This government is committed to an ambitious skills agenda

Further education changes lives. The sector plays a pivotal role not just in powering our economy but also helping people realise their ambitions.

I know that perhaps better than most. My dad was a lorry driver in Yorkshire, and I worked and took vocational qualifications before heading to university later in life. One of the reasons I am so thrilled to be skills minister is because I know first-hand how the right skills can help people follow their dreams.

Getting on and building a career isn’t all about academia. That’s why we are pursuing policies that reflect that reality, such as continuing our roll out of T Levels, with 16 courses including engineering, finance and digital now available at more than 175 providers across the country.

I had the pleasure of joining some of the first ever students to get T Level results at Nelson and Colne College in Lancashire this summer. It’s brilliant that so many of them have gone on to apprenticeships, full-time jobs or places at university.

But further education isn’t just about young people preparing to enter the workforce. The sector is just as vital for adults looking to retrain or upskill at any stage of their life.

I’m in love with ‘Skills Bootcamps’ and over the summer I had the opportunity to visit one for trainee HGV drivers in West Yorkshire. It was inspiring to meet people working hard to gain a new skill – one that is close to my heart and which helps keep the nation moving.

Through ‘Skills Bootcamps’ and ‘Free Courses for Jobs’, we are delivering the skills Britain needs, and we’ve invested more than £260 million in the past year to expand these excellent adult training schemes.

People are understandably concerned about rising costs

That’s on top of continuing to fund adults to get the essential skills in literacy, numeracy and digital they need for a workplace that is constantly changing, often in the blink of an eye. This includes up to £559 million through the new ‘Multiply’ programme, which will help adults to develop essential numeracy skills.

Our very first Institutes of Technology are now up and running, and next year we will see the next wave open their doors. Two new institutes will offer world-class training that builds on the UK’s global reputation for excellence in education.

We are pushing ahead with our plans to boost apprenticeships, not just in traditional sectors such as construction and manufacturing but also in fields as diverse as marine navigation, solar panel installation and video game design.

Degree apprenticeships offer a great alternative to studying a traditional three-year degree, and we want to see more of them, giving people the chance to get vocational experience alongside their degree.

I know people are understandably concerned about rising costs. So I’d like to take this opportunity to reassure you that we are committed to supporting our brilliant FE sector, so that it can continue to offer high-quality education and training.

We’ve increased funding for 16-19 education by £1.6 billion in 2024-25 compared to 2021-22, including an upfront per-student cash boost.

In addition, our new Energy Bill Relief Scheme is providing a discount on wholesale gas and electricity prices for organisations and businesses, alongside support for households facing rising bills.

I know that many of you will have questions regarding the Office for National Statistics review and the potential reclassification of the Further Education sector. We are continuing to work closely with the sector on this issue as it develops.

Our skills agenda is at the heart of our plans to level up the economy, and we’re focused on transforming the post-16 education and skills landscape, giving people and businesses the skills they need to flourish.

It’s what all our young people and adult learners deserve, and it’s what our country needs. I look forward to working with you all.

New funding rule for breaks in employment WILL apply to existing apprentices

A new rule that means training providers no longer need to immediately withdraw an apprentice where they have a break in employment for more than 30 days will be applied to existing learners, the government has confirmed.

The Department for Education made the clarification in version two of the apprenticeship funding rules published today.

Until now every apprentice that changed employer part-way through their programme was automatically counted as a non-achieving leaver if they did not commence new employment within 30 days. This would in turn bring down an individual provider’s retention and overall qualification achievement rate.

Version one of the apprenticeship funding rules for 2022/23, published in July, revealed that where there is a break in employment of more than 30 days and up to 12 weeks, the main provider does not have to withdraw the apprentice immediately.

Instead, the provider can record the apprentice as on a break in learning after 30 days, and only when the apprentice does not re-start with a new employer after 12 weeks must the provider withdraw the apprentice from the programme.

Version two of the rules has clarified that this rule will apply “irrespective of the apprentice’s start date and will include existing learners who started their apprenticeship programme in previous funding years”.

