Ministers should remove the high-vis and get to work on apprentice stereotypes

If Gavin Williamson seriously wants the UK to match the technical and vocational education opportunities offered by Germany by 2029, he needs to address the persisting stigmatisation and stereotyping of apprentices, says Niamh Mulhall

As an apprentice I am all too aware of the perceptions and misconceptions surrounding apprenticeships. Young people are not just active consumers browsing the education and training supermarket and making choices based on price, quality and value; their decisions are influenced by a multitude of socio-structural constraints and, not least, by their family, friends and teachers.

Many professions could be almost exclusively apprenticeships if it weren’t for the marketisation of higher education that has turned degrees into lucrative courses for universities to sell. The fact that Gavin Williamson, the education secretary, refers to the “forgotten 50 per cent” – the half of young people who don’t go to university – reinforces a divide between academically-inclined students who go to university and the “others” who presumably will be trained to fill the jobs which his new skills and productivity board will tell him are needed for the modern economy.

In his first appearance in the Commons as prime minister, Boris Johnson, replying to a question from the former skills minister, Anne Milton, said: “The other kids should acquire the skills they need which can be just as valuable, can lead to just as fantastic careers.”

The other kids?

Last week, education minister Lord Agnew met engineering apprentices at Sunderland College. It says something about the lack of imagination of the government’s communications department that these publicity stunts always call for a hi-vis jacket and goggles – a far remove from the uniform the minister wore as a Rugby School pupil.

We must challenge the image of overalls and wrenches

Research by the charity Education and Employers and others consistently find careers advice, information and guidance in schools is scarce when it comes to apprenticeships. Most teachers have limited knowledge of them and don’t feel confident enough to suggest them to students. Factor in a school’s interest in retaining students into sixth form, and the default position is bias towards A-levels and university, something that I felt pressured to do.

Nearly two years ago, the Baker clause attempted to reset the balance, but just two in five schools are compliant and many training providers say it has had no impact in getting them access to schools.

We need to ensure that young people are aware of all the options. Having quality engagement with a breadth of employers and professionals throughout school life not only expands horizons, but can help to challenge stereotypical images of overalls and wrenches. This is just as true about gender where received perceptions of boys as doctors and girls as nurses are formed before the age of five and become ingrained; the job choices of seven-year-olds mirror those of 17-year olds.

Our research at The Apprentice Voice recently revealed that two-thirds (67.5 per cent) of apprentices still face stigmatisation or stereotyping, with 58 per cent saying the stigma came from colleagues and peers.

Williamson went to university, perhaps itself a testimony to the socially transformative effect of higher education advocated by Michael Gove and others all the way back to Tony Blair’s ambition for the “first” 50 per cent. Sadly, the reality for many is a university degree that doesn’t make them industry-ready, does not open the doors they hoped for and takes a long time to pay off.

Yes, we need quality apprenticeships above quantity and we need better careers education in schools so young people can make informed choices. But the fundamental difference between our vocational and technical education provision and Germany’s is that choosing an apprenticeship there is seen as a positive, not the second-best option that it is often perceived to be in the UK.

Until our policymakers model that attitudinal shift, the “other kids” will remain our ‘othered’ young people, and the chance to beat Germany will be lost to an own goal.

What to expect under the new framework when an inspectors calls

Ofsted’s new-style inspections have been much publicised, but some AELP members have been surprised by the new format. Simon Ashworth sets out what providers should expect and how to prepare.

The Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) has been hearing from its members that inspections under Ofsted’s new framework (EIF) was not what they expected and differed to what they had previously seen. Their comments echo those of Woodspeen Training in FE Week that the EIF represents “a pretty significant shift in focus”. So what are the main changes and how can providers be ready for them?

First, far less of the inspection process will be channelled through the nominee. The inspection team will instead work with the key individuals responsible for “curriculum areas”, which we believe is a really positive change.  

Second, Ofsted will review the provider’s curriculum – and that doesn’t simply mean programme content or materials. Inspectors now want to look at the whole end-to-end process of the provider’s programmes; hence the importance of having strong curriculum leads who are prepared for the new process.

