Autumn resit plans revealed

Exam boards will be required to offer AS-level exams in only five subjects during this year’s autumn exam series.

The exams will be open to any student receiving a teacher assessment grade this year, or those who an exam board “reasonably believes would have entered for the exams in summer 2021 had they taken place”.

Ofqual will require boards to offer all exams in all GCSE and A-level subjects, but will only have to offer AS exams in biology, chemistry, further maths, maths and physics.

These were the only subjects in which autumn exams were taken by more than 100 students last year. Boards can offer exams in
other AS subjects if they wish.

Boards can also offer GCSE English language and maths exams in January 2022 “for students who were eligible to enter the autumn exams in those subjects but did not do so”.

The regulator published a consultation response this week that confirmed other proposals set out earlier this year.

Separately, Ofqual also published its decisions on autumn resits for vocational and technical and qualifications.

Awarding organisations that normally provide assessment opportunities between September and January will be required to make those assessments available to learners cirwho were eligible to receive a result through a teacher assessed grade if they wish to improve on it.

Where awarding organisations do not normally provide assessment opportunities between September and January, Ofqual will require them to provide those opportunities where they “reasonably consider there is sufficient demand and would be manageable to both the awarding organisation and centres”.

Focus: Do employers set the bar too high for entry criteria to apprenticeships?

Employers are allowed to set their own entry criteria for apprenticeships, even though officially, no formal qualifications are needed. When is the bar being set too high? asks Jess Staufenberg

The government has two favourite phrases for its ambitions in further education, and for apprenticeships in particular.  

The first is ‘employer-led’. The term, bandied about constantly by ministers, had its latest big outing in the recent Skills for Jobs white paper. But the approach prompted changes to apprenticeships from 2016, when the old apprenticeship ‘frameworks’ – designed by awarding bodies – were gradually replaced by the new, tougher apprenticeship ‘standards’ – designed by employers. Any hint that an employer-led system can be troublesome (see delays to the new standards as employers struggled to get them ready) has done nothing to put ministers off. 

The second phrase is ‘levelling up’, used widely across all departments to describe the government’s ambitions post-Covid.  

In a way, apprenticeships are where the ‘employer-led’ and ‘levelling-up’ agendas meet. For a young person without GCSEs, or an adult made redundant, apprenticeships put the learner on a path from level 2 to level 7 to earn and qualify without taking on the debt of a degree. And what could be more employer-led than an apprenticeship?

Yet the latest data has caused concern. Only 31 per cent of apprenticeship starts were at level 2 last year, down from 65 per cent in 2013/14. Starts among 17-year-olds dropped the most, with 26 per cent fewer in 2019/20 than the year before. 

Meanwhile chancellor Rishi Sunak’s strategy of handing over £3,000 to employers per apprentice regardless of age this month was strongly criticised, with experts warning increased funding should have gone only to 16-24-year-olds, because it is young people that employers appear most reluctant to hire. 

Individual employers will set the selection criteria for their apprenticeships

Now FE Week can reveal some of the high qualification requirements young people have to meet too. The tension is seen on the DfE’s Institute for Apprenticeships website: “Apprentices without level 1 English and maths will need to achieve this level […] prior to taking the end-point assessment”. Apprentices should also work towards their level 2 English and maths.

In other words, apprentices without level 1 functional skills, equivalent to a GCSE 2 or 3, can still do an apprenticeship and will be supported by their training provider to gain it during the course. They will also work towards a level 2 in English and maths, equivalent to a GCSE pass 4. 

But the standards then state: “Individual employers will set the selection criteria for their apprenticeships”. There is no law or guidance that prevents an employer (or, indeed, training provider) from setting the selection criteria they like. 

Should there be? Where is the line? 

FE Week found significant variation in apprenticeship adverts. First off are the apprenticeships that state GCSE passes are “preferable” or “desirable”, rather than deal-breakers. In most cases, the training provider says these are the employer’s criteria – for instance, an engineering operative level 2 apprenticeship advertised by training provider Gen2, which belongs to the City & Guilds group, warns employers will “typically” want “three GCSEs at grade C or higher”.  