The Association of Employment and Learning Providers said the rule change was a big win for apprentices, providers and employers as it will reduce the number of non-completions.

“We’re pleased the Department for Education has extended the rules around breaks in employment to include apprentices from previous funding years,” said chief executive Jane Hickie.

“This should result in fewer apprentices being unnecessarily withdrawn from programme and in turn help increase overall achievement rates.”

Today’s funding rule update also reminded providers that following a change in legislation, prisoners are now eligible to undertake apprenticeships without the need for an apprenticeship agreement. The first prisoners to take up an apprenticeship started their programmes this week.

Consultation launches on ‘risk register’ for HE colleges and universities

Plans have been unveiled by the Office for Students to develop a “risk register” for higher education colleges and universities, in a bid to ensure equality of opportunities.

The OfS has launched a five-week consultation on the proposals for an Equality of Opportunity Risk Register (EORR), which it said would regulate equality of opportunities, which could include assessing numbers of disadvantaged students, attainment gaps and non-traditional routes into higher education such as apprenticeships.

The regulatory body for higher education said that it expects universities and colleges delivering HE courses to consider the register when they set their plans for access and participation.

It warned that credible evidence will need to be demonstrated, with establishments needing to significantly improve the volume and quality of their evaluation work, and work more closely with schools to ensure fair access to higher education.

The OfS said it would move away from a system of national equality targets and instead encourage providers to assess their own efforts and outline measures to mitigate risks to equality of opportunity, including measurable numerical targets.

Access and participation plans will be expected to cover a year, with approval rolling over each subsequent year up to a maximum of three.

It said the lengthened duration of plans will allow establishments to look at longer-term activity.

The OfS reported that it expects to set out next steps in spring next year, with the register and improved plans coming into effect from 2024/25 onwards.

Schools, students, universities and colleges are all invited to share their thoughts, ahead of the November 10 midday deadline.

OfS director for fair access and participation John Blake, who set out early details last week, said the register will “provide a framework for support sector-wide collaboration which highlights effective practice and identified where improvement is needed”.

He added that it will help “identify and tackle barriers” through a student’s journey to ensure that “choice not chance determines who access and succeeds”.

The register will likely be updated annually, the OfS report said, and include information on identified risks, the students who may be affected, and evidence and assessment of the impacts.

The consultation report said some students may have experienced inequality, citing black students who are less likely to achieve a 2:1 or first than white students, disabled students and those from low income or low participation areas.

The OfS said current access and participation plans are focused on a list of target groups, which included mature students; those from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds; those from lower household incomes; care leavers; and Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.

The new plans, the OfS said, would broaden the definition of who may be included and what risks there may be.

Skills minister Andrea Jenkyns said: “Real social mobility is about more than just getting students through the door – we want universities and colleges to reboot their access and participation plans in order to boost attainment, cut dropout rates and support students with high-quality courses.”

To take part in the consultation visit the website here.

Oxfordshire college settles staff dispute after agreeing to ‘significant’ pay rise

Abingdon and Witney College staff have called off a strike after voting to accept an improved pay deal worth up to 8 per cent.

The deal also includes an agreement that closure days over the Christmas period will not be taken from staff holiday entitlements, which gives staff five additional days of holiday to use throughout the year.

The pay award, reached after negotiations with the University and College Union, will see an 8 per cent increase for the lowest paid, 5 per cent for middle earners, including lecturers, and 3 per cent for the highest earners within management.

Strike action was suspended at Abingdon and Witney College, based in Oxfordshire, whilst staff members were consulted on the deal.

The deal was put forward by the college in July but only accepted by UCU members last Friday after negotiations concluded.

Staff across the country have called for a 10 per cent pay increase to help with the cost-of-living crisis.

More than 20 other colleges will continue strike action over low pay offers this week and next.

The Association of Colleges recommended a 2.5 per cent pay increase earlier this year in June, which the UCU rejected leading to strikes in colleges.