Effective “curriculum sequencing” will be inspected to ensure that the provider’s programme has been designed, structured and delivered coherently and logically. This becomes even more important for programmes where there is now more teaching and less assessment.  

A good example to consider is how providers who deliver training to level 2 apprentices plan for and deliver not only the level 1 functional skills, but also the current requirement to work towards and at least take the level 2 functional skills test. The short answer is that it should not be an afterthought bolted on at the end.

Curriculum doesn’t simply mean programme content or materials

“Deep dive” inspections have now been added to the sector’s unrivalled liking for jargon. Much of the previous inspection activity was sometimes seen as operating in silos; for example inspectors would observe a class or hold a focus group with learners and report back on, say, teaching effectiveness. Under the deep dive regime, they may follow the journey of different learners all the way through their entire experience with the provider from recruitment to the preparation for end-point assessment.  

Data is less important, but from our discussions with Ofsted, providers should still be able to explain the reasons for their performance. With apprenticeships specifically, there is little comparable performance data for standards because of the move away from frameworks, so this is a sensible change. 

Nevertheless, one area of focus on is progression and destination data. A provider might have low achievement rates that look relatively poor on paper, but what is the story behind that? In the case of traineeships, qualification achievement rates might be low, because the learners left early as they got a job (one of the main aims of the programme) and didn’t have time to complete their maths and English qualifications as a result. Being able to articulate examples such as this is key to showing inspectors the whole picture.

On recognition of prior learning and off-the-job training, AELP is hearing reports of providers being misled and incorrectly advised to rip up their self-assessment reports (SARs) and quality improvement plans (QIPs) and rewrite these against the new EIF. Ofsted does not require this.

As providers move through their individual self-assessment cycle, they will naturally self-assess against the new framework. In the interim, it is worth considering the use of a positioning statement to sit alongside the SAR and QIP to help articulate to inspectors the transitional process and journey they are on.  

Remember that the SAR and the QIP are for the benefit of the provider and not a paper exercise to simply provide to Ofsted for inspection. Commensurately, Ofsted will place less emphasis on the accuracy of a SAR, but more on how effectively the provider uses the SAR and QIP to drive improvements. 

By understanding and preparing for these changes, a “deep dive” inspection should be limited to a few ripples rather than whipping up waves for providers.

It’s time to give back to the 300,000 young adult carers in this country

Each year more than two million adults and young people at college develop the knowledge and skills they need for work and wider life. Among them are tens of thousands of young adult carers – young people who care and support loved ones, but who, as a result, face significant disadvantage in learning and in work.

There are about 300,000 young adult carers in England. They are aged 16-24 and regularly provide unpaid care, usually for a family member. This is equivalent to about one in 20 young people, so the odds are there is at least one carer in your average college class.

It is estimated that young adult carers provide £5.5 billion worth of unpaid care each year. To put it in context, this is nearly double the adult education budget. Yet, despite their immeasurable contribution to society, they often face significant challenges in pursuing their aspirations and achieving their potential.

On average young adult carers achieve the equivalent of nine lower GCSE grades than their peers. They are three times more likely not to be in education, employment or training (NEET) and – despite the best efforts of teachers and support staff – are four times more likely to drop out of college.

Perhaps we should not be surprised. Young adult carers often miss days at college or have their study time disrupted as a result of caring, and 45 per cent say that their caring responsibilities negatively impact their mental health.

 

We should be outraged by their plight

But if we are not surprised, we should still be outraged by their plight. All young adult carers deserve the chance to realise their dreams and should be given the very best support to help them to succeed.

That’s why, building on our extensive track record of working with young adult carers, the Learning and Work Institute is delighted to be launching Driving Change, an ambitious new programme to narrow the gap in outcomes between young adult carers and their peers.

Supported by the National Lottery Community Fund, and working with the Carers Federation, the programme will offer free advice and intensive one-to-one support to colleges who wish to improve their support for young adult carers.

Based on a new Quality Standard in the Carers Support framework, participating colleges will be supported to review their current provision for young adult carers, to collaboratively identify and implement improvements, and to evaluate the impact of these changes.

We know the programme makes a difference. Colleges involved in the pilot reported a range of positive outcomes: from increased retention and attainment of young adult carers to stronger relationships with local carers’ services, from increased staff confidence in supporting young adult carers to improved job satisfaction.

