Latest news from FE Week | FE Week

Loans system ‘leads to 18 pc’ fall in learner numbers

The FE loans system could lead to a drop in learner numbers of up to 18 per cent, a thinktank has suggested.

Research by New Economy predicts the number of 24-plus learners in skills training in Greater Manchester will fall by between 15 and 18 per cent in the wake of the introduction of advanced learning loans.

The government itself had previously projected a 20 per cent drop, according to New Economy.

It comes after Business Secretary Vince Cable told FE Week last month that the apprenticeship FE loans policy was being dropped, but other FE loans would remain.

However, the Student Loans Company (SLC) was still processing apprentice FE loans at the time of going to press and could not confirm when they would stop.

Nevertheless, the New Economy research found that hardly any adults in Greater Manchester had taken out a loan to pursue an apprenticeship because of the significant cost involved.

New Economy director of skills and employment James Farr said: “It is a relief that apprenticeships are now not going to be included in the loans policy.

“The growth of apprenticeships among adults over 24 can be counted as being as one of the conurbation’s success stories of recent years. Loans would have wiped out much of this progress.

“But our research carries warnings should the government decide to extend the system of loans to other target groups in the future — to older learners at level two, for example.

“The clear implication is that the loans policy will lower investment in skills and harm employment prospects in years to come.”

The FE loans system was introduced by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) after it stopped part-funding study for those aged over 24. Now, loans to cover the full cost of training, which must be met by the learner, are handed out by the SLC.

New Economy claims its research is the first authoritative investigation anywhere in the UK into the impact of loans since the policy was introduced.

Its research was based on a survey of level three and above learners over 24 in Greater Manchester, of whom 83 per cent had taken out a loan to fund study.

A BIS spokesperson said: “Nationally, we have had more than 55,000 applications for 24+ advanced learning loans, which is in line with our expectations.”

He added: “To raise awareness of the loans and help learners to make their decisions we have used feedback from learners to develop a range of communication materials for providers.”

On the ball thanks to rugby performance programme

Trying paid off for Richard Huish College’s rugby team after it was propelled over the line into the last 32 of the Natwest Under 18s Cup for the first time.

The Somerset college’s team will now face Truro School, Cornwall, in a battle for a place in the last 16 of the competition for schools and colleges.

After successes in early rounds, Richard Huish continued its winning streak, beating Gryphon School, in Dorset, 22-18, Millfield School, in Somerset, 19-12 and Beechen Cliff, in Bath, 34–0.

A college spokesperson said the success stemmed from the quality of its rugby performance programme.

First team coach Chris Heal said: “It has been an exciting journey for the players, who have done exceptionally well to have got this far.”

Revved-up by Jaguar Land Rover visit

Motor vehicle engineering students feel driven to succeed after visiting the training academy of one of the UK’s largest car firms.

Staff from the Jaguar Land Rover academy, in Warwick, Warwickshire, showed learners from City College Southampton around the site, which has 16 training rooms and a fully-equipped workshop.

They also spoke to learners about the latest technology used for cars, including the new Jaguar F-Type.

Peter Leech, tutor at City College, said: “The visit really helped to reinforce what students have been learning at college.

“The students left with a reignited passion for the industry, which will help them in their studies and careers.”

The visit was arranged for the students by the Institute of Motor Industry, the professional association for individuals working across the motor industry.

Main pic: Students and staff from City College Southampton at the Jaguar Land Rover academy

Valuable lessons learned on Indian working holiday

Painting a school in an Indian desert may not be every college 16-year-old’s idea of a dream holiday, but brothers Lewis and Eliot Coble thought it beat lounging around on a beach in Spain.

The twins, from Chafford Hundred, Essex, were allowed time off from their A-level studies to travel to Bikaner, a small town in the Thar Desert, North West India.

The students from Palmer’s College, in Grays, Essex, spent three days re-painting a local primary school as part of a team of 20 British youngsters.

Lewis said: “The school was literally a box of a building made of concrete with nothing much in it. They didn’t have access to the internet, chairs or even desks.

“The children sat on the floor to study and they weren’t taught by a qualified teacher — it was just people from the town who would come in and teach them as much as they could. It makes you think about how lucky we are to have computers and so much modern technology in classrooms in this country.”