But in other vacancies, the entry criteria have been set by a college, not the employer. An advert for a countryside worker level 2 apprentice with construction employer DTMS Group, delivered with Craven College in north Yorkshire, states “candidates will ideally have at least 4 GCSEs at grades A* – C/9 – 4”.

When asked, a DTMS spokesperson said, “I don’t agree that there should be a minimum GCSE requirement that stops the less academic from applying, as long as they realise further study will be required during the apprenticeship.” He added: “On the most recent occasion, the college set the entry requirements”. 

Richard Swires, apprenticeship manager at Craven College, said it “has no specific entry requirements for apprentices and this is why the advert indicates ‘ideally’”. He added that “in the instance of  […] this vacancy, of the last five apprentices to successfully achieve, only one had four GCSEs and four had maths and English at below level 1”.

This is reassuring, but if the employer is not demanding that “ideally” apprentices have four GCSEs, why include it in the advert? Research shows that candidates can be put off by roles asking for “desirable” qualifications they don’t have. 

One advert at City College Norwich sets the bar yet higher. For an accounts and finance assistant level 2 apprenticeship, the college gives an entry requirement of “GCSE grades 9 -5 (A – C) in English and maths”. The entry criteria here is a ‘strong’ pass 5 rather than a ‘standard’ pass 4, which is a C+ rather than a C- although it adds an apprentice without these can attend functional skills classes.

A City College Norwich spokesperson said the criteria “presents guidance on the entry qualifications that our employers who recruit to apprenticeship roles in these sectors most often ask”. Colleges try to offer flexibility, while pointing out it is employers driving the higher requirements. 

Simon Ashworth, chief policy officer at the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, said a certain level of pre-screening makes sense, but in some cases employers may be setting the bar too high. “Apprenticeships should be about leveling up – giving those learners who perhaps didn’t suit school a chance in a practical space.” 

Employers and training providers benefit if apprentices already have English and maths GCSEs. “Employers already lose at least 20 per cent of apprentice working hours to ‘off-the-job training’, and those without English and maths must also be released to study functional skills.” Meanwhile, training providers are funded at £471 to deliver functional skills per apprentice, less than non-apprentice rates for the same course, at £724. 

“With funding rates so low, you’ve got the employer who’s looking at someone who will be less productive, and the provider who’d prefer them to already have English and maths.” Ashworth said functional skills study should be included in the 20 per cent off-the-job time and funding rates made equal.  

The problem is that for the most high-status apprenticeships, employers will always be able to pick and choose. For a botanical horticulture apprenticeship at Kew Gardens, two GCSE passes are needed. “Entry to our apprenticeships is very competitive,” explained a Kew spokesperson, adding that “people without GCSEs or functional skills would struggle to manage things like plant nomenclature”. Is a higher bar good for apprenticeships? Perhaps this helps raise their status. 

College staff themselves sympathise with employers wanting to set entry criteria. Encouragingly, two college apprenticeship leads told FE Week that companies are good at listening to their advice about potential apprentices who don’t meet qualification requirements on paper. 

But ultimately, they support a fairer system. Lindsey Wedgewood, head of apprenticeships at Askham Bryan College in north Yorkshire, said “the level of maths and English doesn’t determine how good that person is going to be in that role. There are fantastic apprentices out there who may struggle with English or maths at first, but put them in the workplace and they’re brilliant”. David Boyer, director of apprenticeships at Capel Manor College in London, added, “Formal qualifications is too blunt a tool. There are many other factors in determining if they’re suitable.” 

The practice is pretty widespread. The University of Sheffield has an advert for a sports turf operative level 2 apprentice with “5 GCSEs or equivalent, including English and maths”. University College London states for “most” of its intermediate apprenticeships, “you will need 5 GCSEs grade 4 – 9, including English and maths”. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office wants two GCSE passes for a warehouse operative level 2 apprentice.

Of the 20 most recent apprenticeships posted on Getmyfirstjob.co.uk, a quarter said GCSE qualifications were needed or desirable, including for a café assistant apprentice in Kent. None of the above responded to repeated requests for comment. 