And all of this makes a profound difference to the educational outcomes and life chances of young adult carers, such as Emily. Emily left school with few GCSEs, having had to balance schoolwork with caring for her mother, who is bipolar, since she was 11. With support from York College, she went on to gain English, maths and childcare qualifications before progressing on to an access diploma in social care and guidance several years later. Emily now works with young carers to ensure they too have the support they need to succeed.

One of the most inspiring features of Colleges Week has been the use of #loveourcolleges to recognise and celebrate the difference FE makes to individuals, employers and communities.

What better way to mark the celebration of the sector than to re-commit to some of its most vulnerable learners? We want to recruit 12 colleges from across England and Wales to join the programme. It is a fantastic opportunity to improve outcomes for young adult carers and ensure there are even more reasons to #LoveOurColleges!

 

Colleges interested in being part of the programme should contact Jackie.Woodhours@learningandwork.org.uk by November 12

College quality hits record high

A record high proportion of Ofsted-inspected colleges are now rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’, FE Week can reveal.

Our analysis of inspection grades shows an impressive 78 per cent of all general FE colleges have been placed in the top two categories as of August 31, 2019, up from 76 per cent in 2017/18.

It is the highest proportion since comparable records began in 2015 and brings colleges within just three percentage points of the FE and skills sector average of 81 per cent.

Gavin Williamson

The achievement is set to feature in Ofsted’s chief inspector’s annual report in December, and has been praised by the education secretary.

“I am very pleased to see that the standards of our colleges are continuing to rise,” Gavin Williamson said after being shown FE Week’s analysis.

He described FE as a “vital” part of the education system and expressed his thanks to all lecturers, leaders and support staff for their hard work.

FE Week’s analysis shows that colleges have bounced back from a low of 69 per cent in 2017, after 71 per cent were graded ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted in 2016.

A total of 77 per cent of colleges were found to be in the inspectorate’s top two categories in 2015, when the current methodology started to be used to calculate the percentage of providers judged ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’.

There are currently no general FE colleges with Ofsted’s lowest grade of ‘inadequate,’ matching the 0 per cent score of grade four ratings last year.

However, part of the reason for this is the mergers of poorly-rated colleges which have been carried out over the past two years. When two colleges merge, both have their Ofsted grades wiped.

Between September 2015 and March 2019 the Department for Education carried out post-16 area reviews, which resulted in 57 mergers by April 1, 2019.

Interestingly, a quarter of all colleges (42 out of 171) currently have no Ofsted grade because of these mergers, up from 38 last year.

Ofsted said merged colleges are “treated as new entities, and we inspect them within three years of the merger”.

“This explains why there are a proportion of general further education colleges that have not yet received their full inspection in each year,” a spokesperson added.

“This in turn reflects the historically high number of college mergers that have taken place since 2016.

“However, a number of newly-merged colleges that have not yet had their full inspection have received a monitoring visit (which is an interim type of inspection), especially those that had predecessor colleges that were previously judged ‘inadequate’ or ‘requires improvement’.”

FE Week’s analysis shows just two colleges fell out of the top ‘outstanding’ category last year, with Eastleigh College receiving a grade two and Swindon College dropping to grade three.

Nelson and Colne College also lost its grade one after a merger with Accrington and Rossendale College, which was previously rated ‘good’.

Fourteen colleges moved up to grade two in 2019. Six colleges dropped down from ‘good’ to ‘requires improvement’ between 2018 and 2019.

David Corke, director of education and skills policy at the Association of Colleges, said: “The excellent work and support provided by teachers and staff means colleges up and down the country are some of the best places to study and train.”

Williamson said the Department for Education has worked closely with Ofsted in developing its new inspection framework, which was rolled out in September.

“We are fully united in our drive to ensure all young people can benefit from a high standard of education,” he added.

“We recently announced a funding boost of £400 million for our sixth forms and colleges – the biggest injection of new money into 16 to 19 education in a single year since 2010 – so that we can continue to develop world-class education and skills, as well as the supply and quality of the FE workforce.”

