From competition to coordination: Blueprint for a smarter skills system

As policy statements go, the blunt language within December’s English Devolution white paper is hard to beat. Westminster “hoards power”; central government “stifles initiative” while presiding over deep regional inequalities; government will “rewire England” in response, by devolving power and money. All that is just from Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner’s foreword. Many similar adjectives follow.

Comparable candour was shown by skills minister Jacqui Smith, whose Association of Colleges (AoC) conference address declared that she had “heard, loud and clear that the current hands-off approach to the skills provider market has failed”, resulting in providers “spending more time competing over shrinking pots of money, and dealing with reporting burdens”.

Government regards devolution as critical to accelerating growth and achieving its five missions. Jacqui Smith seems keen to shift post-16 provision from a competitive system to coordinated in responding to skills priorities.

It was against this backdrop that AoC invited us to undertake a project that sought to identify:

  • The main lessons from devolution in England to date.
  • What we can learn from the way other nations manage tertiary budgets and accountabilities.
  • How existing governance, funding, accountabilities and incentives for FE colleges help or hinder the contribution they make.
  • How a national and local skills system might be best designed to meet the needs of learners, employers and communities.

Through a desk-based review and consultation with a wide range of stakeholders, we developed 19 recommendations for an optimal devolved post-16 system. It is intended to motivate colleges, officials, ministers and mayoral strategic authorities (MSAs).

Piecemeal progress

Devolution to date has been largely piecemeal, incremental and bolted onto existing policy. College relationships with MSAs are mainly positive and highly valued but largely transactional in nature, not strategic. MSAs have largely replicated the Department for Education’s ‘low trust, high compliance’ model of provider management. With some exceptions there have been limited major skills developments by MSAs outside of devolved adults skills budgets. Overlapping local skills strategies and plans often present a confused picture about local priorities and the actions needed in response.

We recommend that devolution of 16-19, apprenticeships and sub-degree higher technical education is accomplished via a comprehensive local planning approach to the offer. The adult skills fund should be devolved together with capital funding, excluding that which relates to condition. But serious work is also needed to reduce bureaucracy for providers. Three-year skills plans should inform three-year funding settlements for providers. There is an argument to pilot devolution of apprenticeship funding to grow volumes, align the provider infrastructure and improve progression from 16-19 programmes.

Accountability statements (or planning agreements) should be extended to all providers and be approved by the MSA. Employer-led priorities via employer representative bodies (ERBs) is the right path but the single statutory local skills plan must be owned equally and approved by the MSA, reflecting its local growth plan. Learning from LSIPs can be developed to strengthen the capacity of ERBs and MSAs to provide skills system leadership. Similarly, there is much good practice in college accountability statements to extend to other providers.

Unlocking growth

MSAs and ERBs should stimulate employer demand for skills using mayoral influence, the power of other local budgets and employer leadership. Debilitating falls in employer investment in skills must be reversed if we are to see substantial productivity growth.   

This all relies on a well-developed national skills strategy shaped by the already-published national industrial strategy which leaves room for local priorities. DfE and Skills England will need excellent cross-government working to reflect the requirements of the Department for Work and Pensions, the Migration Advisory Committee, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and others.

We should all recognise that we are building a skills system which must be coherent, functional and above all complete at national and local levels.  Gaps, duplication or confusion in the system will mean certain underperformance. We hope that our recommendations provide a model that AoC can develop with its national and local partners.

From classroom to career: Early guidance unlocks lifelong potential

High-quality careers education can change lives. When young people receive the right guidance, their aspirations grow, opportunities open, and their confidence to navigate an evolving job market increase. But for it to be truly effective, careers education must start early, be embedded in the curriculum, and focus on skills for lifelong success.

Despite progress, careers education is still introduced too late in secondary schools, limiting its impact. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 predicts that 44 per cent of workers’ core skills will change by 2027, underscoring the urgency of preparing young people for these shifts.

Early exposure, lasting impact

Introducing careers education early helps young people explore opportunities before key decisions are made, making it a continuous journey rather than a one-off intervention. It broadens aspirations, challenges stereotypes, and builds confidence.

Employer engagement plays a vital role. When schools provide opportunities for students to interact with professionals, young people gain a better understanding of the pathways available. According to Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC) research, 86 per cent of employers believe their work with schools and colleges encourages young people to enter their sector. These experiences, introduced early, help create motivated learners.

