An academy backed by grade one-rated Walsall College has been warned by the government about “unacceptably low” standards.

Schools Minister Lord Nash has written to Walsall College Academies Trust chair Jatinder Sharma, who is also the college principal, with a “pre-warning notice” over standards at the Mirus Academy.

He warned that the sponsor college, which just under a year ago became the first outstanding college under Ofsted’s current FE and skills inspection framework, had “neither the expertise or capacity to resolve the issues needed to bring about sustained improvement “.

Mr Sharma said he was “fully aware of the challenge”, but confident he could replicate the level of success achieved by the college at the academy.

The academy, for ages three to 18, was graded as inadequate by Ofsted following an inspection in December and put in special measures, and in his letter Lord Nash highlighted problems with achievement at GCSE level.

He wrote: “The percentage of pupils achieving five or more GCSEs including English and maths in 2013 is below the national floor standard of 40 per cent with only 25 per cent of pupils achieving this standard.

“The academy’s 2013 GCSE results show that too few pupils make or exceed expected levels of progress with only 24 per cent of pupils making expected levels of progress in English and only 33 per cent of pupils making expected levels of progress in maths.

“This compares to the 2013 national median of 73 per cent in each subject.”

Lord Nash said that if standards didn’t improve he could appoint new trust directors. Ultimately, Walsall College could be replaced as the academy sponsor.

And Lord Nash warned he expected academy performance to fall short of the 40 per cent target this year too.

“It is my view based on the evidence from the Education Adviser visit, that the academy and the sponsor do not, at present, have the expertise or capacity to resolve the issues needed to bring about sustained improvement and in particular those associated with assessment and raising achievement in the core subjects,” he wrote.

“More experience of secondary school improvement within the governing body and effective external quality assurance could have resolved the issues sooner. The needs of the primary phase have not yet been properly met.

“There are still barriers between the primary and secondary phases, and much still needs to be done to ensure the seamless progression of pupils and synchronisation of the senior leadership teams between the two phases.

“The Secretary of State and I are therefore satisfied that the standards of performance at Mirus Academy, Walsall, are unacceptably low.”

At the end of his letter, Lord Nash demanded a response from the trust, within 15 working days, outlining a plan of action for improvement at the academy.

Around 40 academies have had pre-warning notices  since September 2011. The letters warn academies to improve or face action — which could ultimately lead to a new sponsor.

Mr Sharma said: “We were invited to set up the academy by bringing together the failing primary (at the time of conversion in special measures) and failing secondary (at the time of conversion only just, and arguably unsustainably, having come out of special measures) schools into the region’s first all-through academy.

“With no more than a term to set the new academy up, it is probably fair to say that we did not get everything right in the time we had.

“However, taking on The Mirus Academy was a courageous thing to do. We picked up a legacy of under-investment and neglect and are determined to spread our outstanding DNA. We have now put considerable resources and expertise into the task and it is beginning to show.

“On February 4, 2014, the first post-inspection Ofsted monitoring inspection took place at The Mirus Academy. Following the visit, the inspector agreed that the Statement of Action implemented by the interim principal, (partially) new senior leadership team and the sponsors/governors, was fit for purpose.

“The inspector also commented on a number of actions which already show improvements whilst giving us constructive ideas for improvement which are currently being made.

“We owe it to these children that significant and sustainable improvements are made and with pace. Everything we are putting in place now is contributing to the overall goal of improving standards right across the academy and we have the support of Ofsted, the local authority and many other partnership organisations.

“From the outset, our aim has been to raise student achievement and aspirations and we remain steadfast in this commitment. Our own journey to Ofsted outstanding took more than nine years and we encountered many obstacles along the way. We are fully aware of the scale of the challenge we have taken on and if anyone can transform The Mirus Academy for the long-term benefit of students, we can.”

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg is today expected to announce a raft of measures to help young people get into work, including allowing 16 and 17-year-olds to get advice from Jobcentre Plus centres.

In a speech at Southfields Academy in London, Mr Clegg is also due to promise to “ramp up” the requirement on schools to provide careers advice.

Further, he will say young jobseekers would be provided with work experience, and those without level two maths and English would be required to train as soon as they sign on for Jobseekers Allowance.

The speech comes with the release later today of the latest government statistics on young people not in education, employment or training (Neet). The last release, showing figures for July to September last year, put the number of 16 to 24-year-old Neets at 1.066 million, up from 1.038 million in the same period the previous year.

Mr Clegg is expected to say: “Too many young people aren’t getting what they need. In a recent survey, Ofsted found only one-in-five schools were giving all their students detailed careers support.

“And, for a lot of the young people I meet, careers guidance currently feels like a tick box exercise squeezed into lunchtime break with a busy teacher, who no doubt already has a lot on their plate.

“So, we are issuing new guidance for schools in the next few weeks that will set out just what good careers advice should look like — and not take-it-or-leave-it guidance.”