UCU regional official Nick Varney said: “This deal is the result of determined organising from our members at Abingdon and Witney. We are always willing to negotiate fairly with management and we recognise that the college leadership have negotiated with us in good faith.

“Other colleges need to learn from this approach as we are in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis and our members in further education are taking action like never before with around 4,000 college staff on strike across England.”

Abingdon and Witney College principal, Jacqui Canton, said: “The college is absolutely committed to supporting our staff wherever we can, and we fully appreciate how hard the cost of living challenges are for everyone, so we were pleased to be able to prioritise staff pay so significantly this year.

“Our more recent discussions with UCU have included commitments to continue our positive dialogues in relation to pay and workloads, and to ensuring that members are actively involved in providing feedback on future strategic direction, so we are hopeful that constructive conversations will continue moving forwards.”

Winners of inaugural London Adult Learning Awards revealed

The London Ambulance Service and Greggs are among the winners of the very first Mayor of London Adult Learning Awards, FE Week can reveal.

The awards, sponsored by FE Week and Ascentis, recognise inspirational Londoners that have overcome barriers and excelled at work and in life through adult education. Employers and providers were also recognised for their contribution to adult learning in the capital. 

Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, said the awards provided hope in difficult times:

“With the cost of living rocketing and exerting huge pressures on individuals and families across our city, it’s never been more important to make sure that Londoners are getting the helping hand not just to keep the heads above water, but to succeed and thrive” he said.

Winners of the nine award categories were joined by the their families, the Mayor, Morley College’s Big Band and stakeholders from London’s education and skills sector at the ceremony at City Hall on Wednesday evening. 

The awards were set up by the Mayor as party of his skills strategy ‘Skills Roadmap for London’. Published in January, the strategy sets out plans to promote the benefits of adult education to improve community outreach and celebrate the achievements of the sector. 

Officers from the GLA were supported by Learning and Work Institute to assess over 200 nominations and come up with shortlist. It was then down to representatives from London’s skills and employment sector to select the final award winners and highly commended recipients.

Among this evening’s winners was Ghazal Mottaghi who received the learning for good work award. Despite having a visual impairment, Mottaghi trained as a video content creator through her employer, Pink Tea Café, and now runs their social media and website. 

“Winning the award is an amazing accomplishment. I’m sure it’ll bring me more opportunities” Mottaghi said. 

Greggs were named employer of the year for adult learning for their partnership with Lewisham College to create the Greggs team leader sector-based work academy. More than fifty learners have progressed to team leader and shift supervisor roles through the programme. 

The apprentice employer of the year award was received by London Ambulance Service NHS Trust. Judges were impressed by the Trust’s paramedic apprenticeship programme which recently marked its 1000thapprentice start. 

And the anti-poverty charity St Giles Trust was named distinguished provider of adult education. The Trust works across London and provides specialist services and training to help people facing multiple disadvantages into education and employment.

The Mayor of London has had control over a devolved adult education budget (AEB) worth £320 million in 2022-23. Khan was applauded by providers in July when he announced a 3.5 per cent funding uplift for AEB courses at level 2 and below from this academic year. Londoners earning less than the London living wage already have access to free training. 

Winners of the Mayor of London Adult Learner Awards 2022

‘No, madam minister’: Street slams Jenkyns’ devo-sceptic remarks

The government has rowed back on comments made by the skills minister this week that questioned the value of skills devolution and sparked a furious reaction from a Conservative mayor.

Andy Street, the Conservative mayor of the West Midlands, accused the skills minister Andrea Jenkyns of speaking against government policy by suggesting more monitoring and analysis is needed before agreeing to devolve any more funding. 

On Monday night, Jenkyns told the Local Government Chronicle that she was “not a proponent of elected mayors” and said she wanted to see that adult education powers are “being well used first, before giving more [funding] away”. 

Street, who has led the West Midlands Combined Authority as mayor since 2017, delivered a scathing response at the Conservative Party conference on Tuesday.  

A clearly frustrated Street accused Jenkyns of going against government policy and suggested she should be spoken to by the party’s chief whip over the remarks. 