Disengagement from education has long-term consequences. Previous CEC analysis shows that preventing one 16-18-year-old from becoming NEET can save £42,000 per person, with a potential £150 million Treasury saving annually. So the government’s Youth Guarantee, which aims to introduce careers guidance and work experience earlier, is a welcome step in the right direction.

Making careers education part of everyday learning

Careers education should not be a standalone programme but an integral part of learning. When students see the relevance of their subjects in the world of work, they are more engaged and motivated. Real-world application helps them understand how their skills apply to careers and prepares them for the workplace.

I was fortunate to attend a technical school where careers education was part of everyday learning. This helped me engage more with my studies and see how my skills could be applied in the real world. But many young people don’t receive this level of careers integration. If all students had this from an early stage, they could make more informed choices, particularly at key points like choosing GCSE subjects.

Preparing for tomorrow: Why skills must come first

The world of work is changing rapidly. Careers education must now focus on adaptability, communication, and problem-solving, rather than rigid pathways. Encouragingly, some of the biggest surges in job interest among Year 11 girls have been in historically male-dominated fields. Compared to Year 7 girls surveyed, interest in science and research has increased by 83 per cent, law by 78 per cent, and engineering by 67 per cent. This shows how careers education is helping to shift stereotypes.

But often, a barrier for young people isn’t just awareness of what’s out there; it’s the fundamental skills to succeed that are missing. CEC’s study of 233,000 young people found that 16-year-olds often lack confidence in speaking, listening, leadership, and teamwork skills.

Employer engagement must go beyond isolated interactions. A reimagined approach, with multiple career touchpoints across a young person’s journey, helps build essential skills and a better understanding of work. Sustained commitment is vital to making careers education inclusive and effective.

Careers education is a shared responsibility

A collaborative approach is needed between schools, employers, and families. Parents shape aspirations but often lack the tools to support career conversations. The curriculum and assessment review’s interim report highlights that young people and parents place a high priority on employment and interview skills, emphasising the need for better support.

Schools and colleges must be supported to embed guidance, and employers must sustain meaningful engagement. By working together, we can ensure all young people, regardless of background, receive the guidance they need.

Good progress, but more to do

Progress is visible. Employer engagement is stronger, work experience is evolving, and schools are doing more to integrate guidance. But more still needs to be done.

By starting early, embedding careers into learning, and focusing on skills-first education, we can prepare young people not just for a first job, but for a future of opportunity.

Adolescence is a wake-up call: Are we equipping young people for online realities?

Many of us have been gripped by the Netflix series Adolescence and its portrayal of a 13-year-old, Jamie Miller, arrested for the murder of his classmate. The show delved into complex themes such as toxic masculinity, the influence of social media and the vulnerabilities of youth in today’s digital age. Notably, it highlights how Jamie’s exposure to easily available and peer acceptable online extremist content and his immersion in the “manosphere” contributed to his subsequent violent actions and perverse sense of entitlement and normality. ​

The programme reminded us of the critical need for comprehensive conversations and education in schools and colleges that address these issues head-on. However, it’s not just social media literacy and radicalisation awareness that is needed but financial literacy, communication skills, and resilience that can equip students with the tools they need to navigate the complexities of the modern world.​

Surprisingly, although I am the chief executive of an awarding organisation I believe it is not more qualifications that are needed here but awareness raising, discussion points and skills. If we fail to grasp this opportunity we fail our young people. We need a holistic approach alongside parents and carers, many of whom are struggling with the same issues.

In an era where the internet is a primary source of information and interaction, teaching students to critically evaluate online content is paramount. Extremist groups often exploit social media platforms to spread propaganda and recruit vulnerable individuals with algorithms forever driving specific content. Educating students on how to recognise and question such content can build resilience against online radicalisation, as well as greater understanding that not everything you read is real, especially with AI now creating realistic videos and pictures. Whilst DfE emphasises the importance of teaching online safety, it’s important to also encourage young people to test their thoughts in a safe environment. Understanding how algorithms work is incredibly useful. Who hasn’t found that a stray remark in their social media posts leads to a bombardment of suggested items to buy, or that dwelling on a Facebook cooking post leads to days of similar recipes. Honestly, there is only so much baking you can do with puff pastry!