The twins with the other air cadets who painted the school

The brothers found the experience rewarding despite having to work most of the time in temperatures above 30C (86F).

“You can have fun on a beach holiday somewhere like Spain, but it doesn’t compare to what you see and learn on a trip like the one we went on,” said Lewis.

Eliot said: “It was really hot, but no-one minded because we were having such a good time together. We got a good suntan.

“It felt great when I thought about how the school looked before and how it looked after we’d finished. There was no doubt we’d made a big difference.”

The twins painted the outside of the school plain white, but, added Lewis: “We painted things like palm trees on the white walls indoors, and a house with children in it, a large world map, and a space rocket with planets around it.”

Mark Vinall, principal of Palmer’s College, said he was proud his students’ efforts to help improve learning conditions for Indian pupils. He said: “Community service, locally and internationally, is an essential part of a Palmer’s education and Lewis and Eliot are a terrific example of this commitment in action.”

After the twins had finished at the school, they were taken on safari riding camels across the Thar Desert.They also visited Indian landmarks including the Taj Mahal and moghul forts in Jodhpur and Jaipur.

Eliot said: “I didn’t really know what to expect from India, but it’s an amazing country. The Taj Mahal and all the sights were unbelievable. We also saw quite a few elephants on the side of the road as were driving along. Cows are sacred and you just see them everywhere walking the streets — no one stops them.”

After their incredible experiences in the desert, Lewis and Eliot admitted they were happy to return home and see brother Daniel, aged 21, and parents Joanne, 42, and Barry, 45.

The trip was organised by the twins’ 282 Squadron East Ham air cadets and cost £1,600 each.

Lewis and Eliot raised more than £500 to help pay for their travel and accommodation through being sponsored to travel to every station on the London Underground within two days.

The remaining cost was covered by the squadron.

Main image: Lewis and Eliot Coble outside the Taj Mahal

Helping hairdressers is highlight of MP’s visit

Apprentices hairdressers were dyeing’ to show-off the skills they have learned to Carshalton and Wallington MP Tom Brake.

The Liberal Democrat MP met learners training in hairdressing, hospitality and catering, motor vehicle repairs, and accounting, during a visit to Carshalton College.

He even helped level two hairdressing NVQ apprenticeship students Shanley King, aged 17, and Abigail Machin, 18, to apply dye to another woman’s hair.

The students made sure the MP wore gloves and explained to him how to apply colour.

They also demonstrated the benefits of massaging a client’s scalp as the dye is applied.

Abigail said: “It was actually the first colour correction we had ever worked on as a team, which was great fun.”

Mr Brake said: “It was great to meet the apprentices and experience first-hand how they gain their skills and knowledge.

“Apprenticeships are a great way for students to start their career.”

Main pic: Students Shanley King and Abigail Machin applying colour to a woman’s hair with MP Tom Brake

Rachel is poster girl for innovative new scheme

City College Plymouth learner Rachel Edwardes is the new poster girl for a scheme to bring the city’s disused landmarks back to life.

The 24-year-old business administration apprentice won a competition to design a poster advertising the initiative, called Plymouth Your Space.

The idea is to bring disused landmarks back to life through making them available for use to entrepreneurs looking to launch businesses such as pop-up shops, temporary cinemas, and even floating restaurants.

Rachel’s prize was £100-worth of shopping vouchers and her poster will be seen all over Plymouth.

She said: “I was delighted to win the competition and hope it helps inspire the same excitement for others.”

Fellow college learners Sophie Lee, aged 21, Billy Edwards, 19, and Rachael Thomsen, 21, also took part in the competition.

Main pic: Adam Hickman, economic partnership and strategy officer at Plymouth City Council, with Rachel Edwardes

Inspiring young talent is no hassle for the Hoff

Nott rider David Hasselhoff rolled back the years when he arrived for a talk with students in a stunning sports car.

The TV legend, widely known as “The Hoff”, made his name in the 1980s by driving a black Shelby GT500KR Mustang in cult-series Knight Rider.