Street was complaining about the Conservative party’s mixed messaging on devolution.  

“We were in an upswing with the DfE when it was Nadhim Zahawi and we got everything we agreed. We were in a downswing when it was Gavin Williamson. That has got to stop from my party. They’re either committed as a government to [devolution] or they are not.

“So if I was the education secretary today, or indeed the chief whip, I would be taking Andrea Jenkyns behind the arras and telling her that she is speaking against government policy,” Street told a conference fringe meeting on Tuesday, organised by the think-tank Onward. 

Jenkyns repeated her devo-sceptic views again on Tuesday. 


Speaking at a conference fringe meeting titled ‘how do we bring apprenticeships to the areas that need them most’, Jenkyns argued that more work was needed to check on what and who mayors were targeting with their devolved skills budgets.

Jenkyns (left) alongside Doniya Soli-Clark from Multiverse, Francesca Fraser from Onward, Richard Holden MP and Michaela Neild from Google.

“How can we actually upskill our economy if we don’t look at [devolution]? Are our mayors actually doing justice to the skills agenda? I think we need to see some transparency really, where the money’s been spent. You know, we don’t want it spent for political reasons if it’s not ringfenced, we want it to go to the skills that are really needed in that area,” she said.  

The West Midlands was one of the first mayoral combined authority areas to receive devolved powers over the adult education budget. Ever since then, Street has been making the case for even more devolved powers over education and skills. 

The government’s flagship levelling up reforms include plans to give every area of the country control of its adult education budget. Existing combined authorities in the West Midlands and Greater Manchester are in live negotiations for “trailblazer” devolution deals with even greater powers.

And the first county deals, also involving elected mayors and adult education devolution, were recently agreed for York and North Yorkshire and the East Midlands.

Speaking to FE Week last month, the West Midlands Combined Authority said they were in negotiations for “greater influence over post-16 technical and vocational education and over careers, as well as joint working with DWP in shaping employment support”. 

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority is currently in negotiations for a similar deal.

Addressing Jenkyns’ remarks, Street said: “This is where the government have got to say: ‘No madam minister – you are wrong. The government policy is to do this’.”

A government spokesperson rowed back on Jenkyns’ comments in a statement to FE Week.

“We want to see more areas with high-profile, directly elected leaders who will be accountable to local people and act as a champion for their areas.

“Across the country directly elected mayors deliver for local communities, securing major investment, creating high wage jobs and boosting growth.

“Work continues at pace to deliver devolution deals.”

Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, was equally surprised by Jenkyns’ comments. 

Khan told FE Week: “I hope when Andrea Jenkyns speaks to officials, she will see the difference and the value we’ve added since we took on adult education in 2019.

“I’m hoping this was a mis-speak because otherwise it would be quite offensive to all those who voted for Andy Burnham, Andy Street and myself.”

First prisoners start work as apprentices after change in law

The first prisoners to take up apprenticeships started work yesterday following a change in the law.

Legislation was changed on Friday to pave the way for prisoner apprenticeships, which ministers hope will help cut crime and reoffending as it will provide inmates with a direct route into work upon release.

Up to 300 prisoners who are eligible for day release and nearing the end of their time in open prison are expected to be recruited onto apprenticeships by 2025.

Large employers including pub group Greene King, retailer Timpson and construction firm Kier will take on prisoners as apprentices working as chefs, waiters and on highway maintenance projects.

Over the next few months more employers including Sheffield City Council, Co-op and Premier Foods have pledged to come on board to offer apprenticeship opportunities to prisoners. 

Prisons minister Rob Butler said: “Getting prison leavers into work is absolutely crucial – it provides them a second chance to lead a more positive life and cuts crime.”

‘This vital change to the law will help us to rehabilitate offenders’

The plans were part of last year’s Prisons Strategy White Paper which pledged to reduce reoffending and improve the employability of ex-offenders after they leave prison by improving prison education.

