The leader of a high-profile college has called for greater support in navigating the government’s increasingly complex and high-stake audit system, after falling foul of data rules.

Lowell Williams, chief executive of Dudley College, says there is a “spectrum of issues” arising out of audits that have created an environment that doesn’t encourage “people to work together to solve the core problem”.

“I’m a national leader of further education and we go in and work with colleges on teaching, learning, engaging staff, communication and strategic planning, but I’m not aware of an equivalent line of support available for people getting the data systems right,” he said.

We’re going from no support to audit of the nth degree

“I would like the possibility for the sector to sit down openly with the Education and Skills Funding Agency and the audit firms and say, ‘We are having difficulty with some of this stuff’, and feel they can do that if they have made mistakes and that they won’t be castigated for it.”

Williams was speaking exclusively to FE Week just months after Dudley College had to pay back more than £500,000 to the Department for Education after an audit exposed numerous late withdrawals of learners, non-compliance with breaks in learning, and overstated achievement rates.

The chief executive of the Ofsted grade one college apologised for the “blunder” at the time and said he had even considered resigning over it.

But since then, his team has made a catalogue of significant improvements in their data tracking and recording processes, which will help to prevent the errors that have occurred in previous years.

Williams is now planning to share the results of the “action plan” (click here to read) with the wider sector, and wants a tripartite partnership between government, audit firms and providers to tackle the complex system.

He said the range of providers falling foul of audits go from “very serious calculated fraudulent activity at the extreme end, to, at the other end, mismanagement of complex data”.

One of the most “difficult things” for Dudley was that it “has been associated in the same breath as people who are doing some of this stuff for profit and personal private profit, in a way which warrants investigation by the police”, Williams said.

He continued: “There is virtually nowhere you can go if you are a college principal with a data issue which doesn’t end up in difficulty for you, and that is the problem.

“We gave back half-a-million pounds which we hadn’t anticipated doing. Our financial health was in a place where we gave it back and that was OK, but for others, that could have been a destabilising number. There is no incentive for people to be open about the difficulties they have.

“We’re going from no support to audit of the nth degree, in the most complex and difficult funding system that one could imagine, with huge consequences at the end of it.”

Williams said the fault does not just lie with ESFA staff, because their capacity has been “diminished over the years”.

“There was a time where if you did have an issue you could ring somebody up and they would come in and have a chat and give support and advice,” he explained.

“I sense the agency has pushed themselves to ensure they’re not held accountable for public funds being wasted.”

FE Week revealed in February that several dozen providers had been hit with recent mystery audits, after the ESFA raised concern about the reliability of their data. They not only faced a funding clawback, but were also removed from the official achievement rate tables.

Dudley College is planning on sharing its follow-up audit report, conducted by auditing firm RSM last month, with the sector from today (July 5).

“We will invite any college that wants to discuss it further to have a discussion with us,” he said.

“We’re quite happy to make that report available and the formulas and everything that goes with it if other people would like to use it.”

Williams concluded: “At the end of the day it was the college’s error, it is our responsibility to get the administration right as well as Ofsted right. We have now learnt a hard lesson about not being complacent for the need to check and double-check every aspect of your individual learner records management to get it right.”

A board that was set up by government to increase apprenticeship starts has been quietly binned – with officials claiming its objectives have been “fulfilled”.

This reason “borders on the surreal”, according to shadow skills minister Gordon Marsden, especially after a new co-chair was appointed as recently as July 2018, who described the board’s work as “so important” at the time.

The Apprenticeship Delivery Board (ADB) was launched four years ago and had representatives from high-profile employers, including the likes of Barclays, Fujitsu and the NHS as members.

Its key purpose was to: “Implement an employer-engagement strategy to deliver an increase in high-quality apprenticeships starts, and to support a greater volume and more diverse number of people applying for and starting apprenticeships to meet growing demand.”

But after months of inactivity, and with no board meeting minutes published since October, FE Week asked if it was still running.