David Hasselhoff with students Charli Sanford, Giorgia Hopkinson, both aged 16, Joseph Walchester, 18, and Dean Kennedy, 20

He arrived outside Nottingham Broadway Cinema in a blue E-Type Jaguar to launch New College Nottingham’s Jamcon creative careers conference.

The actor, who has been appearing in The Theatre Royal Nottingham’s pantomime Peter Pan, spoke more than 300 students about his life and career in the media.

He said: “I’ve been around the block, I’ve been at the bottom and I’ve been at the top. If you have natural talent, you just need to get on it, never give up.

“You’ve got to show up in life, you’ve got to show up for your parents, show up in business and show up for yourself.”

Main pic:David Hasselhoff with his impressive blue E-Type Jaguar being greeted by Michael Wisher, from Nottingham Motor Company

Colleges hit by 18-year-old funding rate cut far worse than school sixth forms, government assessment reveals

Colleges will be hit by a controversial funding rate cut for 18-year-olds far worse than school sixth forms, a much-anticipated government impact assessment has revealed.

The report on plans to reduce the full-time funding rate for 18-year-old learners to 17.5 per cent less than 16 and 17-year-olds was published by the Department for Education today — nearly a month after it was promised by Education Secretary Michael Gove.

It reveals that general FE colleges will be among the worst-hit of all institutions — with an average reduction in funding of 3 per cent. For land-based colleges it’s 2.5 per cent, for commercial and charitable providers it’s 1.5 per cent, and for sixth form colleges it’s 1.2 per cent.

But for school sixth forms it’s just 0.4 per cent. However, the report does not say how much the funding rate cut is expected to save.

Nevertheless, it does also reveal that four options for a cut were considered. Firstly, a reduction in funding across the board for 16 to 19-year-olds, secondly a reduction in funding for disadvantaged learners, and thirdly a reduction in funding for apprenticeships — but it was considered that the fourth option of cutting for 18-year-olds would be the “least detrimental” option.

It was further revealed that no decision to reduce the impact of the policy could be made until the end of next month at the earliest.

In an open letter to Education Select Committee chair Graham Stuart, Mr Gove said: “As we discussed, the department’s budget has been cut; this means that we are in the unfortunate position of having to make tough decisions about 16 to 19 funding.

“I looked at the options available, and came to the conclusion that reducing funding for full-time 18-year-olds was the least detrimental option, though certainly regrettable.

“I offered to share with the committee the impact assessment of the reduction in funding for 18-year-olds.”

He added: “I told the committee that I would consider options to mitigate the impact of the decision.

“I will do this, but I need to look at it in the context of the 2014/15 academic year demand on the 16 to 19 budget, and because this is based on lagged student numbers we will not have firm figures until the end of February.”

The report highlighted the fact the biggest impact would be in London, the South East and North West, which have the highest percentage of learners over the age of 18.

One of the main concerns raised about the proposal was that black and minority ethnic (BME) students would be disproportionately affected.

And although the report accepts that there is a higher proportion of BME learners among full-time 18-year-old learners than the total 16 to 18-year-old student population, it does not say how adversely they will be affected.

The plans have been condemned by sector groups such as the Association of Colleges (AoC), the 157 Group, the National Union of Students, the Sixth Form Colleges Association and the Association of School and College Leaders.

A letter originally sent out by the Education Funding Agency last year said the decision had been made as those who were 18 years old at the start of the academic year “will already have benefited from two years of post-16 education and will not therefore need as much non-qualification provision within their study programmes as 16 and 17-year-olds”.

Laying foundations for top class training

Work has started on a £9.5m scheme to transform Northumberland College.

A new state-of-the-art engineering workshop is set to be completed by this summer.

It will be home to the college’s training centre for advanced manufacturing, which will prepare young people for careers in research and development, automative, and aerospace industries.

Work has also started on a new teaching block and a tractor workshop, both of which should be ready for use later this year.

Stuart Cutforth, principal of the college, said: “We are very excited. The new facilities will greatly enhance the teaching and learning facilities for our students and local employers.

“The new engineering workshop will provide training to meet the demands of growing industries in our region.”

Main pic: Stuart Cutforth, principal of Northumberland College, and Andy McLeod, managing director of the construction firm doing the work, Robertson