Financial literacy is another crucial component of a well-rounded education. Understanding financial concepts such as budgeting, saving, and investing empowers students to make informed decisions, reducing the likelihood of falling into debt or being exploited financially. Young people need to understand the implications of a student loan, how to calculate interest payments, how to borrow responsibly and safely; and why pensions are important at any age! As the adverts tell us, early education in financial matters lays the foundation for responsible economic behaviour in adulthood.​ Assisting young people make better financial decisions reduces the mental health issues that come with debt in later life.

Effective communication is fundamental to personal and professional success and yet too often as employers we see young people unused to answering the phone and unable to construct letters and professional emails. Equally if we want their opinions we need to engage with them.  Teaching students how to express themselves clearly, listen actively, and engage in constructive dialogue fosters better discussions and relationships, both within and outside of education and work. Inability to express oneself causes frustration and leads to anger and a lack of control. Collaborative skills are essential in resolving conflicts, understanding diverse perspectives, and participating meaningfully in society and yet unless the young person engages with team sports this is not developed proactively.​

Finally, my personal passion is enabling young people to develop resilience in their personal and educational lives. Developing resilience enables students to cope with challenges and setbacks, an inevitable part of life. Helping young people to recognise their own stressors and the techniques that work best for them can help counteract factors that may lead them to poor mental health. It’s easy to teach the techniques but much harder to give young people the space they need at the time they need it within a school or college setting.

As the curriculum and assessment review continues, where is the space to better prepare students to manage the complexities of the digital age, make informed decisions, and ensure they lead healthy and fulfilled lives? The lessons from Adolescence serve as a compelling call to action for educators, policymakers, and communities to review not just the curriculum but how we all work together to communicate with each other.​

Shrewsbury College celebrates ‘outstanding’ Ofsted result

England’s largest sixth-form college has been rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.

Shrewsbury Colleges Group scored a near-clean sweep of top grades from its early March inspection, in a report published today. This comes three years after achieving a ‘good’ outcome following a bruising battle with the inspectorate over a contested ‘inadequate’ judgment in 2020. 

The Shropshire college had nearly 7,000 students at the time of the inspection including 1,711 adults and 686 apprentices. The majority though were aged 16 to 18, with most of those on level 3 programmes, including 234 T Level students. 

Students and apprentices were described in Ofsted’s report as “highly motivated”, “impeccably” behaved and that they “develop into responsible and active citizens”. 

High needs, adult learning and provision for young people were all found to be ‘outstanding’, as were behaviour and attitudes, quality of education, personal development and leadership and management. 

Apprenticeships at the college were graded ‘good’.

Students at the college get “extremely high-quality teaching” thanks to the college’s investment in teacher training and “manageable” workloads.

Curriculums at the college were deemed “highly ambitious” and “go beyond the requirements of the qualifications”.

Teachers are “highly skilled industry experts and experienced qualified academic staff”. For example, T Level health students are taught by practising midwives and adult nurse practitioners. 

Inspectors praised the ways teachers and leaders use “well-planned” assessments to keep students on track. Those who fall behind are “directed” to bi-weekly support sessions and high needs support is “highly effective” at meeting individual students’ needs.

James Staniforth, principal and CEO of Shrewsbury Colleges Group, lauded his team for this result.

“We are absolutely delighted by this result, which is testament to the quality, dedication and experience of our staff, the hard work and positive attitude of our students and the support of many partners,” he said.

Provision for employers was found to make a ‘strong’ contribution to meeting skills needs.

Partnerships with local NHS trusts, universities, the Shropshire Chamber of Commerce and “very close” relationships with trade unions were highlighted as successful in meeting skills needs and securing progression opportunities for students. 

On apprenticeships, the report said that “too many” learners left their programmes early. Improvements to enrolment and advice processes have been introduced and “more apprentices now remain on their apprenticeship”.

However, the report said it was too early to see the impact of these changes on the college’s achievement rates, which were 60.3 per cent according to the latest data. The national average for 2023-24 was 60.5 per cent.

Chair of governors Joycelin Hoyland said: “This ‘outstanding’ grade and glowing report are evidence of the strength of leadership at Shrewsbury Colleges Group, and to the expertise and commitment of our academic, vocational and professional services staff. 

“Our ambition is now to ensure that we can grow at sufficient pace so that all students who want to study with us are able to do so.”

Lady Spielman and Lord Gove: Tories confirm peerages

Former Ofsted chief Amanda Spielman will be made a Conservative member of the House of Lords, it has been confirmed.

