEs in English and maths.

Comparing the exam results of institutions without reference to the prior attainment of their students only provides a partial view of performance.

The government has acknowledge this which is why the ‘progress’ value added measure will be the centrepiece of its revised performance tables.

It could be argued that the London Academy of Excellence has actually underperformed given the prior attainment of the students it recruits.

In its recent inspection, Ofsted noted that: “Not enough students achieve the high grades at AS-level of which they are capable. Not enough students make the progress that their GCSE grades indicate they should when compared to similar students nationally.”

It will be interesting to compare LAE’s progress/value added data with sixth form colleges when the performance tables are released in January.

Progress to Russell Group universities is a remarkably narrow definition of success. Each year, thousands of sixth form college students successfully progress to other higher education institutions or directly to employment.

But even using this indicator, LAE falls below the sixth form college average. According to the most recent destinations data, the average sixth form college sent 82 students to Russell Group universities compared to 68 at LAE.

The typical sixth form college curriculum is broad and contains a range of academic and vocational subjects.

By contrast, ten of the 12 A-levels offered at LAE are in ‘facilitating subjects’, which means they almost inevitably have a higher percentage of students securing AAB in two of these subjects.

Despite this, one sixth form college that offers more than 40 A-level subjects reported that 35 per cent of its students secured AAB in two facilitating subjects, an achievement comparable to LAE’s 39 per cent given the breadth of its curriculum offer and lower entry requirements.

Eddie Playfair, principal of neighbouring Newham Sixth Form College, has written very persuasively here about the need to celebrate success without rewriting history.

The claims from LAE that there was nowhere for ambitious local students to study before it arrived are very wide of the mark.

More broadly, meaningful comparisons cannot be made between highly selective providers with a very narrow curriculum and open access providers with a broad curriculum offer. It is also worth noting that the funding per student at LAE is significantly higher than in the average sixth form college.

In addition to the cash and in-kind contributions from donors and independent school-backers, LAE (unlike sixth Form colleges) has its VAT and insurance costs reimbursed.

The students at LAE have performed remarkably well and should be congratulated for their achievements. But the partial and one-sided reporting of their exam results has forced us to issue this response.

We welcome the opportunity to explore these issues further with the leadership team at LAE and sincerely hope we can work together in the best interests of students across Newham and East London.

Colleges asked to step in after private firm reveals plans to walk away from £17m contract

The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) is looking for a general FE college to step in after a major private provider pulled out early from London’s £17m prison education contract, FE Week can reveal.

In the latest example of a college taking on provision where the private sector has waked away from a multimillion pound Skills Funding Agency contract, welfare-to-work provider A4e has given notice it was terminating its Offender Learning and Skills Service (Olass) contract for a dozen London prisons — although it would continue providing the service until an alternative provider was found.

It had won London’s Olass4 contract in August 2012 and had been expected to deliver the training until July 2016. It had won the work with Kensington and Chelsea College having delivered all three of London’s previous prison education contracts since the Olass system was first rolled out across the country in 2006.

An A4e spokesperson said: “Over the last two years, delivering the service in London has become extremely challenging due to a number of constraints beyond our control and which could not have been anticipated when the contract was let. These have had a heavy impact on learner attendance, completion and achievements.

“We have concluded, in order not to continue to deliver the contract at a loss, to give notice to terminate our provision of Olass 4 in London.”

It comes just over a year after Newcastle College Group’s Intraining division took on the apprenticeship contract for supermarket giant Morrison from Elmfield, which later went into administration, and nearly two years after West Nottinghamshire College saved more than 100 jobs when it took on apprenticeship providers Pearson in Practice. And Newcastle College struck a similar deal in March 2008 when it acquired Carter and Carter.

An SFA spokesperson told FE Week that it was looking to return London’s prison education to a general FE college provider. She said that the three other providers to have won Olass4 — the Manchester College, Milton Keynes College and Weston College — had been invited to “express an interest” in taking on the A4E work.

She said: “We have invited providers who were awarded contracts through the original Olass4 open and competitive tendering process to express an interest in delivering the service in London.

“Following this stage we carried out an assessment of the capability and capacity of those organisations to take-up this contract and discussions are now under way to secure ongoing provision.

“We expect to announce which successor organisation will be awarded the London Olass contract in good time for handover of responsibility by December.”