Ministers have considered the idea of apprenticeships for prisoners for the past five years but said this was not possible under previous legislation.

A Department for Education spokesperson explained that serving prisoners were not able to undertake an apprenticeship as Ministry of Justice policy prohibited them from entering contracts of employment to avoid contractual disputes that could arise due to the nature of their situation. Under current apprenticeship legislation, most apprenticeships take place under an apprenticeship agreement which is classed as a contract of employment in law.

Ministers have now changed the law so that prisoners will be able to undertake apprenticeships without the need for a contract of employment.

Skills minister Andrea Jenkyns said: “This vital change to the law will not only help us to rehabilitate offenders, but it’s also plugging the skills gap for the future. Apprenticeships give employers dedicated new workers in sectors like construction and hospitality and it’s great to have such high-profile companies sign up to help prisoners turn their life around through work and training.”

One of the prisoner apprentices starting work at Kier said: “This opportunity means a lot to me, and I was over the moon when I found out I had been successful. It gives me the chance to prove to myself, my friends, family and the wider community that I am worthy and capable of being successful. I am appreciative to Kier and the team I have worked with during this process, it has been made clear to me that my convictions aren’t a barrier to my success or progression.

Prison education provider Novus and apprenticeship provider Total People, both part of LTE Group, have teamed up with the Timpson Group to offer one of the first apprenticeships to a serving prisoner.

Peter Cox, managing director of Novus, said: “This important initiative offers prisoners the opportunity to develop new skills and acquire valuable experience of the workplace, which will put them in a strong position to secure stable employment upon release, reducing the risk of reoffending.”

Jenkyns: Results problems ‘slightly tarnished’ T Level brand

A “serious incident” that left T Level health and science students with lower-than-expected results did “slightly tarnish” the T Level brand, the newly reappointed minister for skills has said.

Addressing the blunder, which led to an Ofqual and Department for Education investigation, Andrea Jenkyns said “it was very unfortunate, we were all disappointed”. 

“We’ve got an investigation into that at the moment and I’m going to be releasing that this year. 

“I think it’s a shame that that happened. It has sort of tarnished slightly some of the PR and the positivity of T Levels,” Jenkyns said.

The minister followed up her comments with a staunch defence of T Levels and gave no indication of a change of policy on level 3 qualifications under prime minister Liz Truss’ administration. 

Back in May, the DfE published a draft list of 160 qualifications, including 38 BTECs, that it proposes to withdraw funding from in 2024 as they “overlap” with T Levels. The decision to defund BTECs in order to promote T Levels has been challenged by sector bodies, most notably by the Protect Student Choice campaign, led by the Sixth Form Colleges Association. 

Awarding organisations had until July 8 to appeal the DfE’s proposals. A final list of qualifications set to lose their funding is expected to be released imminently. 

Jenkyns said that despite having done a BTEC national in business and finance, she would herself now choose a T Level. 

“If I was choosing now I would do T Levels. It’s actually the industry placement. I know that there have been some issues with the placement and trying to get employers on board. But I think this is the right direction to be honest.”

The minister suggests that the industry placement element of T Levels will provide young people from working class families with the business and social networks that middle class families take for granted. 

Jenkyns was speaking on a panel organised by the Centre for Social Justice called ‘bridging the gap: high quality education for all’ alongside representatives from tutoring companies, the Fair Education Alliance and Robert Halfon, the chair of the education committee. 

Jenkyns (left) speaking alongside Susannah Hardyman, founder of Action Tutoring, Alice Wilcock, head of education at Centre for Social Justice, and Robert Halfon MP

This was the first education fringe event the new minister spoke at at the conference, and one of the first public events she has spoken at. 

“I’m very much a meritocrat; working-class background, first in my family to go to university in my late 30s and I was a BTEC girl,” she said by way of introduction. 

As well as rolling out T Levels and “driving up standards in apprenticeships”, Jenkyns said she wants to see “major improvements in literacy and numeracy across all ages”.

On higher education, Jenkyns said she disagrees with some university vice-chancellors’ calls for raising tuition fees. 

