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Skills Minister Nick Boles acknowledges ‘concerns’ that qualifications reform has gone too far

Skills Minister Nick Boles said he was prepared to investigate whether qualifications reform had “gone too far” as he addressed MPs for the first time in his new role today.

At a Westminster Hall debate on youth unemployment and Ofsted this morning, Mr Boles (pictured above in action) said he had heard “concerns” about the extent of reform carried out by the government and was willing to investigate.

His comments came after a series of public funding cuts to adult quals and also a review by BAE Systems group managing director and UK Commission for Employment and Skills commissioner Nigel Whitehead (pictured) which last year called for around 95 per cent of the vocational market’s 19,000-plus qualifications to be cut.

Mr Boles said: “I believe we were right to scrap, as I think honourable members on all sides the House have recognised, some of what my honourable friend referred to as the ‘GNVQ fiddle’ to some of the qualifications that purported to have the equipment to get people a job but did not. We were perpetrating a fraud and it was entirely right that we got rid of that fraud.

“But I have heard absolutely clearly the concern that maybe that reform has gone too far. I am not going to even for a moment suggest that I agree with it or not, but I absolutely promise to talk to members, to talk to the chairman of the select committee who I understand may have some similar concerns and to understand where that concern lies and how we can preserve the massive gains we have made, but nevertheless address the concerns they may have.”

He said he supported the work to rectify a “fundamental dishonesty” in the skills system inherited from the last government, but conceded that concerns existed.

He added: “My understanding is that when we came into office, this government, in 2010, we inherited a system in which there were brave intentions, but a fundamental dishonesty.

“The fundamental dishonesty lay in the fact that we said to many young people that if they studied a whole range of courses and collected a whole confetti of qualifications, that somehow they too would be able to share in the benefits of our growing economy. That was not true.

“It was not true in 2010 when the economy wasn’t growing, it wasn’t even true in 2007 and 2006 and 2005 when our economy had been growing for a very long period of time, and yet still there was a huge number of people who, for all of their GVNQs [sic] and qualifications were not able to fully share in the benefits of that economy.

“That is the key challenge we have tried to face, to face up to that fundamental dishonesty, and with the help of the fantastic Alison Wolf and others, to identify those core skills that it is essential that every young person must acquire if they are going to be able to have a chance to share in that economic prosperity.”

He said his “simple mission” when he was Planning Minister was to get more houses built, and added that he believed his mission in his new role was just as simple.

He said: “In this job, I feel I have an equally simple mission, and that is to ensure that every young person acquires the skills that they will need to share in our economic recovery.

“And we have made substantial progress, even when coming out of one of the deepest recessions for several generations, but we have not made enough progress, and we are not satisfied and we will not rest and the work will continue right up until election day and long after it to ensure that mission is fulfilled.”

Mr Boles praised the government’s work “to revive and restore and re-inspire the concept of an apprenticeship,” adding: “It was something that had become a low currency in our education and training system, and that, I am pleased to say, is no longer the case.

“We are on track to deliver two million apprentices over the course of this Parliament, and not just two million in number, but two million high quality, long term apprenticeships which people running businesses and other organisations value as real ways to get into work and into good long-term employment.”

According to figures from the current Statistical First Release, out last month and including provisional figures for 2013/14, the current total of apprenticeship starts from the beginning of 2010/11, after the current government was elected, stands at nearly 1.8m.

Matt_Hancock-e99 — Business, Enterprise and Energy Minister Matthew Hancock

Mr Boles continued by acknowledging his own lack of sector knowledge and paid tribute to his predecessor, Matthew Hancock, adding that he was keen to learn more about FE and skills.

“One of the phrases, and there are many phrases and new jargons that a newly-appointed Minister has to get to grips with, and one we have heard a certain amount of this morning, one I don’t like any more than any other jargon, is work-readiness,” said Mr Boles.

“I have to say I feel peculiarly un-work-ready this morning, having had less than 24 hours to get my head around these issues.

“I nevertheless feel at some advantage because of the superb work of my predecessor, who I know earned the respect of colleagues around the House for his indefatigable energy, enthusiasm and drive.”

He added: “I am tremendously privileged and lucky and happy to be given this job. Like poor Manuel, I know nothing at the moment, but I am keen to learn.”