She added no other providers would be invited to submit bids.

And it looks like Manchester College could be getting the contract with Weston and Milton Keynes appearing to have distanced themselves from the opportunity.

Dr Paul Phillips, principal at Weston College which provides prison education in the South West England, indicated to FE Week that he would not be pursuing the contract.

He said: “It would be our intention to expand our offender learning portfolio in the future rather than now.”

A spokesperson for Milton Keynes College, which holds the South Central and East Midlands Olass4 contracts, said it would “not be pursuing the contract at this time”.

The Manchester College, which holds the North East, North West, Kent and Sussex, and Yorkshire and Humberside Olass4 contracts, declined to comment.

The A4E spokesperson said that transfer of undertakings protection of employment (TUPE) rules were expected to apply to its 400 teaching and support staff in London, adding that the company would continue to run its Olass4 contract for 14 prisons in the East of England.

Rod Clark, Prisoners’ Education Trust chief executive, said: “The delivery of education for prisoners across the country is being seriously affected by overcrowding and staff shortages which are leaving people locked-up for longer, so they can’t get to class and providers struggle to meet their [payment] targets. It may be that this latest decision by A4e to stop working in London’s prisons is a result of these problems.”

Cash-strapped college appointed principal without competition to avoid ‘expensive recruitment process’

The FE Commissioner visited Stratford-Upon Avon College after its financial health was rated as inadequate by the Skills Funding Agency. Dr David Collins’ findings questioned the future of the cash-strapped college that saw governors resign after new principal Nicola Mannock was appointed without a competitive application process. She responds to Dr Collins’ report and defends her appointment.

The FE Commissioner completed the college assessment in May 2014 and we received the summary report a month later.

The findings highlighted that progress was being made in delivering the necessary quality and financial improvements; however the report identified serious weaknesses in the governance arrangements.

Immediate and decisive action was taken upon receiving the report, which resulted in changing the college’s governance structure, prompting the resignation of five governors.

Strong governance is vital to a college’s success and changes to the board are focused on recruiting additional expertise from the active business community, in line with the commissioner’s findings.

Two new governor appointments were approved by the Skills Minister at the end of July and the full board will be in place for the start of the new academic year in September.

Financial mismanagement resulted in the college posting operating deficits for each of the last five financial years, which was further compounded by the governors’ failure to challenge the then management team on its performance, and to hold the former principal to account.

Since being appointed as acting principal in November 2013, my attention has been focused on developing a completely new management team, which has undertaken a major restructuring programme. This has significantly helped to strengthen our financial position and the latest forecasts show an income surplus over expenditure for the first time in five years.

The major restructuring of the college actually started in February 2014 and was completed by the end of May 2014, just two weeks after the FE Commissioner’s visit.

Consequently, Dr David Collins was impressed with the fast progress made in terms of the significant financial savings by the time he arrived to conduct his assessment.

For clarification purposes, my appointment as permanent principal reflected the seriousness of the college’s quality and financial position last year and the urgent need for stability.

It was the governing body’s decision to take swift action rather than delay an appointment by three months, and avoid incurring substantial recruitment costs.

Although I was not party to the consultation or meetings in which my appointment was approved, I believe the main driving force for the decision was that the board, staff and internal and external stakeholders were happy with my performance to date and were confident in my ability to deliver a robust college recovery (this was commented on by Dr Collins in his report), and that an expensive recruitment process was not appropriate while the college was undergoing a significant restructure to reduce staffing costs.

Stakeholders, staff, students and unions were consulted at the time about my appointment and provided positive feedback together with a vote of confidence from the board of governors to deliver a robust recovery plan.

The governor who left on point of principle at my permanent appointment resigned prior to notification of the FE Commissioner’s assessment of the college.

The other five governors who tendered their resignation did so on receiving the FE Commissioner’s assessment summary and recommendations — not in relation to my appointment.

The college now has the strong support of staff and stakeholders alike and we have received a very positive response, from both in and outside of the college, in respect of our achievements.

As a result of the difficult decisions taken to invest in the long term sustainability of the college, we have been able to secure its financial future and enhance the future development and success of our students. This has been further reinforced by last week’s best ever A-level results, with students gaining a 100 per cent pass rate in English and maths and a 7 per cent increase in those achieving high grades.