Declining Ofsted oversight

The number of Ofsted inspections to general FE colleges almost halved last year.

Only 19 per cent of all colleges were visited by the education watchdog in 2018/19 compared to 36 per cent the year before.

This equates to oversight of 33 out of 171 colleges in 2018/19, following 64 out of 178 colleges being inspected in 2017/18 – a 48 per cent drop.

Overall oversight across the whole FE and skills sector dropped from 19 per cent being inspected in 2017/18 to 12 per cent last year.

A spokesperson from Ofsted told FE Week: “Ofsted inspects colleges, and all further education and skills providers, in a risk proportionate way and in accordance with the timeframes detailed in the inspection handbook.

“We do not inspect providers simply for the sake of doing so.”

One of the likely reasons for this decline in oversight is funding cuts to the inspectorate.

Ofsted is in line to lose £15 million between 2016/17 and 2019/20 from its inspection budget, which is predicted to fall by 10 per cent from £141,685,000 to £127,100,000.

Another cause for the reduction in inspections could be the number of college mergers after the Department for Education carried out post-16 area reviews.

After August 2017, colleges classed as ‘new’ because of mergers will receive a full inspection within three years of their creation.

And from August 31, 2018, a policy change was introduced to extend short inspection cycles from three to five years.

However, Ofsted did not agree with the premise that area reviews and the number of mergers may have prevented it from carrying out more inspections.

“We inspect as we find: if a college is providing further education, then it is subject to inspection,” a spokesperson said.

David Corke

“It’s not relevant to think of area reviews or mergers as somehow blocking inspection. They continue to happen just as Ofsted continues to inspect colleges.”

David Corke, director of education and skills policy at the Association of Colleges, provided further explanation of the decline in oversight: “As the new inspection framework is rolled out, it isn’t uncommon to see a dip in inspections under the current framework, which is in its last year.

“Several inspections within the new EIF have taken place recently, with early reports suggesting it is more authentic and developmental.”

FE Week’s findings follow greater emphasis on oversight of FE colleges, with both the Education and Skills Funding Agency and the National Audit Office launching their own investigations.

The government announced Dame Mary Ney would lead a review into the way the Department for Education monitors college finances and financial management at the end of August, with college leaders later being asked to submit their views on ESFA oversight.

Earlier that month the National Audit Office said it was also preparing to launch a value-for-money review on the management of colleges’ financial sustainability.

And in September Ofsted announced plans to publish financial ratings as part of inspection reports in the future.

The move will not be part of the watchdog’s new inspection framework, which launched in the same month, as a spokesperson told FE Week it is something for a “longer-term piece of work with the government”.

‘Worryingly low’ number of BAME college leaders to be tackled with new scheme

A ‘Diversity in Leadership Programme’ is to be launched, following analysis published by FE Week which found just 7 per cent of college principals are Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic (BAME).

The Education and Training Foundation is aiming to roll out the scheme by Christmas.

It will have four strands: unconscious bias workshops; one-to-one coaching for aspiring leaders; a diversity charter for the whole FE sector to sign up to; and new toolkits.

“People from diverse backgrounds will naturally bring in different perspective”

The programme, which will be offered free of charge, comes hot on the heels of an FE Week investigation from July that found the number of colleges led by a non-white principal has fallen to a low of 7 per cent.

And analysis of staff individualised record data compiled by the ETF, published last year, indicated that just 6.8 per cent of senior and middle managers in FE colleges hail from a BAME background.

Ali Hadawi, principal at Central Bedfordshire College, welcomed the ETF’s scheme, especially if it adopts a “two-pronged approach”.

“If it has one on practitioners to support and nurture and another which has a targeted strand of work on governing bodies especially in colleges that are about to recruit a new chief executive or deputy, to work with governors (and especially chairs), then it would be a good approach,” he told FE Week.

Kirsti Lord, the Association of Colleges’ deputy chief executive, said the number of diverse FE leaders is “worryingly low” and her organisation will work closely with the ETF “to increase the numbers of BAME leaders so staff in further education reflect the communities they serve”.

Mark Wright, the ETF’s head of leadership development, added that the diversity scheme is needed because “people from diverse backgrounds will naturally bring in thoughts and different perspectives which helps break out of the groupthinking that some colleges have fallen into in the past”.

