The awarding bodies designing the first three T-levels have called on the government to delay their rollout by a year because of the coronavirus pandemic, FE Week can reveal.

Pearson and NCFE have agreed with the Federation of Awarding Bodies that their launch should be combined with wave two and begin in September 2021 instead of 2020.

In a letter to education secretary Gavin Williamson, FAB chief executive Tom Bewick warned that colleges, and therefore the “delivery network”, will be in “crisis management and recovery mode up until the autumn term”.

Similarly, asking employers to provide high-quality industry placements at this time “looks very challenging when you consider that the deep economic shock we are experiencing will pre-occupy company survival plans for at least the next 12 months”.

He added: “Following consultation with our members and, specifically, those AOs that have to date successfully secured licences from you to design these new technical qualifications, I am requesting that you postpone the wave one commencement of three T-Levels in September.”

Fifty providers are signed up to deliver the first three routes – in digital, construction and education – from September 2020.

In response to the letter, apprenticeships and skills minister Gillian Keegan said: “We recognise the impact the Covid-19 outbreak will have on T-level providers.

“We are continuing to keep this under review, working closely with providers, as the situation develops and we will provide an update as soon as we possibly can.”

Bewick’s letter also stressed the need for urgent guidance on how apprentice end-point assessments will continue, following Williamson’s announcement yesterday that this year’s GCSE and A-level exams would not go ahead as planned.

“It is critical therefore that all external quality assurance providers and end-point assessment organisations are issued with the agreed guidance as soon as possible so that they can begin to put in place the mitigating measures that can ensure apprentices can continue to be independently assessed for occupational competence,” he said.

“Any further delay of this Guidance is putting in jeopardy the ongoing employment status of apprentices who may unfortunately find themselves being made redundant.”

He also called for the government’s review of qualifications at level 3 and below be put back by one academic year to “provide some much-needed stability in the post-16 sector”.

And in terms of apprenticeship jobs, Bewick warned: “We know from previous economic downturns that training is often the first expenditure item that firms will cut.”

So government should “protect apprentice lay-offs at this time, for 6 months, by using powers in the emergency legislation to prevent firms doing this”.

“In return, employers would receive a percentage towards wage compensation measures, in addition to a temporary national insurance holiday,” he added.

“These measures would have the impact of underwriting employer confidence in the apprenticeship system and ensure that small businesses, in particular, continued to want to take on apprentices.

“If we don’t take bold action like this, apprentice numbers will fall off a cliff and lay-offs will continue over the coming weeks.”

You can read the letter in full here.

All colleges in England are “expected” to close from Friday as the government steps up its attempts to contain the coronavirus.

GCSE and A-level exams will also not take place as planned in May and June.

Education secretary Gavin Williamson made the announcements in the House of Commons this afternoon, where he  committed to continue funding providers for apprenticeships even where training is disrupted.

“The spike of the virus is progressing at a faster pace than anticipated,” he said.

“After schools shut their gates on Friday afternoon they will remain closed until further notice.

“This will be for all children except to those of key workers and children who are most vulnerable. The scientific advice shows that these settings are safe for this small number of children to continue attending, but asking others to stay away will go towards helping us the slow the spread of this virus.

“Examples of key workers include NHS staff, police and delivery drivers who need to be able to go to work.

“Vulnerable children include those who have a social worker and those with an educational health and care plan.

“We are expecting early years providers, sixth forms and further education colleges to do the same.”

He added that the Department for Education is working with Treasury on the “financial support that will be required”.

The first colleges in England to close campuses and move to online learning in response to the Coronavirus outbreak were revealed yesterday.

On free school and colleges meals, Williamson said his department will give providers the “flexibility” to continue this offer by allowing them to purchase meals or vouchers for supermarkets or local shops.

He noted that some schools are already doing this and committed to reimbursing those costs.

The education secretary continued: “I know that all of this is not going to be easy. I am asking nurseries, schools and colleges to be at the forefront of this crisis.

“In order to allow schools and other setting to focus on this new operational model, we are removing various duties.