While we have achieved a great deal over the last nine months, there is still a lot to do and the college remains committed to its transformation journey.

We also look forward to working further with the FE Commissioner and Ofsted to continue to raise standards.

Our vision is to be an outstanding, responsive and thriving independent college, which confirms that we have no intention of considering any merger plans in the future.

Hunt restates technical institutes plan but questions remain that they would ‘address real issues affecting FE’

Labour’s tech bacc plans and proposals for Institutes of Technical Education were restated in a speech today by Shadow Education Secretary Tristram Hunt (pictured) — but he failed to convince at least one general FE college principal that the “real issues the sector is facing” would be adddressed.

Mr Hunt, delivering a speech at Microsoft’s London headquarters that accused Prime Minister David Cameron of policies that have resulted in over-crowded school classrooms, said the quality of apprenticeship should be improved “by making them all level three and last a minimum of two years”.

He said Labour would “not proceed with the government’s reckless decision to abolish AS-levels in their current form,” and that colleges and local labour markets needed better links “by ensuring all vocational teachers spend time in industry refreshing their skills”.

And, reiterating policy announcements covered by FE Week in November, he said only the “highest performing FE colleges” — with “excellent links to local industry” — would deliver tech baccs, and be rebranded Institutes of Technical Education.

He added: “Our opponents in the upcoming general election have not learned the lessons of history. Whether it is the falling number of youth apprenticeships; the falling number of Stem [science, technology, engineering and maths] apprenticeships; the removal of the AS-level in its current form; the removal of practical work from examinations; the assault on FE funding — there is no appreciation here of the needs of technical and vocational education or for an inclusive, One Nation education policy.”

However, Andy Wilson (pictured right), principal of Westminster Kingsway College, pointed at what he thought were flaws in Mr Hunt’s speech.

“I thought the speech was pretty uncontroversial in what it said about schools but very mixed for FE,” Mr Wilson told FE Week.

“Mr Hunt sympathised on funding for 18-year-olds but refused to commit to reinstating the [17.5 per cent full-time funding] cut. He continually stressed the importance of vocational education and apprenticeships. He also said he generally wanted to minimise structural change and reverse AS qualification reform.

“However, his specific references to FE included poor quality and falling Ofsted grades, reform of vocational qualifications, insufficient employer links and the failure to get those who had not already got GCSE maths and English to achieve it by 18.

“His solution seems to be exceptions to his other principles involving significant structural change to both qualifications and institutions — the tech bacc and accredited Institutes of Technical Education. I remain unconvinced that these are necessary or address the real issues the sector is facing.”

The speech was also received with caution by Dr Lynne Sedgmore CBE (pictured below left), executive director of the 157 Group, and Joy Mercer (pictured below right), policy director at the Association of Colleges.

Dr Sedgmore said: “We agree with the analysis that too much recent educational policy change has been focused on structures and new institutions, and has failed to capitalise on the enormous successes of our FE colleges. If this morning’s words are a signal that a Labour government would take a different approach, then they are to be welcomed.

“We hope, though, that the proposed renaming of some colleges as ‘Institutes of Technical Education’ is not a sign that the focus remains on names and structures, rather than content.”

She added: “It is clear that Mr Hunt understands the important contribution that FE Colleges do and can make to economic growth — it is a shame that he did not mention that the percentage of colleges graded ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted has increased year-on-year alongside his comments about ‘inadequate’ providers.”

Ms Mercer said: “The Labour Party recognises that high-quality technical education is the key to improving skills and meeting the needs of businesses, now and in the future.

“We are keen to know more, therefore, about the plans to convert some FE colleges into Institutes of Technical Education and how they will enhance what are already high standards of locally accessible vocational education in England.

“The emphasis upon teaching standards is one that colleges accept entirely, likewise the need for professionals in their area to also teach vocational education, but colleges should be able to appoint the right staff and support their professional development to meet the changing needs of students.

“We are pleased, however, that Mr Hunt reaffirmed Labour’s commitment not to abolish AS- levels in their current form – a longstanding concern of FE and sixth form colleges.”

Audit office investigates BIS efforts to simplify FE and skills

Efforts to simplify FE funding and bureaucracy by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) are under the National Audit Office (NAO) microscope.

