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5 November 2026

Latest news from FE Week

Pulling together during sponsored 24-hour rowathon

Students and staff at Stratford-upon-Avon College raised more than £1,000 for local charity SW Heart after completing a gruelling 24-hour rowing challenge.

The event was organised by BTec level three national extended diploma in uniformed public services students, who were joined by learners studying other courses and college staff in completing a combined total of 346 miles on rowing machines. It took place in the college’s Oasis Café, with students rowing through the night.

Steve Wadley, lecturer and event co-ordinator, said: “I am delighted with all the effort put in throughout a very tough 24-hour period. I
would like to thank everone who helped make the event a great success.”

SW Heart, which is based in Warwickshire, supports of heart patients and their families.

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Promising rugby players pass the England test

Two talented members of the East Durham College rugby scholarship programme passed through trials for the England college rugby squad.

Lee Little, a second row lock, and Liam Armstrong, who plays in the back row, travelled to Telford, Shropshire, to represent the North of England Colleges’ rugby team in a series of matches against college representative sides from the Midlands and the South East.

The games also acted as trials for the England college squad’s 37-man squad and the 18-year-olds were both selected.

They now hope to play in upcoming matches against the Welsh Charitables, an under-20 colleges and schools representative side, and the Irish Exiles, another under-20 colleges and schools’ representative side.

Lee said: “I can’t wait to meet with the national squad.

“I’m really nervous, but I am sure it will be a fantastic experience.”

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Getting rolling with Starlight Express

Former Starlight Express star Gavin Ashbarry told arts students how he got his musical career rolling during a visit to South Thames College.

The actor recalled how he travelled the world from 2001 to 2013 playing Dustin the steam engine in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, which was a particularly difficult role as he had to sing and dance while roller skating.

He also spoke about training requirements and life on tour for a musical theater performer.

Sarah Slade, performing arts tutor at the college, said: “Gavin gave a real insight into what it is like working within the industry today, the highs, the lows and how fun it can be.

“The whole visit left students feeling motivated and inspired. It is proof of how important it is to relate industry experience to our courses to help students understand how their studies connect to their future ambitions.”

Mr Ashbarry is now preparing to play the cowardly lion in a production of the Wizard of Oz in Dubai in April.

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Government announces nuclear college plans

The nuclear industry looks set to benefit from the country’s second new college in 21 years, Skills Minister Matthew Hancock has announced.

Speaking at the PoliticsHome Skills Summit in London today, he said the college could “provide the specialist, advanced skills” for the industry.

It comes just weeks after the government unveiled proposals to create a new college, the first since colleges were incorporated in 1993, to support the engineering skills needed for the new HS2 rail project.

“In the next 20 years, some £930bn will be spent across the world on new reactors — and £250bn on decommissioning old ones. In Britain alone, 40,000 jobs could be created,” said Mr Hancock.

“So the new college will build on the industry’s work — and provide the specialist, advanced skills to meet that demand — and then sell that expertise to the world.”

Humphrey Cadoux-Hudson, manager director of EDF Energy New Nuclear Build, said: “Today’s announcement of a proposed elite college for nuclear skills is an important step forward for the UK and its nuclear future.

“The college would offer quality technical vocational training and a route to higher education qualifications in a nuclear industry which is growing here in the UK and around the world.

“EDF Energy has a long and successful track record of working with further and higher education colleges to develop the skills it needs in its existing and planned nuclear power stations. This initiative will help generate jobs and skills, allowing the UK to benefit fully from the massive investment being made in new nuclear power.”

The minister also laid out plans to develop a software engineering college to respond to the needs of the information technology sector and was expected to speak about a new £18m Manufacturing Training Centre, in Coventry.

It would provide advanced, four-year apprenticeships in areas such as automation, additive layering, laser machining, offering international placements with the best engineering firms.

A spokesperson for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills was unable to give details of the estimated cost or site of the new nuclear college. No details of the site of the proposed HS2 college have been released yet either.

Read edition 91 of FE Week for more on the nuclear college proposal and for coverage of the Skills Summit, featuring the results of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills’s Employer Skills Survey.

Skills Minister says education cut needed because there’s ‘no money left’

Skills Minister Matthew Hancock told MPs it was “difficult being a minister when there’s no money left” as he defended plans to cut the full-time education funding rate for 18-year-olds.

He was speaking at a Westminster Hall debate this morning on government plans to reduce the funding rate for 18-year-old learners to 17.5 per cent less than that of 16 and 17-year-olds.

However, Mr Hancock came in for tough questioning on the plans, which many claim will hit the most vulnerable learners hardest.

He defended the cut after Shadow Junior Education Minister Rushanara Ali described the way the decision had been made as “reckless and irresponsible”.

“We are faced with a cut across the government to make savings to reach the goals we have to reduce budget deficit,” said Mr Hancock.

“It is difficult being a minister when there’s no money left, but we all know whose fault that is.”