A series of groups aimed at increasing the number of ethnic minority college bosses have ended in recent times.

This includes the disbanding of the AoC’s BAME Principals’ Group in 2017, the failed attempt to revive the Network for Black and Asian Professionals in 2016, and in 2015 the closure of the Black Leadership Initiative, which was launched in 2002.

An equality and diversity steering group has been set up by the AoC in recent months to reverse this trend.

Lord said the group is “beginning to take shape” and its first meeting took place in May. The AoC could not say who the members of the group are at this stage.

A £130,000 tender seeking a partner to implement and help design the Diversity in Leadership programme was launched by the ETF last week.

“The aim of this programme is to challenge bias, remove obstacles to achieving leadership roles and to use tools such as coaching to motivate and build confidence in aspiring leaders across the sector so they can develop sufficient leadership capacity to achieve senior leadership roles,” it said.

Wright told FE Week that the unconscious bias workshops were trialled earlier this year and will involve one-day sessions aimed at team leaders, governors and senior HR practitioners in FE.

Ali Hadawi

“It is about getting the right people in the room who can make a difference because they are the decision makers across the organisation,” he explained.

The one-to-one mentoring side of the programme will include around seven coaching sessions over a number of months in which candidates will be trained to identify “some of their own internal blocks to wanting to take steps forward”.

“Often, people from diverse backgrounds feel the weight of society saying they shouldn’t be taking those positions and that gets internalised – so it is partly unpicking that, building up their leadership skills to make them feel confident to want to go forward,” Wright said.

He added that the diversity charter will be a significant part of the programme, which will be co-created with the whole FE sector.

“FE doesn’t have one as such, although it is something that is quite well developed in HE and in schools. Although colleges are mindful of diversity there is not really that head of steam that would be created by a diversity charter.”

Wright was keen to stress that the Diversity in Leadership programme is not limited to people from BAME backgrounds. People of all genders, sexuality and physical ability can sign up.

Ofsted slams training for 500 apprentices at ‘world leading’ security firm

A new provider that trains nearly 500 apprentices for a “world leading” security company has been rapped by Ofsted.

Inspectors listed a catalogue of issues with the training delivered by EGS Nationwide Limited, which was found making ‘insufficient progress’ in two areas of an early monitoring report.

The sole employer it works with is G4S Care & Justice Services (UK) Ltd, which was itself branded ‘inadequate’ across the board by the education watchdog in an inspection it had in 2013. It later had its own government skills contracts terminated.

“Too few apprentices develop significant new knowledge, skills and behaviours”

It appears that G4S is continuing to let its trainees down, after Ofsted reported in today’s report that leaders at EGS “do not take enough steps to ensure that the employer fulfils its obligation to apprentices”.

“The employer does not adequately release apprentices to complete off-the-job training or provide apprentices with a workplace supervisor,” inspectors said.

“Therefore, too few apprentices develop significant new knowledge, skills and behaviours.”

Supervisors are “too often based in different locations” meaning the majority of apprentices “do not receive first-hand feedback on their progress in the workplace and cannot access the support that they need to achieve their goals”.

Ofsted also found that around a fifth of apprentices should have completed their programme by now but cannot progress to their end-point assessment because of leaders’ poor arrangements.

Inspectors said that leaders “do not have adequate oversight of apprenticeship provision” and they “do not measure progress to identify the necessary steps for apprentices to complete their programme on time”.

“Of the apprentices who are past their planned end date, most of those who need to achieve functional skills qualifications in English and maths have not done so,” they added.

At the time of the monitoring visit, EGS trained 499 apprentices based in locations around the country for G4S.

Over two thirds of the apprentices are studying the level 2 customer service standard, while just over a quarter are studying the level 3 team leader. The remainder are studying the level 3 business administrator standard.

A spokesperson for EGS said the organisation “remains committed” to delivering apprenticeships and is “working with both Ofsted and employers to ensure findings are addressed”.

Head of Apprenticeships for G4S in the UK, Tony Summers, said the employer works “hard” to ensure staff get the “internal support they need to further develop their skills and we have processes in place to make sure programmes are delivered to our own high standards”.