UCU set to ask college staff to reject biggest pay offer in five years

College staff across England will be urged to reject their biggest pay offer in five years when the University and College Union (UCU) puts the deal to members, FE Week can reveal.

The Association of Colleges (AoC) had put its “full and final offer” for 2014/15 to the UCU last month. The offer included removing the lowest current pay grade, while pay for staff on the lowest remaining grade would also increase by 2 per cent to £7.65-an-hour, with all other grades rising by 1 per cent.

The proposed deal was better than the 0.7 per cent rise offered in previous talks at the National Joint Forum (NJF), which includes Unison, the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), Amie (ATL’s section for education leaders and managers), Unite and GMB. However, the UCU has been looking for a 3 per cent rise or £1,040, whichever is the greater.

The UCU, which met to go through the latest offer on June 27, told FE Week it would therefore recommend to its members that they reject the AoC proposal.

A UCU spokesperson said: “The FE committee (FEC) had previously determined to consult all FE England members on the offer with a recommendation to reject. Our FEC officers met last week, and are now working out a timetable for that consultation, which will begin in early September.

“Branches will be provided with a briefing note including an explanation of the consequences of rejecting the offer and the consequences of accepting the offer and should plan to call branch meetings within the first few weeks of September to discuss the offer, the FEC recommendation and briefing note.”

Marc Whitworth, acting director of employment policy and services for the AoC, said: “We welcome the constructive dialogue we have had with the unions this year in the NJF about the funding situation facing FE colleges and our collective concerns about the financial challenges the sector faces.

“Bearing in mind these significant financial pressures, AoC’s full and final offer with no conditions, is a fair balance between rewarding staff and maintaining the financial well-being of colleges where possible.

“The current lowest pay grade will be removed and those on the new grade will receive a 2 per cent uplift. This is equal to an additional £288.42 a-year increasing their hourly rate of pay to £7.65 an-hour equivalent to the current living wage. Those working in roles above this salary level will receive a 1 per cent consolidated increase.”

It comes after teachers at sixth form colleges across England walked out of work last week as part of a separate dispute over pay and conditions.

Members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) who work in sixth form colleges were involved in industrial action on July 10.

Sixth Form Colleges’ Association director of HR services Graham Baird told FE Week that members had been operating “on a business as usual basis without too much disruption”.

The NUT wants the Department for Education (DfE) to shelve plans for a system of performance-related pay, and commit to increase salaries in line with inflation. They also want the government to reverse pension reforms.

A DfE spokesperson said: “The NUT has tried to cause as much disruption for children and their families as possible — but thanks to the dedication of many teachers and staff who turned up for work, just 21 per cent of schools were closed.”

The NUT has refused to rule out further strikes and is to survey members in September on the future of the campaign.

Filling UTC classrooms — why did it go wrong at Hackney?

Hackney University Technical College (UTC) revealed this week low recruitment from September meant it would be closing for good the following academic year. It prompted tough criticism from 157 Group executive director Lynne Sedgmore, so Neil Patterson looks at the recruitment issues facing UTCs.

As a fellow UTC principal, the news that Hackney UTC is due to close due to low recruitment in year 10 is a great disappointment.

I’m sure that the governors, partners and staff worked tirelessly to promote the UTC but it appears, in this case, it has not been enough.

Recruiting from the age of 14 is a challenge, but it’s central to the vision for UTCs and every day at Silverstone UTC I see my students flourishing because of this.

For a young person who knows where their interests lie, starting at 14 means they can learn in an environment where they can see the relevance of their studies and any risk of disengagement can be avoided.

By starting at 14 they get a head start in their technical education and are ready to enroll onto higher-level qualifications at 16. So, what lessons can be learned from Hackney UTC and how can other UTCs overcome the challenges of recruiting at 14?

My experience is that there are three factors that can make a significant difference to recruitment at 14. First, how truly distinctive is the specialism? Is it something that local schools claim to offer as well?

Hackney UTC’s main specialism in digital technologies was supported with industry-standard equipment, quite different from what a student might experience in a school. It had the deep support of employers who set projects for the students and worked closely with them. However, many schools promote their digital credentials and it can be hard for parents to understand the differences if they don’t have a technical background.