“Lots of universities have said to me that they want us to put up the amount that you can charge students. What I’m concerned about is the student. They’re going to be the ones who at the moment are saddled with 30 grand in debt. And so I don’t personally want to see that increased, especially when young people are starting out in life. I think we actually need to look at new ways of working it.”

Grade 4 leadership and management apprenticeship firm considers Ofsted legal challenge

A new leadership and management training provider that quickly recruited over 600 apprentices is considering legal action against a grade four Ofsted report.

The Opportunity Group was given an ‘inadequate’ rating by the inspectorate in its first full inspection since the company started providing apprenticeships in September 2018.

In a report published on Saturday, Ofsted criticised the provider for putting adults on to unsuitable apprenticeships – an issue that has led to large numbers of apprentices dropping out and too many who are significantly beyond their planned end date.

The watchdog also found that in too many cases, apprentices do not receive sufficient time to complete their apprenticeship in their working hours and do not attend off-the-job training.

The Opportunity Group currently has 626 apprentices mostly on leadership and management programmes at level 3 and above – nearly triple the number it had during an early monitoring visit from Ofsted in early 2020.

Co-founder Kate Temple-Brown told FE Week she was disappointed Ofsted’s report and will potentially dispute the ‘inadequate’ judgement legally because it is likely that her company will now be banned from delivering apprenticeships in line with government funding rules.

She claimed the main reason for the grade four – large numbers of apprenticeship dropping out and beyond their planned end date – was as a result of delivering apprenticeships throughout the pandemic.

She said one of her firm’s largest employers was a school whose teachers “were in turmoil and unable to focus on completing their apprenticeship”.

“Chief inspector Amanda Spielman mentioned in her apprenticeship conference speech that Ofsted should make allowances for COVID in their inspections but our inspectors did not,” Temple-Brown added.

“We complained about this lack of consistency in treatment and other process issues as well as the behaviour of the inspectors both in respect of our learners and our staff. None of our complaints were upheld.”

Temple-Brown said her company also questioned the “occupational competency” of Ofsted’s inspection team to “understand the population we work with, predominantly existing employees in leadership roles and in professional services environments”.

“We are taking legal advice while we consider our options,” she added.

It comes weeks after another apprenticeship provider, Quest Vocational Training Ltd (QVT), had a government-enforced suspension on new starts lifted by the High Court while the firm battles Ofsted through a judicial review to overturn an ‘inadequate’ judgment.

QVT is also arguing that Ofsted placed a “disproportionate emphasis on matters which were beyond our control through the pandemic” – such as a lack of off-the-job training in the care sector.

The Opportunity Group’s early monitoring visit report resulted in ‘reasonable progress’ judgements across the board. At this point it had 249 apprentices.

After boosting this number to over 625 in the following two years, major concerns over the retention of apprentices were found by inspectors. Ofsted said that not enough was being done to ensure the suitability of the apprenticeship for each individual, instead the provider enrolled everyone who was put forward by their employers.

Inspectors said that leaders and managers do not ensure that apprentices have a clear understanding about the content of the apprenticeship that they are studying.

Apprentices also too often think that the additional qualification contained within the programme “is the most important aspect of their apprenticeship”.

Large numbers of apprentices dropping out before completing their programme is a huge problem for the sector which is currently being investigated by ministers. Government data shows that nearly half of all apprentices on the new-style standards dropped out in 2020/21 and more than half did so the year before.

Ofsted also reported said that too many apprentices at The Opportunity Group do not attend off-the-job training and, as a result, make very slow progress in developing their knowledge, skills and behaviours.

Meanwhile, facilitators too often “do not know how many apprentices should attend their sessions”.

Ofsted also claimed that leaders do not take effective action to ensure that staff meet the needs of apprentices with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

“Too many of these apprentices do not receive appropriate support to enable them to complete their course by the planned end date,” the report said.

Inspectors recognised that leaders have recently appointed a new manager to assess and support these apprentices, but it is “too early to identify any discernible impact”.