The former education secretary Michael Gove, now editor of The Spectator, has also been awarded a peerage and James Cleverly, who was education secretary for just under two months in 2022, has been knighted.

Spielman led Ofsted from 2017 to 2023. The end of her reign was mired in controversy after a coroner ruled an Ofsted inspection had contributed to the death of headteacher Ruth Perry. 

The life peerage was trailed in the press last month and was branded “inappropriate and insensitive” by school leader groups. 

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch’s citation for the peerage highlights Spielman’s 20 years of service in education, children’s services and regulation.

“She served two terms as His Majesty’s Chief Inspector at Ofsted, promoting substance and integrity in education for all children and young people, and also high-quality social care. She previously chaired the exam regulator Ofqual, overseeing the programme of qualification reform,” Badenoch said.

Her years working as a research and policy director at Ark academy trust was also cited.

Former prime minister Rishi Sunak’s resignation honours list, also published today, featured two former education secretaries. 

James Cleverly becomes third education secretary in two days

Michael Gove was the longest-serving education secretary in the previous government, taking office when the coalition government was formed in 2010. Before leaving parliament in last year’s general election, Gove had also led the justice and environment departments and finally served as chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. He has been awarded a life peerage. 

Sunak said: “As education secretary, he introduced changes to the English school system which have resulted in sustained improvement in performance in world rankings in literacy, mathematics and science.”

James Cleverly’s knighthood citation references his time as home secretary and foreign secretary but omits the 1 month and 30 days he served as education secretary during the downfall of Boris Johnson’s premiership in 2022. 

Sunak has also put forward Henry de Zoete, a special adviser to Michael Gove while at DfE, to be made an OBE for public service. 

The investor held a number of other roles in the last government, including non-executive director of the Cabinet Office and was Sunak’s adviser on artificial intelligence.

Unions demand 10% pay rise amid looming strike threat

Further education unions will demand 10 per cent pay rise alongside national commitments to reduce teaching hours and class sizes to tackle “impossible” workloads in upcoming negotiations.

The National Joint Forum (NJF) of five teaching and support staff trade unions issued its annual claim for pay and conditions this week, arguing that current strategies to close pay gaps with schools “are not working” and that the sector is “at a crossroads”.

Negotiations are held between the joint forum and the Association of Colleges (AoC), which then issues a non-binding recommendation on behalf of England’s FE colleges.

In their letter to Gerry McDonald, New City College chief executive and AoC employment policy group chair, the unions repeated calls for a “functioning bargaining mechanism” and “concrete action” on workload.

These are “essential” to making colleges “vibrant and attractive” places to work, they added.

The joint forum urged the AoC to join trade unions in calling for a “better” bargaining system that would align with the school teacher’s review body (STRB).

In recent years, the AoC has held off on pay recommendations until STRB recommendations are published, in the hope that the government will cough up extra money for colleges to make a “meaningful offer” to staff.

This paid off in 2023, with an extra £470 million extra announced over two academic years and an AoC pay recommendation of 6.5 per cent, in line with schoolteacher pay rises.

But last year the new Labour government snubbed FE with no extra funding, while offering school teachers a 5.5 per cent rise.

The AoC then said it was “forced” to recommend only 2.5 per cent, or at least £750, although it argued this was above inflation.

Julian Gravatt, the AoC’s deputy chief executive, said: “We thank the unions for their pay claim and look forward to meeting with them in June to discuss it.

“Association of Colleges and its members share the same aim as the unions to improve college pay.

“That is why we work so hard to persuade the government to invest more in skills, to increase funding and to ensure that colleges can offer competitive salaries.  

“Our concern is that the already unacceptable pay gaps between college lecturers and schoolteachers and with industry will widen further unless funded.

“We will do everything we can to secure that extra investment.”

The DfE later agreed to extra funding for pay increases for teachers worth £50 million amidst a judicial review threat from the Sixth Form College Association and National Education Union strikes.

The unions say a 10 per cent or £3,000 pay increase this year, whichever is greater, would be a first step to reversing fifteen years of real terms pay reductions, which have created a “yawning pay gap” with schools and resulted in a “recruitment and retention crisis”.

Other demands include minimum starting pay for FE lecturers to equal schoolteachers’, talks on standardised increments and pay scales, maximum weekly and annual teaching hours, and an agreed national policy on guided learning hours.