He is also due to say that Ofsted will “look more closely” at the quality of careers advice offered by schools during inspections.

“Right now, if you’re 16 or 17, and looking for work, you can’t go to your local Job Centre for advice about how to find a job,” the Lib Dem leader is expected to add.

“The rules say that you can only go to Jobcentre Plus at 18 or above. That just seems wrong.”

He will say that the government should be “getting in there early” to provide support.

“So I’m pleased to announce that government will now be testing a new approach in selected Job Centres across Britain,” Mr Clegg is to say, announcing a pilot of the scheme in Lewisham.

“This, for the first time, will give 16 and 17-year-olds access to personalised jobs advice and support through Jobcentre Plus.”

He will also announce a series of pilots, starting in the autumn in Kent, Mercia, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, for 18 to 21-year-olds, who will be required to prove they have level two maths and English qualifications.

“If they don’t, their adviser will get them on that training immediately to ensure that if you’re not earning, you’re still learning,” he will say.

“If you don’t do this training, you won’t get your Jobseekers Allowance.

“And critically, if you find a job, this training won’t just stop. You’ll be able to carry on with it, until you get the skills you need.”

He will also explain measures, from this autumn and piloted in Kent, for 18 to 21-year-olds who have been out of work for six months.

“After six months out of work, your adviser will also help you get a work placement,” Mr Clegg will say.

“This is so you can get first-hand experience of being in a workplace, as well as help build your confidence and develop more of the skills prospective employers want.

“If these pilots are successful, I want to see them rolled out across the country: putting earn or learn at the heart of the support we give you.”

He will conclude: “We want every young person to be able to follow their chosen path. This is my commitment to you — to do whatever we can to ensure you get an equal shot at the life you want.”

A Warwickshire-based provider has been told it can no longer offer qualifications from a leading awarding organisation after it investigated allegations of malpractice.

Bright Assessing, which has boasted a pass rate of between 95 and 100 per cent, has been told it will “no longer have any involvement in the administration, delivery, assessment, moderation, invigilation and certification” of any NCFE (formerly the Northern Council for Further Education) programmes.

The findings of the NCFE investigation have not been made public, but a spokesperson for Bright said it “vigorously disputes both the findings and the sanction” and that it would appeal. He declined to comment on how the decision would affect learners enrolled on NCFE courses.

A spokesperson for the awarding organisation said it could not reveal its findings until a ruling had been made on any appeal, which had to be in by the middle of next next month. Meanwhile, Ofqual has already said NCFE’s action was “appropriate”.

In November NCFE  told FE Week  it had launched an investigation into Bright, which provides qualifications for unemployed people who want to re-enter the workplace, following complaints from learners.

The awarding organisation spokesperson said: “Following a rigorous investigation into the quality standards of Bright, we have taken the decision to permanently withdraw centre approval.

“This means that Bright will no longer have any involvement in the administration, delivery, assessment, moderation, invigilation and certification of any NCFE programmes.

“Learners are at the heart of all we do and our stringent quality assurance processes are in place to ensure that the interests of our registered learners are protected.

“We take our duty of care to them extremely seriously and will do our utmost to support them, following the removal of Bright’s centre approval.”

But a spokesperson for Bright, originally called Bright Assessing but with the registered trading name of Bright International Training, hit back.

He said: “We vigorously dispute both the findings and the sanction imposed by NCFE, and have begun a process of appeal.

“We are also seeking the opinion and intervention of the regulator, Ofqual, and will be supplying information in support of our defence.

“We have subsequently been faced with critical challenges to our business, many of which could have been avoided had NCFE met its obligation to conduct appropriate external quality assurance processes and to provide adequate advice as per their contract with Bright and as stated within their own regulations.”

He added that Bright nevertheless still planned to “extend the range of courses we offer our learners” with other awarding organisations.

An Ofqual spokesperson said: “NCFE kept us informed throughout its investigations into allegations of malpractice at Bright. We consider the action it has taken to be appropriate to protect the integrity of its qualifications and the interests of those taking them.

“We require awarding organisations to investigate any allegations of malpractice by schools or colleges.

“Where it is found to be occurring, they must take swift and effective action to protect the integrity of the qualifications. The investigation and resulting action by NCFE in this case show that malpractice will not be tolerated.

“Bright can appeal to NCFE against the decision. If, after completing that process, it still wishes to make a complaint to Ofqual, we would then deal with it in accordance with our own complaints procedures and consider the evidence.”

Appeals at NCFE are heard by an internal panel, which includes an independent expert.

It comes just a month after Bright chief executive Krissy Charles-Jones was pulled up by Ofsted over a misleading tweet and posting on her company website that appeared to imply the education watchdog had visited and given it a good grading.

But a Bright-commissioned inspection firm — Portsmouth-based private contractor Prospect Consultants — had carried out the inspection.