At Silverstone our specialisms in business and technical events management and high performance engineering are closely linked to our main sponsor. Other schools are simply unable to provide the same curriculum, links with industry, or learning experience. This means we have a distinct offer, it’s not easily to replicate and it doesn’t overlap with the local schools’ provision.

Second, what are the schools in the local area like? In Hackney most schools are judged to be good or outstanding and there are sufficient places. This makes the local area very stable and it’s harder for a new institution to gain a foothold.

Third, recruitment to year 10 is much simpler, and less costly, when the local authority and secondary schools are supportive. I know this varies a great deal and can be one of the biggest barriers to successful recruitment in year 10.

Schools and local authorities have a duty to tell students about the UTC but there is little incentive, particularly if the current provision is not under pressure. This can make building the necessary links with primary and secondary schools and with the local authority a challenge.

In Northamptonshire both Daventry UTC and Silverstone have had support from the county council. This year this has included its writing to 7,000 known year nine households.

At Silverstone we secured close to 100 applications and year 10 is now over-subscribed for September. We’re not alone in being oversubscribed — Elstree, The JCB Academy, Sheffield, Liverpool Life Sciences and other UTCs are proving they can attract many students at year 10 despite the challenges.

Prior to joining Silverstone UTC I was chief engineer at McLaren Automotive where I worked for 14 years. My experience in business shows that it is never plain sailing from the first day of operation.

Any new product or initiative needs investment and time to be successful. Ultimately, I wish it had been financially viable for Hackney UTC to continue as I think it really did have the potential to achieve a great deal.

A bottom-up approach to CPD is ‘best’

Imparting knowledge of teaching is not always best done from the “top,” explains Andrea McMahon.

After attending his first Learning Lunch in the newly-established Centre for Excellence in Teaching (CET) at Newham College, maths lecturer Anwar Faruqh summarised his experience, saying: “What an excellent idea – it’s like having our own Institute for Learning on our doorstep”.

His enthusiasm is exactly the sentiment that those involved in centre hope will gather momentum and inspire other teachers in the college to take ownership of their professional development.

Engaging in activity whose primary purpose is to develop professional practice is the bedrock of expert teaching and training.

The recently updated Teaching Standards capture this clearly as demonstrated through the three domains: professional values and attributes, professional knowledge and understanding, and professional skills.

The sections outline aspirational standards for those practitioners involved in the education and training of post-16 adults, and provide a jumping-off point for teachers and trainers to identify areas for their professional development.

The new CET at Newham College provides a forum for us to talk about teaching, to share ideas and to learn from each other, to collaborate, to review and review what we do in the light of experience, to reflect critically and enquiringly on our current practice, and, ultimately, to get excited about what we do. After all if we’re not, then how can we expect our learners to be?

Professional development is most effective when a bottom-up approach is favoured over a top-down one.

Colleagues reading this article are likely to instantly recognise a model of CPD which is based on the latter — in that model, the ‘expert’ decides on the content to be ‘delivered’ and the participants are largely passive recipients of this.

In a few cases, such an approach is appropriate. For example, Ofsted is due to visit and there is a body of staff still without mandatory safeguarding training.

One of the problems with this model, however, is that the impact of the training is rarely felt where it matters most — in the classroom. Often there is no time for reflection or critically reviewing the learning from the training.

A superior model asks teachers to work together in a community of practice. This resonates with me because it allows me to engage with colleagues in a meaningful way creating the opportunity for me to shape my own personal and professional development.

At the same time as offering a menu of activities for teachers to choose from, the CET encourages them to have a voice so that the learning is bespoke. The menu so far has included a Learning Lunch, a themed workshop focused on all-things teaching and learning including ‘strategies for starting lessons’, ‘ideas for plenaries’, ‘how to break the ice with a new group’ and ‘checking learning’.

It has also included an e-teaching workshop which includes a demonstration of an online (and free) e-tool that is quick and simple to use followed by facilitator-supported practice; a Teach Meet during which teachers have a five-minute slot to present an idea, activity or strategy that can be used in different teaching and learning contexts; one-to-one coaching sessions which are teacher-led and focused on helping teachers with any aspect of their practice they request support with.

Future plans include a termly book club during which teachers can discuss and debate pedagogic articles of interest; a ‘share and replace’ noticeboard which invites teachers to take a resource on the proviso that they will replace it another one; a teacher-led discussion on moving from a grade two to a grade one Ofsted judgement; and sessions on setting homework and the using group work in the classroom.