A government impact assessment on the cut shows that 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 cash the funding rate cut, due next academic year, is expected to save. The Association of Colleges is among those to have objected to the cut and has estimated that it could save the government £150m.

Nevertheless, Mr Hancock told MPs that the reduction would only take funding for 18-year-olds back to 2012/13 levels, but he admitted the decision to target older learners “wasn’t easy”.

The new rate for 16 and 17-year-olds is expected to be announced in March, but at the current rate of £4,000, 18-year-olds would be funded at £3,300.

See edition 91 of FE Week, or read FE Week reporter Freddie Whittaker’s Twitter feed (@FCDWhittaker), for more coverage of this morning’s debate.

New Ofsted FE case studies highlight quality teaching and learning

Ofsted and the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) have teamed up to share examples of good practice in vocational teaching and learning with a new set of case studies.

Ten best practice examples, in which workplace-relevant skills were key, were released today having been handpicked by a panel of experts, including members from the Commission on Adult Vocational Teaching and Learning (CAVTL), Ofsted, the UK Commission for Employment and Skills and the Institute of Education, in London.

Among the case studies (fully listed below) are ‘Theatrical, special effects, hair and media make-up training: Leeds City College’ and ‘Using technology creatively to develop students’ understanding: Hull College’. They are freely available on the Ofsted website.

They were compiled in response to a CAVTL report, called It’s about work, which focused on excellent vocational teaching and learning and identified underpinning design and delivery processes.

Ofsted director of FE and skills Matthew Coffey said: “We were keen to trial an innovative approach to identifying good practice case studies and we have been pleased to work with CAVTL and the ETF on the development of these case studies.

“I would encourage vocational teachers, trainers and leaders in all types of providers to take a look at the case studies and the practical resources they include, and to consider how they might adapt them to their own contexts.”

Frank McLoughlin, CAVTL chair and City and Islington College principal, said: “We greatly appreciated Ofsted’s interest in further exploring some of the key dimensions of excellent vocational teaching and learning.

“I hope these case studies will shine a light on some of the genuinely world-class provision within our vocational education and training system, and encourage us all to learn with and from each other as we continue to raise the status and improve the quality and impact of vocational teaching and learning.”

David Russell, ETF chief executive, said: “Our role is to enhance the professionalism of the education and training workforce. Enabling colleagues to learn from each other’s practice is at the heart of our approach.

“We are delighted to be working with Ofsted, sector partners and the organisations showcased in this publication. Sharing widely great examples of excellent and innovative practice is a simple but effective way we will help the sector to improve outcomes for learners and employers.”

Case studies available from Ofsted and the ETF

1. Learning from the best: Excellence in Hospitality and Catering at Exeter College

2. Theatrical, special effects, hair and media make-up training: Leeds City College

3. Developing an entrepreneurial culture: Barking and Dagenham College

4. Realism in motor vehicle and motorsport training: Barking and Dagenham College

5. Engaging employers in designing a vocational curriculum: Bridgwater College

6. Outstanding collaboration with employers: Foxes Academy

7. Using technology creatively to develop students’ understanding: Hull College

8. Training course designed to support workplace managers – University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust

9. Creating flexible study programmes beyond Level 3, for childcare practitioners: People and Business Development ltd

10. Hands-on practical training in upholstery and soft furnishings: Wendy Shorter Interiors.

Prime Minister says ‘still got to get basics absolutely right’ on English and maths

Prime Minister David Cameron said skills was a the major focus of his economic plan during a speech to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) policy conference today.

He told delegates the economy was recovering, and that the government’s long term economic plan included policies on reducing the deficit, cutting income tax and freezing fuel duty and capping welfare and immigration.

“We are working to a clear long term economic plan, which I believe is right for this country,” he said.

“The fourth part is about the future. We need to make sure in our country we’ve got the best possible arrangement of schools and skills so that young people are trained and able to take the jobs that a modern economy will deliver.

“I’m really concerned that as our economy recovers, I want it to be a recovery for everyone, I want everyone to be able to contribute. I want to give young people a real chance.”

The Prime Minister also highlighted the importance of maths and English to vocational training and ensuring young people find employment.

“I always say to my children, and to other people’s children that vocational education is a wonderful thing, but the most important vocational skill is English and maths and we’ve still got to get those basics absolutely right,” he said.

Skills Minister Matthew Hancock later pointed to traineeships as a potential solution to the lack of employability, maths and English skills shown by young people entering the workplace, and urged the audience of around 300 FSB members to take on trainees.

Mike Cherry, FSB national policy chairman, said: “As the Prime Minister agreed, English and maths remains an issue for small firms and getting this right is a priority for our members.

“Small businesses still don’t feel young people can transfer what is learnt in the classroom to the workplace and they need the confidence to employ young people.”

He added: “We are delighted the Prime Minister could address our conference today and highlight the recognition placed on the long-term economic security small firms provide.

“It is an historic moment for the FSB and the UK’s millions of small businesses.”

Pic: Rebecca Cooney