We need another way to tap into pre-apprenticeship funding

Paul McGrail, assistant principal for apprenticeships and skills at Myerscough College in Lancashire, said the problem lies in the lack of well-funded, flexible pre-apprenticeship options for learners who need to improve their English and maths. There aren’t enough traineeships around, he said, which include English and maths level 2 and are usually less than six months. “We need another way to tap into pre-apprenticeship funding,” he said. 

Traineeships are also not a popular choice at Capel Manor College because they are “largely unwaged”, added Boyer. Instead, the college enrolls unsuccessful apprentice applicants “on to a level 1 programme, where they do a vocational course with English and maths”.

The good news is that students on such courses can sit their functional skills tests at multiple points throughout the year, and then transfer from the study programme on to an apprenticeship, said Rachel Bunn, assistant principal for apprenticeships at East Coast College in East Anglia. “If they complete early on a study programme, that’s not an issue, we can move them over.”

However, many functional skills courses are for level 1 only, explained Wedgewood – whereas many apprenticeships are asking for a level 2 qualification, which would require a GCSE programme with exams either too early in November, or late in June. “We need something between two and six months to help them upskill in maths and English that gets them to level 2,” said Wedgewood.

The DfE does not look as though it will get involved. A spokesperson said, “We encourage employers of all sizes, and from all sectors, to open up apprenticeship opportunities to a wide group of potential applicants” but added, “ultimately, an apprenticeship is a job, and like all jobs, it is for the employers to decide entry requirements”.

Ashworth reflects on what can be done. “I would discourage employers from setting a threshold around having maths and English already.” Teresa Frith, senior skills policy manager at the Association of Colleges, agrees. “But,” she points out, “this government has said everything is employer-led. So how do you get around that?”

Three ways to replace in-work careers experience for your students

Virtual reality technology and collaborative projects can keep students switched on to careers, writes David Chapman

It’s no wonder many young people are struggling to picture their future. When entire business sectors have been forced to close, relatives are being laid off and exams are cancelled, it’s hard to think beyond the next few months.

Students will no doubt be aware that it’s the youngest segment of the workforce – the group most heavily represented in retail, tourism and hospitality – who have been hit the hardest by the pandemic, according to labour market statistics from the Institute for Employment Studies.

Against a backdrop of economic uncertainty, today’s students are feeling less sure than ever about their career plans.

Yet Generation Z are the very people we need to fill the skills gap if the country is to recover from the pandemic and forge a new post-Brexit identity.

So how can careers education engage students at this critical time?

‘Task younger students with researching careers’

First off, we must encourage early aspirations. The government white paper, Skills for Jobs: Lifelong Learning for Opportunity and Growth, calls for careers education to be embedded in the life of every school and college.

This makes sense because when students have a goal in mind, they are motivated to study harder and achieve the grades they need.

As a university technical college (UTC), our students join us because they are attracted by a future in STEM, but they’re not always aware of the enormous diversity of careers that exist in these sectors.

To get students thinking about careers in a more focused way, we task our youngest students with researching career pathways.

Students interested in engineering might explore areas such as aerospace, food processing or robotics. They look into career progression, salary expectations and the qualifications they need, and prepare a presentation on their findings.  

An approach like this gives providers an insight into which career paths their students are keen to follow, so they can deliver targeted advice, and link curriculum learning to careers, in line with the Gatsby benchmarks.

‘Use a personality test’

Second, we need to personalise career guidance. Generic careers education too often misses the mark. There is little point making students sit through careers talks that hold no interest for them.

Personalised careers advice is much more effective, but students need to find out which job types they are most suited to.

Even the most world-weary sixth-former enjoys seeing if they are a polar bear, seahorse or tiger

It’s important to help students understand their strengths, interests and character traits.

One of the tools we use provides a free online personality quiz which helps a student unlock their “spirit animal” based on their answers and then links them to suitable careers.

Even the most world-weary sixth-former enjoys seeing if they are a polar bear, seahorse or tiger.

With deeper self-knowledge, a student can make informed choices. A medical career is not only about being a heart surgeon, it’s also about being a microbiologist, pharmacologist or biomedical engineer, any of which could be the right fit for a young person interested in medicine.