October’s budget committed £300 million to further education colleges’ revenue budgets; £50 million was designated for college pay this academic year, with the remaining £250 million going towards a 3.78 per cent increase to the 16-19 funding rate.

However college leaders say they have seen unprecedented growth in younger learners this year, with more expected to enrol this September.

Meanwhile, devolved and national adult education budgets have been cut for 2025-26 with hopes of good news in June’s spending review waning as the country’s economic growth outlook looks increasingly bleak. 

Members of UCU are discussing the feasibility of a ballot for national strike action in the coming months. 

The union – which is campaigning for a “new deal for FE” – recently reported that its further education committee decided it would tentatively consult members “to gauge the levels of support for an industrial action ballot”.

Several UCU branches have submitted motions to the annual congress this May calling for a national strike ballot.

Weston College governance failure allowed ‘concealment’ of £2.5m payments to former principal

Governance failures at Weston College allowed the “concealment” of £2.5 million in undeclared payments to England’s highest-paid former principal Sir Paul Phillips, a damning FE Commissioner investigation has found.

Newly published financial accounts by the college, also published this morning, revealed Phillips was paid an eye-watering total pay package of £1.898 million in 2023, including a “significant” retention payment of £909,000, which his son as chief operating officer “resisted” paying.

A long-awaited intervention report into “funding irregularities” at Weston College published by the FE Commissioner today highlighted failures by the then board of governors to have proper accountability over public funds.

Regular payroll procedures were “bypassed” to make direct payments to the ex-principal, who also provided “partial information” to external auditors and believed full details of his remuneration package could be withheld from disclosure.

It comes after DfE fraud investigators began probing the former college principal’s salary last June, following an FE Week investigation in 2023 questioning a specially created “presidential” role for Phillips upon his upcoming retirement.

Between 2017 and 2023, Phillips was paid £2.5 million more than was officially declared through a combination of bonuses, allowances and benefits, including the £909,000 retention payment. The report said the “majority” of these undeclared payments were not approved by the board of governors.

Weston College remains in intervention amid a separate ongoing DfE investigation into “other aspects” of financial controls at the college.

Principal and CEO of Weston College Pat Jones said: “Staff and the wider college community will understandably be concerned and dismayed about the remuneration package revealed by this investigation, and we recognise those frustrations.”

“We want to reiterate that the focus of the investigations and subsequent financial notice to improve are about past issues dating back to a period concluding in the summer 2023. The financial notice to improve does not relate to our sustainability, to the high quality of education we deliver, or to our general finances, which are in good health.”

The college told FE Week it has not been asked to repay any funding off the back of the FE Commissioner’s findings.

Payments bypassed normal procedures

The FE Commissioner said it was clear from the evidence they uncovered that Phillips “believed that the full value of his annual remuneration could be withheld from publication”.

Investigators found evidence that the college had a “deliberate” policy of maintaining a monthly pensionable salary that was declared in the official accounts. 

Phillips then received additional direct payments, which bypassed normal payroll procedures to achieve an undeclared total actual remuneration package. 

“This led to a failure of proper governance processes and to poor decision-making around the best use of public funds,” the report said.

The process was a blatant breach of ESFA (now DfE) funding and regulating rules to fully disclose every component of personal payments to the principal and CEO of a college.

The report also revealed there was a small group of trusted governors who made decisions on the previous principal’s pay in the remuneration committee, which were never reported to the full board for approval.

“Some members of the committee expressed surprise at the actual sums of money paid to the previous principal, despite being party to decisions on remuneration of the senior post-holder,” the report noted.

Weston College was awarded the AoC beacon award for excellence in governance in 2022/23. 

FE Commissioner Shelagh Legrave placed Weston College in intervention in May 2024, installing advisor Tim Jackson to chair the board. Weston’s long-standing chair, Andrew Leighton-Price, stood aside at that point and resigned from the board.

Jackson said: “[The current governors] believe the remuneration sums at this level are unacceptable and agree with the FE Commissioner intervention report concerning this being a matter of a failure of proper governance processes and poor decision making around the best use of public funds, which we note were made by a past membership of the board of governors.”

He added: “I would like to thank those members of staff, who were brave to raise concerns with regulators in relation to this matter as and when these were discovered and who prioritised the integrity and interests of the college, their colleagues and students.”

Millions raked in by former principal

The college’s delayed 2023 financial accounts were published alongside its statement about the intervention report, outlining Phillips’ restated 2022 and 2023 earnings.