“Ofsted has ceased all routine inspections. I can confirm we will not go ahead with assessments or exams, and we will not be publishing performance tables for this academic year.

“We will work with the sector and Ofqual to ensure students vet the qualifications they need.”

When asked about how apprenticeships will be affected, Williamson said: “No one will be in a position where we take away the work that they have been doing in their apprenticeships.

“We have already made it clear to the college sector and the independent training providers who deliver so many apprenticeships that funding for apprenticeships is continuing.”

A spokesperson for Ofqual said: “We welcome the certainty that the Secretary of State’s decision not to hold exams this summer provides in these challenging circumstances.

“We will now work urgently with the Department for Education to work through the detail of this decision and to provide more information as soon as possible.”

Association of Colleges chief executive, David Hughes, said: “With partial college closures announced across the country it raises major challenges for staff, students and families, but protecting the nation’s health is vital during these uncertain times.

“We are working very closely with DfE and ESFA to manage the flow-on implications of this announcement and in particular the funding support colleges need to deliver.” 

In a letter to Williamson yesterday, Hughes warned that an average college might lose between £500,000 and £1 million per month of temporary closure and “very few, if any, will be able to cope without government support”.

Bill Watkin, chief executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association, said closing colleges was the “right decision” and his organisation will “continue to work collaboratively with the DfE and others to help address the challenges ahead”.

He added that they will be “particularly focused” on “ensuring that students – who have worked so hard over the past couple of years – secure fair and accurate grades in the absence of any formal assessments taking place this summer”.

All schools in England are to be closed to most students from Friday in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

They will stay open for “key workers” and vulnerable children only.

This year’s summer exam series and SATs tests will also not go ahead, with ministers pledging to work with the exams regulator “to ensure children get the qualifications that they need”.

Education secretary Gavin Williamson made the announcement in the House of Commons this afternoon.

“The spike of the virus is progressing at a faster pace than anticipated,” he said.

“After schools shut their gates on Friday afternoon they will remain closed until further notice.

“This will be for all children except to those of key workers and children who are most vulnerable. The scientific advice shows that these settings are safe for this small number of children to continue attending, but asking others to stay away will go towards helping us the slow the spread of this virus.

“Examples of key workers include NHS staff, police and delivery drivers who need to be able to go to work.

“Vulnerable children include those who have a social worker and those with an educational health and care plan.

“We are expecting early years providers, sixth forms and further education colleges to do the same.”

On free school and colleges meals, Williamson said his department will give providers the “flexibility” to continue this offer by allowing them to purchase meals or vouchers for supermarkets or local shops.

He noted that some schools are already doing this and committed to reimbursing those costs.

 

The first college in England to close campuses and move to online learning in response to the Coronavirus outbreak has been revealed.

The Sheffield College said today that all students and the “majority” of staff will study and work remotely by this Friday, March 20, at the latest.

A statement from the college said its leadership team has taken this decision following Public Health England’s latest guidance on social distancing announced yesterday.

Schools and colleges have so far been ordered to stay open by Boris Johnson and his health advisers, despite their recommendation to stop mass gatherings and millions of other employees should work from home.

The Sheffield College’s statement says: “Staff and student safety is our number one priority. Given that we have around 13,000 learners a year, based across six sites, it is important that we look at how we are working to ensure we keep everyone safe.

“As a result of this phased plan, face-to-face meetings, events and trips are being cancelled. The college is doing everything it can to plan for future scenarios including examinations.”

The second planned college closure was also announced this afternoon.

Kendal College, which teaches around 4,000 learners in the Lake District, will close all of its campuses to both staff and students from 23 March until 14 April.

While Kendal College said it has no confirmed cases of Coronavirus, the decision is due to the “current restrictions on social contact, mobility and self-isolation”.

Principal Kelvin Nash said: “Student and staff welfare is our top priority. We are not going against government advice in closing the college, but rather we are upholding its advice in terms of limiting social mobility, and self-isolation.

“The college have no confirmed cases of Coronavirus, however, a number of staff and students are now in isolation due to the more stringent rules announced on Monday evening.