‘Make use of apps, podcasts and videos’

Finally, we should use technology to expose students to the world of work.

Previous work experience placements have seen our students building a two-seater propellor aircraft in collaboration with industry experts. They are now embarking on a project with aviation charity The Air League, RAF Cosford and STEM Highflyers.

When the pandemic put a stop to hands-on experience of the workplace, colleges like us have had to find different ways to keep careers in the spotlight.

Fortunately, many employers have been flexible in providing opportunities for students, supported by organisations such as the Careers & Enterprise Company.

Another key route to engaging young people through technology is with apps, podcasts and videos, such as the WorldSkills Spotlight talks, which all appeal to a digitally fluent generation. 

Virtual reality experiences are another sure-fire way to spark students’ interest. Engaging students in a gameified environment, immersing them into a job role and helping them visualise the education pathways to achieve it is incredibly powerful.

What young people need now is hope for the future.

Relevant, personalised and aspirational careers education will help today’s students leave uncertainty behind and find their place in the world.

 

 

 

Mainstream colleges can be daunted by the prospect of supporting blind students

Childhood vision impairment is very rare, so colleges are often inexperienced in best practice around supporting blind students, writes Caireen Sutherland

Throughout education, it is vital that young people with vision impairment have the right specialist support in place. Although getting the right support for students with vision impairment at any stage of education is important, it can be fraught with challenges.

And having worked with many colleges and lecturers, I know that many settings will have never supported a student with vision impairment before – which can make the task feel like a daunting, overwhelming and confusing prospect.

It is particularly fraught during times of transition between different stages of education, such as from secondary school into further education.

‘High churn of learners leaving’

A longitudinal research project by the Royal National Institute of Blind People and the Visual Impairment Centre for Teaching and Research at the University of Birmingham looked at the experiences of students as they moved from school to further and higher education.

Some key themes emerged – a high ‘churn’ of learners who leave the education system was identified as a significant problem, and gaps in the use of suitable assistive technology were highlighted.

Crucially, it was also found that not all participants had the range of skills deemed important for independent learning, such as everyday living, mobility, social and self-advocacy skills.

These issues could well be exacerbated by the low number of students with visual impairment within FE. Childhood vision impairment is a low-incidence disability.

Based on World Health Organization international classification, only two in every 1,000 children and young people have a vision impairment.

During school years, a young person may have an education health and care plan (EHCP) which outlines the specialist support they require.

‘Importance of having a properly qualified teacher’

A key component is input from a qualified teacher of vision impairment (QTVI) and potentially a habilitation officer, who provides vital support in terms of mobility, independence and self-advocacy skills.

A QTVI’s role is varied, but they can support with functional vision assessments, link in with other professionals, help with required equipment and teach specialist skills (Braille, for example).

As a QTVI myself, I know how important it is that blind and partially sighted students continue to be supported into further education. But I also know that, at this stage of education, input can vary.

Some students may have an EHCP and the college will have hopefully been involved in the transition process and be aware of the students’ needs.

However, sometimes students move to FE with no EHCP. Sometimes the amount of available QTVI time varies. At the same time, there is a change in expectations on the student in terms of independent learning and course formats which can cause significant challenges for them.

To prevent these challenges, all students with vision impairment should have access to the necessary specialist support, such as from a QTVI and a habilitation specialist.

A learning provider can also think about how courses are delivered, by making information and resources accessible and ensuring students have the right equipment to access their course.

There is a wide range of guides and online information and advice that can support both students and colleges to make the most of their FE experience.

For example, Thomas Pocklington Trust (TPT) in partnership with RNIB, has created new guidance for further education providers. The guide, which contains helpful tips and checklists for colleges, is also useful for students and families.

It is important that they have the opportunity to tell learning providers what works for them

At FE, more than any other stage of education, students should be involved in their own learning experience.

The impact of inadequate support at this point in a young person’s educational journey can be very damaging to their ongoing academic success, wellbeing and future prospects.

It is important that they have the opportunity to tell learning providers what works for them and what doesn’t, and what they need to be in place in order to access their chosen course and succeed.