Phillips held the title of England’s highest-paid principal whilst he was in post, from an originally stated remuneration package of £362,000 in 2022. 

The accounts now show his basic salary was not £258,000 but £348,000. Alongside this, he was paid a previously undisclosed performance bonus of £395,000 and £13,000 in other salary-related payments.

In 2023, Phillips’ basic salary was £349,000. His other salary-related payments shot up to £128,000, and he was paid a £370,000 performance bonus and a £909,000 retention payment.

Including other benefits and pension contributions, Phillips took home £1.898 million in total in 2023. 

Additionally, the FEC report outlined three years of unused holiday allocation payments made to Phillips, despite “his contract of employment specifically did not allow for such payments”, as well as £15,000 in annual car allowance which was not fully used each year.

Phillips’ £369,000 bonus in 2023 included £105,000 for “historic annual unused elements” of this car allowance.

Finance team refused to pay six-figure retention package

Phillips’ retention payment of £909,000 appeared to cause some contention amongst staff, investigators also revealed.

The report said the board of governors signed a retention agreement in 2011, which allows for an “annual accrual” of retention value for Phillips to keep him in post. Phillips served as principal of Weston College for 22 years.

The payment was calculated by multiplying total annual salary package by 10 per cent and by number of years’ service and various other unspecified conditions.

In November 2022, Phillips was paid the £909,000 as a severance payment, including a £190,000 pension adjustment and £30,000 as a tax-free element.

“The reasons that the combined payment for retention payment and pension adjustment was made as a severance payment are unclear. The payment was made whilst the principal was still the accounting officer for the college,” the report said.

The report added that Phillips’ son Joe, the chief operating officer (COO), resisted paying the retention payment to his father in his capacity as chief operating officer, according to evidence investigators found in the remuneration committee minutes. 

The finance team also refused to make the payment, and Joe Phillips supported his team in their refusal.

Instead, the payment was initially made directly by the governors “under the authority of the remuneration committee”.  

On at least one occasion, the previous clerk to the board processed additional payments outside Phillips’ monthly salary “under the authority of the remuneration committee” because the finance team refused to do it. 

Joe Phillips was appointed COO of the college from May 2023 until January 2024. His promotion at the time to lead the college’s finances sparked concerns of poor governance and conflicts of interest.

The FEC report stated: “There is no specific disclosure of this close family relationship in the financial statements, nor is it set out in the annual regularity self-assessment questionnaire.”

A spokesperson from the Department for Education said: “Weston College is currently subject to an ongoing investigation by the Department for Education. As this is an active matter, we are unable to provide further comment at this time.”

Improvement orders

Today’s report, dated June 2024 but only published today, lists 13 recommendations for the college to bring its governance and financial process in check.

Decisions on senior staff remuneration must now be set out in a formal scheme of delegation and terms of reference must be updated so senior pay can only be approved by the full board.

Non-confidential board minutes have to be published in a “timely fashion”, and the college must ensure all salary payments follow standard payroll processing with “no exceptions”.

Interim chair of governors Tim Jackson, who was appointed by the FEC, said the board approved “significant” changes in July 2024 to strengthen governance.

These include the appointed of a governance professional who does not report to the CEO/Principal, a review of the terms of office for all governors, and more “robust” reporting procedures. 

The FEC also recommended the college undergo a skills audit of the current board of governors, review the governor induction process and always have a qualified accountant on the audit committee.

‘Loyal servant’

Phillips did not respond to requests for comment from FE Week.

However, in a statement to BBC News he said the undeclared payments were “contractually due” to him and blamed governors for failing to manage funding correctly.

Phillips disagreed with the five year period alleged in the report, arguing that some of the payments related to a “recompense for pension errors and a retention package” for his 22 years at the college, due only after he retired.

“During my extensive tenure at the college, approaches from other organisations occurred and therefore the college introduced a retention scheme to retain me”, he added.

He claimed governors had refused to pay him the £909,000 retention payment on an annual basis.

He said the pension error correction was “insisted upon” by college auditors, and he was under the impression legal advice had been obtained.

He added: “All of this information was provided to the FE commissioner and it is regrettable their report was not corrected prior to publication.

“As the FE commissioner’s report clearly states, this is a ‘governance issue’ of which I played no part in other than being a loyal servant to the college for over 20 years.”