“We are working closely with EGS to support them in acting on the recommendations made by this inspection,” he added.

Ofsted did praise EGS leaders for using their “knowledge of the security industry to plan the curriculum to meet the employer’s training needs”.

Trainers also support apprentices “well” to develop their English and math skills, which develops their confidence and benefits their work in the workplace.

EGS was found making ‘reasonable progress’ in safeguarding, an area which Ofsted said is given a “high priority”.

“They implement and apply a suite of policies effectively to provide high levels of support for staff and apprentices in difficult situations,” inspectors added.

Any provider found making ‘insufficient progress’ in an early monitoring report is usually suspended from recruiting apprentices, until it improves to at least ‘requires improvement’ in a full Ofsted inspection.

Sixth form staff march across Westminster to protest for fairer college funding

“We want the Department for Education to love our colleges” was the message from sixth form staff marching across Westminster to hand officials a £700 million invoice today.

After 25 colleges voted to take strike action today, staff turned up in their hundreds in Westminster to sign the invoice they say represented the funding shortfall for post-16 education.

The strike was orchestrated by the National Education Union (NEU) and joint general secretary Mary Bousted told the strikers: “We want the DfE and the government to love our colleges and value the essential work you do.

“We want them to listen, and we want them to act.”

NEU’s joint general secretary Kevin Courtney said he was “pleased” with the £400 million promised for 16 to 19 education by the Treasury in August, but “we just think there is another £700 million after that we are going to need to get from them”.

It’s dramatically impacting on young people’s life choices

Shadow FE minister Gordon Marsden had been due to speak, but had to pull out due to Brexit duties; but Labour MP and NEU member Nic Dakin did attend, and said: “Keep putting pressure on us in Parliament, because we need it.

“I bang away week in and week out on 16 to 19 funding – I am a boring record; I need more boring records to get the message out.”

The march set off from Sanctuary Building, opposite the Home Office, past the Houses of Parliament and then down to the Department for Education.

Asked why she was out on strike, Niamh Sweeney from Long Road Sixth Form College in Cambridge answered: “There are schools expanding their sixth form in Cambridgeshire, funded at almost £2,000 more per student than we are.

“We’ve had huge cuts in subjects, support staff have lost their jobs, we don’t have in-classroom support for any learner with SEND anymore and it’s dramatically impacting on young people’s life choices.”

NEU representative for City & Islington College Pippa Dodswell said their support services, such as IT and HR, had been “absolutely decimated” and centralised following a merger with Westminster Kingsway.

Manish Patel from The Sixth Form College Solihull said the funding cuts had led to “bigger classes, cuts in the arts and humanities and languages – so it’s not equipping students for the 21st century economy”.

When the march arrived outside the Department for Education, Bousted and the NEU’s national executive member for post-16 Jean Evanson handed the invoice to a member of staff while the strikers lined the pavements by the entrance.

Support services have been absolutely decimated

While sixth form college staff participated in the strike, none of their principals were there in support.

The Sixth Form Colleges Association, which runs the Raise the Rate campaign calling for more 16 to 19 funding, said the leaders did not back the action as it would have disrupted teaching.

Bill Watkin, chief executive of the SFCA, added that it was “important to note that this strike action is not targeted at the colleges”.

The NEU is looking at further strike action on 5 November and 20 November.

UTC facing apprenticeship recruitment freeze after Ofsted criticism

The first university technical college to receive an early monitoring visit for its apprenticeship provision has been heavily criticised by Ofsted.

London Design and Engineering University Technical College (LDE UTC) was found making ‘insufficient progress’ in two out of the three themes assessed and can now expect to be suspended from recruiting apprentices.

Inspectors found that apprentices, who have been on programme for up to two years, are “unsure of the structure of their programme”.

They are also “unclear about the progress they are making” and “how long they are due to be on the apprenticeship”.

In addition, inspectors found “assessors do not explain sufficiently clearly to apprentices how they should prepare for end-point assessments” or “visit apprentices in the workplace frequently enough”.

LDE UTC, based in the London Borough of Newham, delivers level 3 apprenticeships in a range of engineering, building services and civil engineering standards.