Students with vision impairment have the same ability, aspirations and potential as their peers. They just need the right support to achieve it.

London UTC in danger of closure just three years after opening

Another university technical college looks set to close just three years after opening.

Sir Simon Milton Westminster UTC, named after the former Conservative politician, announced last week it would be pausing student recruitment from the next academic year.

This is while “the UTC’s future is decided”, with chair Andrew Christie saying the “difficult but pragmatic” decision was taken as “the school has not attracted the level of interest that we had hoped from students looking at different options for their studies.

“As a consequence, we are working with the Department for Education to identify a way forward.”

The UTC opened in 2017 and specialises in science, technology, engineering and maths. It has capacity for 550 students aged 14 to 19 but has just under 150 on roll currently. The college is yet to be inspected by Ofsted.

According to its latest financial statements, for the year ending July 2019, the UTC had £319,000 in capital grants that year, on top of £395,000 in 2018, and just over £1 million in 2017.

 

UTC ‘working with the Department for Education to identify a way forward’

Christie appeared to indicate the UTC will close by providing assurance in his statement that “this does not mean the end of technical education being offered on our fantastic site”.

When asked for more detail about this, a spokesperson said: “There is an ongoing commitment for the site to be used to support technical education moving forward.

“How this will be achieved will be discussed after the future of the UTC has been determined and agreed, and will be a matter for the DfE.” 

The UTC’s 2019 accounts reveal the college had been in discussions to join Fulham Boys School multi-academy trust, with a decision on whether the DfE would approve the move scheduled for March 2020.

But this didn’t get the go ahead. When asked what happened with the merger, the spokesperson would only say the MAT had “provided specific services to support the UTC’s administration functions.

“This, in part, helped provide the capacity for the UTC to look at all the options available to us for the future.”

More than 50 UTCs have opened since they were launched in 2010 by former education secretary Lord Baker. Many of the colleges have, however, faced difficulties recruiting students and staying afloat financially.

Eleven have closed to date.

In January, the future of another UTC looked in doubt after East London UTC was slapped with a second financial notice to improve. It received a £375,000 government bailout in 2020 after recording a £1.8 million deficit.

In order to mitigate low student numbers, a number of UTCs have begun recruiting students at age 13 or even 11, rather than their traditional starting age of 14.

Baroness Berridge

Schools system minister Baroness Berridge was quizzed on the future of UTCs during an accountability hearing with the Commons education select committee on Thursday.

She told MPs the government hopes to have a “strong sustainable group of UTCs” by the autumn and claimed there is “no bar or prejudice against them”.

“The programme has had challenges in relation to the typical entry point, but there are many that are really successful,”

Berridge said: “We are working to make sure by autumn we have worked through any of the issues that are remaining.”

Asked whether there should be more of them, she said only “if there is a bid with a clear vision for the involvement of employers and particularly with the support of the local authority.”

The DfE must realise the arts are key to the future of engineering

Many of the skills and behaviours in creative digital qualifications are transferrable to the STEM sector, writes Ann Marie Spry

An estimated 11 million adults in the UK are now eligible to obtain a new qualification for free to help them gain in-demand skills. But it’s more urgent than ever that we address the creative digital skills gap through specifically designed digital courses.  

I recently attended a webinar hosted by the Prince’s Trust that looked at the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on young people. It is quite clear that there continues to be a missed opportunity to extend the lifetime guarantee list.  

My definition of young people takes us beyond the typical 24-year-old boundary and extends to individuals who are well into their 30s, with the working age increasing over time. 

Both industry and the government understand that only a large-scale skills programme can safeguard jobs as we recover economically. Free qualifications for adults are an excellent way to enhance career prospects and enable people to secure rewarding careers.

Nonetheless, education always has more impact when it really engages the learner because it is something they care about and enjoy.

Meanwhile, employers cite behaviour traits and transferable skills as vital to long-term sustainable employment – not a specific qualification.

‘Many skills are the same as in computing qualifications’

With under-25s accounting for three in five jobs lost, youth unemployment is due to climb considerably, even as the economy recovers. Now, more than ever, it is paramount that people gain access to life-changing education, particularly in areas that are not covered by the list.