The NAO has launched a probe, called Further Education and skills sector — the simplification plan, with findings due for publication this autumn.

“The study will examine the work done by BIS to simplify the way in which the FE and skills sector is funded and overseen, while maintaining an effective assurance regime,” a spokesperson for the NAO told FE Week.

“It will follow up on a number of the issues raised by the [House of Commons] Public Accounts Committee [ PAC] in its March 2012 report on reducing bureaucracy in FE in England.”

The 2012 report from the PAC raised concern there was “no clear accountability” for reducing bureaucracy in FE with the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) and Education Funding Agency (EFA) “separately accountable” for funding.

It added neither BIS nor the Department for Education (DfE) had taken “ultimate responsibility” for co-ordinating efforts to cut bureaucracy across the sector and suggested BIS should take the lead.

The PAC also raised concerns that there was insufficient appreciation among the government departments and funding agencies of the cost and inconvenience to providers caused by having to deal with different bodies for pre 16-year-olds, 16 to 18-year-olds, 19+ and prison education.

The NAO raised similar concerns about a lack of co-ordination between government departments and funding agencies in its report on reducing bureaucracy in FE just four months earlier.

And in February this year it produced a report that warned the EFA was in danger of becoming “overloaded” as financial constraints, staffing difficulties and an increased workload took hold.

The NAO spokesperson added it would also look at the impact of additional issues that had arisen over the last two years — which it is thought could include the problems at the EFA, apprenticeship reform and the transfer of skills capital funding from the SFA to local enterprise partnerships from April next year.

It is understood that a number of colleges and independent learning providers (ILPs), representative bodies including the Association of Colleges (AoC), the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) and BIS and the DfE have already been consulted.

Julian Gravatt, AoC assistant chief executive, said: “It is good that the NAO is following up their earlier study on reducing bureaucracy in FE. In the years since the first report, progress has been made by government and funding agencies in some areas, including removing unnecessary regulations and rewriting their own rulebooks.

“But there’s a risk that current reform plans for apprenticeships and qualifications make matters more complicated and unstable again.”

Stewart Segal, AELP chief executive, said: “We welcome the NAO study because we firmly believe that further reductions in bureaucracy for providers would result in them being able to deliver more sustainable employment outcomes for young people and adults.

“We have members who deliver programmes for DfE, BIS and DWP and more coherent procurement across those departments is needed together with more consistent contract management and sharing of evidence.

“Programmes must be delivered by those providers with a proven ability, with a level playing field for all providers. Performance and contract management systems are different for colleges and ILPs, but based on common principles.

“As well as less bureaucratic, the contract performance process must be more open with clear and consistent priorities. We will continue to lobby for a more transparent and open intervention policy for independent training providers.”

A spokesperson for the 157 Group said: “We believe that the government should examine much more closely the disconnect between policy intent and policy implementation.

“Funding and accountability changes which have been intended to create more freedom have, over the past few years, invariably ended up with colleges feeling more, rather than less, constrained.”

A joint statement from the funding authorities, BIS and DfE said: “The findings of the report will be reviewed when it is published in the autumn.”

Visit www.nao.org.uk/contact-us/contact-us to contribute, directing emails to NAO director Peter Gray and audit manager Phil Hyde. BIS declined to comment before the NAO findings were published.

FE Commissioner pays tribute to new leadership at inadequate Lesoco college

The new leadership team at inadequate-rated South London college Lesoco has been praised by the FE Commissioner, it has been claimed.

Dr David Collins was back at the college last month having initially been sent into the college by then-Skills Minister Matthew Hancock in January after it had been given a grade four Ofsted inspection result.

And, following criticism of the college leadership following his first visit, he is understood to have been complimentary about those at the top now with ex-Warwickshire College principal and former 157 Group chair Ioan Morgan the current interim consultant principal — officially employed by the Association of Colleges’ (AoC) recruitment arm AoC Create.

He took over from former principal Maxine Room, who announced in May that she would step down the following month.

And according to the college, Dr Collins concluded after his latest visit that, “an interim leadership team with the mix of skills and experience required to address the quality issues within the college is now in place”.

He is said to have added: “In the weeks since the interim team have been in place, the pace of change has rapidly increased. Communication issues with staff have greatly improved.”

A spokesperson for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said Dr Collins’ follow-up visit had resulted in a “stock-taking report” that would not be made public.