DfE seeks job share director to oversee T Levels and level 3 reforms

The Department for Education (DfE) is advertising a job share role for the civil service role responsible for T Levels and level 3 qualification reform.

This weekend, the DfE posted an advert for a part-time director of technical qualifications and essential skills to share with current permanent director Kiera Harper.

The role includes being the senior responsible officer for T Levels, a DfE major project with a “substantial” £1.6 billion overall budget – currently rated ‘amber’ by government infrastructure project experts.

It also involves oversight of the DfE’s reforms of level 3 and below qualifications, which has faced controversy due to its proposed axing of popular vocational courses, such as some BTECs, that “overlap” with T Levels.

At three days a week, the role has a full-time equivalent salary of £98,000 per year and comes with a civil service pension contribution equivalent to £28,390 per year.

Harper, who is currently on maternity leave, is hoping to find a job-share partner to work with when she returns.

Since going on leave in June 2024, her role has been covered by job sharing interim directors, Jane Belfourd and Rebekah Chatwin. Harper replaced previous director Sue Lovelock in 2023.

High profile job sharers

If appointed as planned, the job share will be the second announced in recent months, following the appointment of Skills England joint chief executives Tessa Griffths and Sarah Maclean, who have held the same roles together for almost two decades.

The civil service, which aims to be “the most inclusive” employer in the UK, promotes job sharing in senior roles, believing that benefits include an improved work/life balance and promoting gender equality, particularly for women.

It has created a ‘job share notice board’ for finding a job share partner and published practical advice for candidates and hiring departments in 2020.

In recent years government blog posts have promoted case studies of senior job sharing roles in various departments, including current director generals for policy at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, who have shared for fifteen years.

The T Level challenge

It comes shortly after the National Audit Office (NAO) cast doubt on the scalability of T Levels after finding student number forecasts were missed by three quarters.

Following the NAO report, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, chair of the Public Accounts Committee, said a lack of widespread awareness, declining pass rates and challenges securing industry placements show a risk to the DfE’s “ability” to scale up T Levels.

According to the description posted on the Civil Service Jobs website, the role is a “challenging and high profile” that needs an “extraordinary leader” who can think “strategically and at pace” about a complex policy and delivery landscape.

The DfE hopes to recruit someone with “strong financial management and Major Project discipline” due to the “substantial amount of public funding” the director is accountable for.

The directors will oversee a team of around 160 staff across multiple sites and will report to Julia Kinniburgh, director general for skills.

As a senior civil servant, the successful candidate will be expected to commit to a minimum duration of three years “to enable them to deliver on the agreed business outcomes”, although this is not a contractual requirement.

Applications must be submitted by April 28, ahead of interviews and assessments in May.

Luminate boss to retire

The chief executive of one of England’s largest college groups will retire at the end of the year.

Luminate Education group chief executive Colin Booth has announced he will step down in December after a decade at the helm of the Leeds-based college group.

Booth’s retirement comes after a 40-year career beginning as a teacher in Surrey to heading up one of the country’s largest college group.

Colin Booth, chief executive, Luminate Education Group

Booth said: “I’m incredibly proud of everything we have achieved together at Luminate as a team of staff and leaders and together with all of our key partners.

“Our collective efforts have not only ensured the continued success of our institutions but have also had a profound impact on the communities we serve.”

He began his career teaching at Carshalton College in Surrey, and then moved onto establishing courses for learners.

His four-decade career in education includes stints at South Thames College and Newcastle College and working as a part-time Ofsted inspector.

Booth also spent seven years steering Barnsley College from its ‘satisfactory’ (now known as ‘requires improvement) rating to an Ofsted ‘outstanding’ in 2010. He moved to Leeds City College Group in 2015, which became Luminate three years later.

He also used his expertise to advise other colleges, working with the FE Commissioner as one of the national leaders of further education since 2020.

Over his time at Luminate he has spoken out on a range of issues, most recently on the lack of growth funding to meet demand for the rising number of 16 -18- year-olds in Leeds. His efforts appear to have paid off as Leeds was one of two areas to have been awarded £10 million last week for additional capacity.

John Toon, Luminate Education Group’s chair of governors, said: “Personally, it has been my pleasure and a privilege to work closely with Colin over the last eight years.

“He has raised expectations around innovation and excellence and has driven teams to exceed expectations, improving the financial and quality performance of all organisations he has worked for.”

Applications for a new Luminate CEO will close on May 5.