Through engaging with these kinds of activities, we are in a good position to inspire and innovate, and to create learning opportunities for our students that demonstrates our passion for what we do.

CPD that is meaningful, personalised and interesting is an absolute priority for teachers. I doubt most would argue with this. There is, though, the simple fact that in the busy day-to-day job of teaching, the time factor involved in coming to sessions may put people off.

However, I would argue that the benefits to be gained from freeing up even a small amount of time far outweigh this. With some thought and careful time management, we can redress the balance between the time needed for classroom-related duties and our own professional development.

Chair at inadequate-rated Stockport College tells board he is stepping down

The chair of governors at Stockport College, which was hit with an inadequate Ofsted rating last year before being placed in administered status by the FE Commissioner, is to step down amid concerns for the future of 150 jobs.

Trevor Rees (pictured) told fellow college corporation board members on Thursday (July 10) that he would be stepping down after eight years as chair as soon as his replacement was found.

Mr Rees was reported on the Manchester Evening News website today as saying: “It has been a privilege and an honour to have served on the board. I’m sure the college will go from strength to strength moving forward.”

It comes less than a year after Ofsted’s visit and follows three underwhelming monitoring reports by the education watchdog.

Former principal Stephen Carlisle was replaced by interim Ian Clinton in February, but since then it has emerged that the 690-worker college, which had already shed 235 jobs in the past three years, was set to cut another 150 jobs after FE Commissioner Dr David Collins recommended it shave £2.5m off staff costs.

One of the first tasks of the new chair will be to find the full-time replacement for Mr Clinton, who said: “I’m grateful to Mr Rees for his support, guidance and commitment to Stockport College. As well as the numerous meetings that Mr Rees attended, he also took particular interest in staff and student welfare issues.”

Chartered accountant Mr Rees led a board that had gone from 11 to 15 members since the Ofsted inspection result, which had previously been outstanding.

A college spokesperson said: “Mr Rees informed the board that, having overseen the initial transformation of the college arising from the recommendations of Ofsted and the FE Commissioner through the appointment of an interim principal and the refreshing of the governing body by the appointment of new governors, he felt it was right that the continued improvement of the college should be led by a new chair.

“The board of the corporation will now commence the process for the appointment of a new chair which it hoped could be made as soon as possible.”

In its most recent Ofsted monitoring visit report, the 9,000-learner college was deemed to have made insufficient progress in creating and implementing a post-inspection action plan, improving maths and English, and in performance management by senior leaders.

It was, however, was judged to have made reasonable progress on teaching and learning, and curriculum change planning.

With the job cuts, which will mostly affect non-management positions including lecturers, and other measures, the college could, according to Dr Collins, achieve a surplus of £185,000 in 2014/15 by hitting a £25m turnover target.

Speaking in March, Mr Clinton said: “By focusing the college’s activities towards the skills needs of Greater Manchester employers, we will be better-able to enhance the job prospects of our learners.

“Sadly, as a consequence, some redundancies are unavoidable. We hope to be able to mitigate the scale of any redundancies by redeploying staff into vacant posts in our growth areas.”

Sector welcomes new Skills Minister and Education Secretary as Cabinet-bound Matthew Hancock issues farewell message

The FE sector has been quick to have its say on today’s appointments of Nick Boles to Skills Minister and Nicky Morgan to Education Secretary.

Former Skills Minister Matthew Hancock has been appointed as Business, Enterprise and Energy Minister and will attend Cabinet in his job (although not as a Cabinet post-holder), which is a new shared role at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Department for Energy and Climate Change.

He tweeted his goodbye to the sector this afternoon. He said: “It has been a huge pleasure to serve as Skills Minister. So many brilliant people. With Nick Boles, skills are in safe hands.”

The announcement that Greg Clark will take on the Universities and Science brief, replacing David Willetts, has also been welcomed.

Dr Mary Bousted

General secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL)

“David Cameron has, belatedly, realised that Michael Gove’s ideological drive is no substitute for measured, pragmatic reform of the education system. Time after time he has chased newspaper headlines rather than engage with teachers.

“The dismantling of the structures which support schools, the antagonism which he displayed to the teaching profession and the increasing evidence of chaos in the bodies he established – in particular the Education Funding Agency — has led Cameron to one conclusion — Gove is more of a liability than an asset.