It comes two months after Ofsted’s third and latest monitoring visit report, which said the 17,600-learner college was making “insufficient progress” in key areas.

It said Lesoco, formerly grade three Lewisham College and grade four Southwark College, had made insufficient progress to improve quality of teaching, learning and assessments, learner attendance rates, or in strengthening tutorial and learning support arrangements. However, it had made “reasonable progress” in improving maths and English provision.

But that monitoring visit took place before Mr Morgan was in place. The only inspection at Lesoco with Mr Morgan at the helm has been that of Dr Collins last month, and his positive conclusions were welcomed.

“We very much welcome Dr Collins’s input and are taking full account of his guidance, along with that of Ofsted, which have been both helpful and constructive and have given us a clear route forward,” said Mr Morgan.

“Our focus is to put the student first in everything we do, which means not just putting the college on a firm financial footing but also ensuring that teaching in all subject areas is carefully observed and improved where needed.

“We have some excellent teaching in the college and we will ensure that, where standards are at their very highest, the approaches behind the best-quality teaching are shared in other subject areas.

“I continue to have confidence in the staff and I’m pleased to say that morale has improved since we have started focusing on the service we provide to our students free of distractions. I am a firm believer that managers need to listen to staff and learners if a college is to excel.”

Neet numbers at near-decade low as funding worries prompt RPA warning

The number of young people not in education, employment or training (Neet) in England is at its lowest quarterly level for nearly a decade, according to government figures out today.

There were 809,000 16 to 24-year-old Neets for April and June — the lowest since 2005 and down 125,000 on the same period last year.

Nick-Boles-web — Skills Minister Nick Boles

And the figures for 16 to 18-year-olds have been credited with showing the success of the government’s raising of the participation age (RPA) policy — which requires young people to continue in education or training beyond the age of 16 — with a fall in the age group’s Neet figures on the same period last year by 22,000, to 146,000.

Meanwhile participation for 16-year-olds was at 95.3 per cent — up 1.2 percentage points compared to the same period in 2013.

Skills Minister Nick Boles welcomed the figures as “hugely encouraging,” and evidence that government reforms were “properly equipping young people for life in modern Britain”.

However, they come the same week that a report from Lancaster University’s Work Foundation said the RPA was in danger of becoming a “lost opportunity” if a number of problems were not addressed.

Beth Foley, author of Staying Power: Making the raising of the participation age a policy success (pictured below right), argued for extra investment in careers advice and vocational qualifications.

She wrote: “The quality of many vocational options remains questionable.

“While a number of recent changes to provision have been announced — including the introduction of study programmes, traineeships and reforms to apprenticeships — there are still concerns about take-up, quality and market value of available options. Such issues are exacerbated in an environment where funding for FE has seen significant reductions.”

Pointing at recent budget cuts, including the 17.5 per cent cut to the full-time funding rate for 18-year-olds, she said 16 to 18-year-old learners were funded at £4,645 per head in 2012/13, while those aged 14 to 16 got £5,620.

She added: “With providers under RPA having to address new challenges around provision, tracking and learner engagement, we recommend that government reconsiders the justifications for the significant gap that currently exists between spending per head for 11 to 16-year-olds and those aged 16 to 18 now affected by RPA, and the ringfencing only of the schools budget.”

The recommendation had echoes of a Lib Dem pledge made by Nick Clegg two months ago, when he said he wanted to ringfence the entire education budget for two to 19-year-olds — although there would be no 16 to 19 ringfence within that. The current budget is only protected for learners aged five to 16.

And the Association of Colleges in May described the ringfencing of school funding as “unsustainable” as it predicted a departmental budget black hole of £4.6bn by 2018/19.

Nevertheless, today’s Neet figures show there are now 7,000 fewer 16 to 18-year-old Neets than when comparable records began in 2000, and 91,000 fewer than when 16 to 18-year-old Neet levels peaked in 2009.

Mr Boles said: “Today’s figures are hugely encouraging and show how this government’s reforms are properly equipping young people for life in modern Britain.

“With the number of young people not in education, employment or training at their lowest levels for nine years we are seeing the huge progress being made to ensure they have the skills to pursue high-quality careers.

“This shows how our long-term economic plan is working and we will continue to focus on securing young people’s future.”