I believe that including a broader range of qualifications would address both the needs and interests of potential students and the transferable skills element for employers.

Through digital creative provision, we can adapt to the new economic landscape we now face in the coming months and years. 

Many of these skills acquired are exactly the same as those in computing qualifications, with the added bonus of creativity, collaboration and innovation, developed by design. Music and film production, and editing, are other great examples. 

Strong policy reform, not only focusing on displaced workers but also looking at youth employment, will be key to ensuring opportunities for all. Central to this will also be small businesses as they will primarily be the key link to job creation.

Furthermore, employers need to work closely with the FE sector to understand and address gaps in the market. A more focused and agile approach to the curriculum will help ensure that workforce development is driven by creating opportunities to upskill.

The government’s own press release for the lifetime skills guarantee references The Squiggly Career by bestselling author and business leader Helen Tupper.

The premise here is that the old way of looking at the linear “training to career” path is outdated and being replaced by more flexible, organic and responsive journeys to success. 

‘We need to be future-proofing learners’

The ability to adapt, innovate and self-organise are key characteristics of creative students. When you add the greater self-confidence, self-understanding and enhanced communication skills that come with an arts education, you are future-proofing adults to enter this new landscape of employment.

A report called “10 reasons why arts and culture make a difference to young people’s lives” by the Arts Council identifies that arts and culture promote economic growth. The arts teach entrepreneurial abilities that are key to the future of engineering and the economy.

As a result, businesses that deploy STEM and art skills (STEAM) experience faster sales growth than STEM firms.

The increase in automation means that the jobs of the future are likely to require skills only humans can bring, such as empathy, creativity and enterprise.

There is strong evidence that involvement in arts and creativity increases cognitive abilities, critical thinking, problem solving, teamwork, communication and social competency. It also creates a higher chance of sustaining employment into later life.

We need the government to review the list to encourage organisations and awarding bodies to make more qualifications accessible, and designed to take into account employer needs, with more choice for learners that address skills gaps.

I therefore urge the Department for Education and devolved authorities to build a much broader offer.

AAC | Deep Dive Debates: Levy, Green Skills, EPAO, Standards and Learning Technology

During this year’s Annual Apprenticeship Conference, sector leaders and experts came together for a daily roundtable discussion about an area of apprenticeship policy.

AAC’s Deep Dive Debates were held in partnership with key conference partners and made available to view for free (see below).

Across the Conference week five debates were staged:

  • Is the levy fit for our future? Could the levy be better used to support economic recovery post Covid19 and beyond?
  • Developing standards: more or less?
  • Maintaining and Exceeding the Quality of End Point Assessment.
  • Delivering training: online or face to face or a blend of the two?
  • The future is green – How do we use apprenticeships to meet the burgeoning green skills needs of tomorrow?

You can find recordings of these Deep Dive Debates on our YouTube Channel or see below.

Is the levy fit for our future? Could the levy be better used to support economic recovery post Covid19 and beyond?

Developing standards: more or less?

Maintaining and Exceeding the Quality of End Point Assessment

Delivering training: online or face to face or a blend of the two?

The future is green – How do we use apprenticeships to meet the burgeoning green skills needs of tomorrow?

Northern College faces ‘perfect storm’ and shock battle to survive

An adult residential college is facing a financial crisis that threatens its survival following a funding audit and government review. 

Northern College, rated grade one by Ofsted with ‘outstanding’ financial health, is locked in a legal dispute with the Education and Skills Funding Agency following claims it has made “errors” worth £1.2 million across 2018/19 and 2019/20. 

The alleged errors relate to claimed residential uplift support for learners who were not resident, but the college is contesting the agency’s interpretation of the rules which have been in place for more than a decade. 

The ESFA is, however, still demanding repayment of the funding and is extending its audit to cover a further two years, which could increase the clawback. 

At the same time, the Barnsley-based college faces having to pay back an additional £660,000 following a significant shortfall in enrolments this year owing to Covid-19, which means they won’t hit the ESFA’s controversial 90 per cent tolerance level. 