“Successful education systems value the views of the teaching profession, which Gove insulted when he called them ‘the blob’. ATL looks forward to a more constructive relationship with his successor, Nicky Morgan.”

Martin Doel

Chief executive of the Association of Colleges (AoC)

“We welcome the appointment of Nicky Morgan to the post of Education Secretary. I know from meeting her over the last few years that she understands the significant contribution colleges make in educating over 800,000 16 to 18-year-olds.

“One of her most urgent tasks will be to ensure that the education of this age group does not suffer further funding cuts, an issue I discussed with Michael Gove earlier this month. I look forward to talking to the new Secretary of State about this and about curriculum and qualification reform.

“Michael Gove has made significant changes in his time in office — many of which we have welcomed, including removing the funding gap between 16 to 18-year-olds studying in schools and colleges, introducing free meals for college students and his acceptance of the Wolf Report. We have had our disagreements of course, especially the early decision to abolish Education Maintenance Allowances, but we wish him well in his new post.

“We also welcome the appointment of Nick Boles as Minister of State in both the Department for Education (DfE) and BIS. He has some significant challenges ahead of him including making a key decision about the future funding for 16 to 18-year-olds and the proposed reform of apprenticeships. I very much look forward to working with him.

“Greg Clark, the new Minister for Universities and Science, will be receiving a copy of our new report, Breaking the Mould: Creating higher education fit for the future, about the need to ensure colleges delivering higher education are funded in the same way as universities and granted the autonomy to choose how they spend it. Doing so would allow students to access more technical and vocational education and help close the skills gap.

“I’d like to pay tribute to both Matthew Hancock and David Willetts for the work they have done to support colleges during their tenures.”

Sally Hunt

General secretary of the University and College Union

“We wish Nick Boles and Greg Clark well in their new roles.

“The further and higher education sectors have enormous significance for both our economy and our society.

“Public spending cuts have had a profound impact on post-16 education and all parties now need to set out their stall for further and higher education.

“The introduction of new ministers is an opportunity for government to refocus its education priorities in the run up to the election.”

Dr Lynne Sedgmore

Executive director of the 157 Group

“We look forward to working closely with Nick Boles and to introducing him to the excellent work done by FE colleges as he takes up his new role.

“Having an open and productive relationship with the government helps ensure that policy-making in FE is informed by those with the experience and expertise to make a positive difference.

“At a time of great change in our country and in our sector, it is vital that colleges are supported to provide young people and adults with the skills that employers want and the economy needs.

“We congratulate Matthew Hancock on his appointment, and wish him well in his new role as Business, Enterprise and Energy Minister. The 157 Group has enjoyed a strong and fruitful relationship with him over the past two years, and we thank him for his commitment and his focus on FE colleges.”

Stewart Segal

Chief executive of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP)

“AELP is pleased that the Prime Minister has retained the joint BIS/DfE portfolio for skills and vocational education and we welcome Nick Boles to his new post.

“We look forward to engaging with him on how to grow the new traineeships programme and on formulating a set of apprenticeship reforms that work for businesses of all sizes, especially as there is increasing evidence that not all business supports the government proposals.

“We should build on what works and on the evidence base that has developed since the Richard recommendations were first published. We wish Matthew Hancock all the best in his wider portfolio and appreciate his protection of apprenticeships as the flagship skills programme when other programme budgets were under pressure.

“We also congratulate Nicky Morgan on her promotion to Education Secretary and hope that she will champion vocational learning and impartial careers advice for young people.”

Tom Stannard

Deputy chief executive of the National Institute for Adult Continuing Education (Niace)

“We welcome Nick Boles to his new role and look forward to working with him on the skills and lifelong learning agenda at a critical time for the economy and society. We must ensure we have a skills system fit for the 21^st Century which will lead to prosperity for all.

“We are pleased that he will retain briefs in both BIS and DfE. This will lead to closer working relationships between the two departments, something we have called for in our manifesto.

“Matthew Hancock will be a tough act to follow and we would like to congratulate him on his promotion. We are pleased that he’s staying within BIS.

“We also look forward to working with Greg Clark as the new Minister for Universities and Science. His experience of working on local growth will be vital in his new role, especially with the regional skills agenda.