“The increased isolation of our staff has now meant that as a college we can no longer provide sufficient cover for some of our provision, or offer our learners the quality of delivery, service, and standards that they should expect from their education provider.”

During the closure, college lecturers will advise students of the work they are expected to complete, a spokesperson said.

Staff across the college will “continue to support students using blended learning technology, which will enable students to have access to their peers and staff during the college closure period, as well as the potential for workshops via video conferencing, group phone discussions and email”.

The college expects to reopen on 14 April following the Easter break.

Middlesbrough College has also said it will phase out face-to-face learning from tomorrow until at least 19 April.

Principal Zoe Lewis said: “This is a hugely unsettling time for everyone, and we want to reassure our students, staff and the wider college community that we are well prepared and this move to online learning is a sensible precaution in the context of yesterday’s government briefing.”

Earlier today, Association of Colleges boss David Hughes wrote to education secretary Gavin Williamson demanding emergency financial support be made available to keep them afloat during the Coronavirus pandemic.

He estimates that an average college could lose up to £1 million per month of temporary closure and “very few, if any, will be able to cope”.

College leaders are demanding emergency financial support be made available to keep them afloat during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Association of Colleges boss David Hughes has written to education secretary Gavin Williamson today to call for “simple, rapid and clear routes” for his members to secure cashflow support.

He estimates that an average college might lose between £500,000 and £1 million per month of temporary closure or reduced capacity and “very few, if any, will be able to cope without government support”.

Colleges with low cash balances, large student fee income or employer-funded training will be at “particular risk”.

He claims that a “small number” of colleges had to partially close last week or on Monday on Public Health England instructions following positive test cases of Covid-19.

Hughes’ letter states that colleges seek assurance that adult education budget, study programme, apprenticeship and “other DfE/ESFA income, wherever possible, can be guaranteed for the coming months”.

It adds that in the absence of an instruction from the government for all colleges to close, principals “seek assurance that they will be supported in any local decisions to close a college or a campus which are taken in the light of the circumstances”.

“These will include high numbers of staff in social isolation or in vulnerable categories who require social distancing; or outbreaks of the virus amongst staff and/or students; advice from Public Health England and so on,” the letter continues.

“Given the nature of colleges, any temporary closures are likely to be time-limited and partial.”

Hughes also said the decision by Ofsted to suspend all inspections is “welcome”, but it should be “followed swiftly by assurances that data, performance tables, targets and the like will also be suspended for the next few months.

“As many colleges face up to tough decisions about closing their colleges, it may be sensible to discuss a longer Easter shutdown, starting early and/or carrying on for longer to allow for colleges to protect core services and to ready themselves for what looks likely to be a long haul.”

His letter concludes: “At times like this we need to provide as much assurance as we can to people at the sharp end to be able to make decisions quickly, often with limited information, safe in the knowledge that they will be judged for their best intentions, not for any mistakes they might make.”

The Department for Education has been approached for comment.

One of the ‘big four’ accounting firms that trains nearly 1,000 civil service apprentices has been slammed as ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted.

KPMG Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) has now been banned from the apprenticeships market as a result of a damning grade four report published today.

A catalogues of issues, including a lack of unbiased careers advice and poor support for high needs learners with dyslexia, were found for 933 apprentices who all work in government departments such as the Cabinet Office and Treasury.

They study a range of apprenticeship standards like the level 4 policy officer, cyber security technologist and professional accounting / taxation technician.

“Too few” of them “complete the programme, and many leave early”, inspectors said.

“Many” report that they feel “demotivated by the lack of support and very slow response to their requests for information and guidance”.

Apprentices’ curriculum is “not well structured” and “does not support them to develop quickly the knowledge and skills they require”, resulting in the “vast majority” being left behind.

Ofsted found that trainers are “not sure how well apprentices are doing, when they are going to achieve their apprenticeship, and what they need to do to achieve it”.

KPMG works with two subcontractors, QA Limited and Bridgwater & Taunton College, which account for 58 per cent and 8 per cent of apprentices respectively.

Ofsted criticised these partners as they “do not develop consistently well the necessary knowledge and skills”. Leaders at KPMG have now taken over nearly all recruitment directly from the subcontractors as a result.