A total of 32 apprentices were on programme during the early monitoring visit, with most working for employers across Greater London.

It also offers full-time provision for learners aged 14 to 19 but this was inspected separately in October 2018 and rated as ‘requires improvement’ under Ofsted’s school inspection framework.

The UTC’s early monitoring report found that “assessors do not recruit all the apprentices to the most appropriate level of programme, relative to their prior knowledge, qualifications and career aspirations,” with a minority of apprentices indicating the training does not challenge them sufficiently.

The classroom and work-based components are not delivered “in a logical or sequential order.”

This resulted in apprentices struggling to link the theoretical aspects of the course with the practical skills they acquire in their workplaces.

Moreover, inspectors believe staff are “too relaxed” about submission deadlines and do not offer “suitably useful or timely feedback.”

A few apprentices have also been placed in desk and office based roles despite much of the apprenticeship requiring them to develop practical and field based skills.

But the teachers were commended for implementing “an innovative blend of classroom and online learning materials” which enables apprentices to work flexibly.

Ofsted also noted that a change in management has resulted in the identification of major challenges required to improve quality of the UTC’s apprenticeships, although it was deemed “too early to judge their effectiveness”.

The executive was praised for the development of strong links with employers.

The UTC received a ‘reasonable progress’ score in ensuring effective safeguarding arrangements are in place.

Inspectors stated leaders and managers have established “a sound set of policies and procedures associated with safeguarding and the welfare of learners” and noted a “suitably trained” safeguarding lead oversees effective implementation when issues arise. 

Any provider found making ‘insufficient progress’ in an early monitoring report is usually suspended from recruiting apprentices, until it improves to at least ‘requires improvement’ in a full Ofsted inspection.

LDE UTC was approached for comment.

AoC: Replace Erasmus+ if the UK is kicked out after Brexit

The government needs to pursue every avenue to stay in a Europe-wide student exchange scheme regardless the outcome of Brexit, or fund a replacement programme, the Association of Colleges has said.

The membership organisation is concerned about the potential loss of Erasmus+ – a long-running mobility programme that funds opportunities for students to learn and work across Europe.

New research by the AoC has found that over 100 colleges have taken part in the most recent cycle of the scheme – from 2014 to 2020 – which has awarded them around €77 million to fund over 30,000 placements.

It is expected that the UK will lose access to this fund if the country leaves the EU.

A snapshot survey of 33 AoC members found that UK colleges rate Erasmus+ 4.71 out of 5 in terms of level of benefit.

The study, published today, also shows that 94 per cent of the colleges could not offer their students the chance to complete a placement abroad without Erasmus+ or a post-Brexit replacement programme.

Emma Meredith, AoC’s international director, said: “Whatever the outcome of Brexit negotiations, young people’s futures must be protected. Erasmus+ is the key route for college students to experience a short period working or training in another country.

“Our survey clearly shows that the programme is too valuable and beneficial to not be invested in or replaced, if or when the UK leaves the European Union.”

She added that the current international education strategy “must go further” if the government is serious about helping the UK “punch above its weight” internationally and serious about “providing parity of opportunity to all students”.

The AoC’s survey found that all college students who take part in Erasmus+ “return with increased self-confidence alongside other key soft skills”.

Ann Marie Graham, chief executive at the UK Council for International Student Affairs, said the research is evidence that international exchange is “critical to the success of our colleges”.

“We urge the government to continue to support this activity through Erasmus+ or a replacement programme,” she added.

The AoC said any replacement programme needs to guarantee the same level of access and opportunity to colleges as Erasmus+ does now, and officials should involve the college sector in its design.

“A replacement programme should include mobility opportunities within the EU,” the report added.

“It should not be restricted to the Commonwealth, English-speaking countries or to an intra-UK scheme.”

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “The government has repeatedly made clear that it values international exchange and collaboration in education.

“The education secretary recently told the sector that we are open to continuing in schemes like Erasmus+ but we have to prepare for every eventuality, which is why we are looking to a truly ambitious scheme if necessary.

“The department has committed to cover funding for successful Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps bids until the end of the programme in 2020 if the UK leaves the EU without a deal. We continue to prepare for a range of potential outcomes.”