“We also welcome Nicky Morgan to her new role as Education Secretary. Family learning is high on our agenda and we are pleased that DfE has shown an interest in supporting our National Family Learning Forum. We are also keen to continue our close working relationship with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) , not least on the Mid-life Career Review.

“We hope today’s reshuffle will lead to government departments — particularly BIS, DfE and DWP — working closer together. As we have stated in our manifesto, people having access to the learning they both want and need is crucial for the future well-being of our economy and society. This includes a range of training opportunities at work to meet skills gaps and skills shortages, families learning together to raise children’s attainment at school and people out of work having secure pathways to sustainable and fulfilling careers.”

New Skills Minister Nick Boles admits to knowing ‘nothing’ about sector

New Skills Minister Nick Boles admitted to knowing “nothing” about the sector during his first parliamentary appearance in the job, but said he was “keen to learn” about FE and skills.

Likening himself to dim-witted Faulty Towers waiter Manuel (pictured right), played by Andrew Sachs in the 1970s BBC comedy series, Mr Boles told a Westminster Hall debate he felt unprepared.

Responding to statements from MPs Graham Allen, Andrew Percy and Justin Tomlinson, along with Shadow Education Minister Rushanara Ali, about provision for 14 to 17-year-olds considered pre-Neet (not in education, employment or training) and Ofsted, he spoke of his pride in taking on the new role.

He said: “I am tremendously privileged and lucky and happy to be given this job. Like poor Manuel, I know nothing at the moment, but I am keen to learn.”

He said a piece of jargon he was not fond of was the phrase “workreadiness,” as he conceded he felt “quite un-workready myself” after less than 24 hours in the job.

Mr Boles also used his speech to pay tribute to the “energy, enthusiasm and drive” of his predecessor, Matthew Hancock, who has been appointed Business, Enterprise and Energy Minister and will attend Cabinet in his job (although not as a Cabinet post-holder).

For more on Mr Boles’s first parliamentary appearance as Skills Minister see feweek.co.uk this afternoon

Nicky Morgan replaces Gove at DfE as Cameron promotes women to top jobs

Loughborough MP Nicky Morgan, who has served in two Treasury positions, is the new Education Secretary following the departure of Michael Gove.

Ms Morgan, aged 41, moved into Mr Gove’s job at the Department for Education (DfE) after his move to the office of Chief Whip in the House of Commons.

London-born Ms Morgan, a mum-of-one, was one of several highly-regarded Conservative women tipped for promotion, including former Education Minister Elizabeth Truss, who will be the new Environment Secretary following Owen Paterson’s departure.

An Oxford graduate and former solicitor, Ms Morgan was elected in 2010 having lost to Labour’s Andy Reed in 2005.

Within weeks of entering the House of Commons she was appointed a Conservative member of the Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee, serving four months until she was given the post of Parliamentary Private Secretary to Universities Minister David Willetts.

She was promoted to Economic Secretary at the Treasury in October, and then to Financial Secretary in April following Sajid Javid’s appointment as Culture Secretary. She retains her brief for women and equalities.

Her Twitter handle is @NickyMorgan01.

Nick Boles is new Skills Minister after move to joint role at BIS and DfE

Former Planning Minister Nick Boles has taken on a joint role at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Department for Education (DfE).

Although it has not been officially confirmed the 48-year-old Tory, a former flatmate of Michael Gove, will take on the skills portfolio, a Downing Street spokesperson told FE Week that he “understood” he would be taking Matthew Hancock’s old role.

A Winchester College student and Oxford graduate, Mr Boles owned and small business and served on Westminster City Council before entering Parliament in 2010 for the Grantham and Stamford constituency. He was a founder and director of the Policy Exchange thinktank.

He was previously an undersecretary of state at the Department for Communities and Local Government, where he was in charge of planning policy.

His Twitter handle is @NickBolesMP.

UPDATE (11.47am): Mr Boles’s Parliamentary office has confirmed to FE Week that he has taken on the skills brief.

UPDATE (12.33am): Mr Boles has given his first comments as Skills Minister to FE Week after reporter Freddie Whittaker caught up with him as he made his way to the BIS offices in London for his first briefing.

He said: “I am absolutely delighted with the appointment. It’s a really crucial role. If we are going to make sure everyone can benefit from the economic recovery we have to make sure they have got the skills they need.”