The watchdog’s report continues: “Apprentices do not consistently receive the hours away from work that they need to study or attend classes.”

Nor do they receive unbiased careers advice. When it does take place, it focuses on the career route within the civil service and does not guide apprentices to understand what is available to them outside of their current employer.

Ofsted also found that facilitators at KPMG mostly fail to order and organise learning “logically” to make sure apprentices build on their skills incrementally.

For example, apprentices who needed to complete the risk element of project management, to be able to complete work activities, had to wait six months until this subject was being taught as part of the group session.

Leaders have “not responded quickly enough to support apprentices who have fallen behind or who have difficulties with their learning”.

For example, an apprentice with dyslexia “did not receive the relevant level of support to help them overcome their difficulties with writing and sentence construction”.

Leaders were praised for working “closely” with managers of civil service departments to create “an appropriate apprenticeship” curriculum to match their specific needs, for example to help apprentices to acquire the skills to contribute to the development of new policy and build up their financial literacy in the Treasury”.

But while governors know well the areas for improvement, they have “not acted quickly enough to ensure leaders put in place the necessary remedial action so that apprentices make the progress that they should”.

KPMG also had a further 134 apprentices who were on degree apprenticeships but were not in scope for this inspection as the higher levels are the responsibility of the Office for Students.

All training providers that are judged ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted typically have their funding contracts with the Education and Skills Funding Agency terminated.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “We are aware that KPMG’s apprenticeship provision has been judged inadequate by Ofsted and in line with our usual policy, they will be removed from the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers.

“Our priority now is to minimise disruption to apprentices, government departments and employers. We are working closely with employers, to ensure all existing apprentices can continue to access high quality training and complete their apprenticeship.”

They added that it will be each government department’s responsibility to decide whether apprentices will complete their apprenticeships at KPMG or move to a different provider.

A KPMG UK spokesperson said: “We take both the quality and experience of the apprentices on this scheme very seriously and have a robust quality improvement plan in place to rapidly address the issues identified in this report.”

A spokesperson for Bridgwater & Taunton College, which is rated ‘good’ by Ofsted itself, added: “We have reviewed the Ofsted report on KPMG apprenticeship delivery and, while disappointed in Ofsted’s findings, we welcome the identification of specific improvements that will benefit apprentices and employers.

“We are committed to ensuring that learner outcomes meet and exceed expectations and we are working closely with KPMG to implement plans that respond to points raised in this report.”

QA Limited has been approached for comment.

The Department for Education said tonight that college staff who are pregnant should be talking with their line manager about working from home.

Government guidance, published this afternoon, says pregnant women should be particularly stringent to new measures aimed at protecting the most vulnerable groups, including working from home where possible.

However pregnant staff have contacted FE Week to raise concerns over the guidance – which they say conflicts with today’s confirmation that colleges will remain open.

When asked for clarification, the DfE said that pregnant college staff are no different from all other employees and should be speaking to their employer and work from home, if possible.

It appears the final decision has been left to the employer.

Mary Bousted, Joint General-Secretary of the National Education Union, has called for greater clarity from the DfE with advice that applies specifically to schools and college.

Speaking tonight to FE Week, she said: “78 percent of the teaching and lecturing profession are female so the DfE should be alert to this and needs guidance on precautions pregnant staff should take in the context of working, or not, in schools and colleges.”

Bousted was critical of the DfE for “having no answers”, and added: “What the DfE should be doing is thinking about a duty of care to teachers and lectures and education professional and I don’t see that at the moment.”

One school leader, who did not wish to be named, told FE Week: “We’ve taken the view that pregnant staff shouldn’t attend work from tomorrow. The lack of help from the DfE is deafening.”

And a principal running a large college said: “We are recommending our pregnant staff to stay at home. All my focus is on supporting my staff and students but I understand that there’s a balance between medical decisions and staffing ones.

“We are in exceptional times and I’ve not doubt DfE are trying their best but they can’t leave us open much longer and a bigger issue for me is our international students being supported as many can’t return home.”