On top of this, the government is conducting a national review of adult residential funding which could remove an uplift which multiplies funding for residential courses by nearly five times as much as the normal rate. 

All of these factors are contributing to a “perfect storm” which puts the long-term sustainability of the college at risk. 

The FE Commissioner has been asked by the ESFA to conduct a diagnostic assessment and structure and prospect appraisal, which could result in the college being forced to merge. 

Supporters of the college have strongly condemned the government for causing its financial woes after years of strong performance. 

Writing for FE Week (click here for full opinion article), former DfE director of FE funding Sue Pember, who is now the policy director of adult education network HOLEX, said: “Northern College is not at risk because of anything it could have foreseen but because of the unintended consequences of administrative action DfE may or may not choose to do.” 

She described the situation as a “triple whammy” that “could be diverted with joined-up administration and impact assessment”. 

MPs are also lobbying to help the college, which was founded in 1977 to train disadvantaged and disengaged adults and operates out of Wentworth Castle, a grade 1 listed building owned by Barnsley Council. 

Dan Jarvis, Labour MP for Barnsley Central and mayor of the Sheffield City Region, raised the issue this week with skills minister Gillian Keegan during education questions in the House of Commons. 

He later told FE Week that any loss of service from the college would be “devastating” and he will do “everything I can to protect this iconic South Yorkshire institution”. 

Miriam Cates, MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, said she is also working “very closely” with the college to try to secure its future. 

There are four residential adult education colleges in England and they were all notified of the government’s funding review in January 2020. 

In its subsequent audit, the ESFA told Northern College that it had been applying the 4.7 multiplier uplift for residential funding incorrectly to each course they offer rather than the learner. 

FE Week understands the college is claiming that this interpretation of the rule was never clear and is challenging the government for allegedly changing the goalposts retrospectively. 

The college’s accounts for 2019/20 are currently being held up by the dispute, which could end up in court. 

Northern College is also expecting to deliver 73 per cent of its £3.8 million adult education budget allocation this year after being forced to close for long periods due to the pandemic. 

The agency has decided that where colleges deliver less than 90 per cent of their allocation in 2020/21, they will recover the difference between their actual delivery and 90 per cent. 

Northern College said it usually meets its enrolment targets year-on-year and claimed that residential provision had been disproportionately impacted by Covid-19 as the disadvantaged adults they train struggled with the move to online learning.

The college has £5 million cash reserves. Another issue facing it is a pension liability which currently stands at more than £6 million. 

Commenting on the potential crisis, principal Yultan Mellor said: “The college’s residential adult education programme and wrap-around support have never been so vital to adults. 

“We remain committed to continuing to work with our partners to support the economy to recover and grow following the impact of Covid-19, enabling the delivery of our regional jobs-based recovery programmes.” 

A spokesperson for the ESFA said the agency “does expect Northern College to repay the funds identified as being at risk following the audit of provision”. 

And responding to claims that the college was audited against the wrong set of funding rules, the spokesperson added: “The audit was conducted against the funding rules and ILR specification in place for the years covered by the audit and these formed part of the terms and conditions of the funding agreement with the college.” 

The outcome of the national residential funding review will be published “in due course”.

WATCH: Debate on why diversity and inclusion is critical for the future success of UK businesses

This morning on the last day of FE Week’s Annual Apprenticeship Conference a panel debated the “inclusion revolution” and why diversity and inclusion is critical for the future success of UK businesses.

Watch the session, which featured comedian and ‘the guilty feminist’ podcaster Deobrah Frances-White, below.

Debate title: The inclusion revolution | Why diversity and inclusion are critical for the future success of UK businesses

Chaired by Kirstie Donnelly, CEO, City & Guilds Group.
Panel: Deborah Frances-White, The Guilty Feminist, Lucy Hunte, National Programme Manager, Apprenticeships, Health EducationEngland, Damien McKnight, Dovecoat Park, Lia Nici MP, Chair of Apprenticeship Diversity Champions Network, Lauren Roberts, Youth Engagement Executive – City & Guilds Foundation, Jeff Greenidge, Director for Diversity, AoC and ETF.