After initially stating that there would be an update “in due course” two weeks ago, a Department for Education spokesperson has now said: “The Apprenticeship Delivery Board fulfilled its objectives and was dissolved on June 24.”

Trudy Harrison (pictured), MP for Copeland and the board’s co-chair, told FE Week the decision was taken “by both chairs in conjunction with the ESFA after extensive thinking about the remit and functions of the board”.

The board’s other co-chair was Claire Paul, the director of leadership development and new talent at the BBC. She only attended two meetings after joining in July. She declined to comment on its closure.

The minutes of the board’s last meeting in October suggest there was no plan to shut it down, especially as it was agreed to change its name to the “Apprenticeship Sector Development Board with immediate effect”.

They also state the co-chairs had asked that “board member sector delivery plans be completed by the end of December 2018”.

“Claire and Trudy also plan to arrange individual meetings with each board member before the next board meeting in February 2019,” the minutes add.

Furthermore, minutes from the meeting in July state how Harrison reported that her experience in her constituency “is that there is still a need for more employers offering apprenticeship positions” – another clear sign that the board had not yet fully achieved its objectives.

Marsden said the situation “borders on the surreal”.

“We know there have been all sorts of problems with the delivery board, with its management, with the people appointed, and the fact they were not transparent with their minutes, and now we’re told it has fulfilled its objectives.”

The controversial board member Marsden referred to was David Meller, former co-chair of the Presidents Club, which faced allegations of sexual harassment by guests at its January 2018 charity dinner. He was co-chair of the ADB at the time, but stood down shortly after the scandal.

Marsden continued: “This doesn’t exactly give employers, or indeed anybody, wanting to engage around apprenticeship delivery much confidence.

“When the new government comes in, and whoever is education secretary or skills minister, they need to work very hard at engagement and also engagement with apprentices themselves. Again, we have an apprentice group but use of it by officials and ministers has certainly in any formal sense been negligible.”

He said he will table a parliamentary question to find out what the criteria was for the board “having fulfilled its objectives”, as he believes their impact has been “barely on the radar”.

The ADB’s closure comes hot on the heels of the education secretary Damian Hinds admitting the government will miss its target of 3 million apprenticeship starts by next year.

“If you look only at the number of people starting an apprenticeship, then that target is not going to be reached,” Hinds told the education select committee last week.

Hinds did not give a fresh timetable for reaching the starts target, which was set in the Conservative Party’s 2015 election manifesto. Instead, hr said the focus ought to be on the quality of apprenticeships.

The chair of major high-street employer Ryman, ex-Dragon’s Den star Theo Paphitis, has accused the Institute of Apprenticeships and Technical Education of “damaging” apprenticeship quality.

This follows IfATE’s decision to cut funding to the level 3 retail team leader and the level 4 retail manager standards, from £5,000 to £4,000 and £6,000 to £5,000 respectively.

Paphitis told FE Week that reducing those funding bands is “damaging to the quality apprenticeships we want to offer”, as it will mean training providers could struggle to provide learners with the breadth of learning experience that Ryman would prefer.

Both are popular standards, with 5,119 starts for the retail team leader standard, and 2,369 for the retail manager standard, according to latest ESFA starts data to January 2019.

The stationery giant may be forced to pay top-ups to finance the programme it wants providers to deliver, Paphitis said.

He added: “We are great believers in quality, not quantity. Reducing the costs will make it even harder for some companies to spend their pot in the way it was originally intended.”

The retail apprenticeships were two of 17 standards that had revised funding bands published this week, following a review by the IfATE.

This latest stinging criticism of IfATE’s decision-making will not be welcomed by skills minister Anne Milton, who told FE Week she wanted the quango to have a much more “collaborative relationship” with providers.

There is little sign of that this week, with hospitality apprenticeship provider HIT Training accusing the institute of engaging in a “race to the bottom”.

Two level 3 hospitality standards have been cut from £5,000 to £4,000 this week: hospitality supervisor and senior production chef.

A spokesperson said the institute “always call on us for support when there is a funding band review, but frankly, it seems that in spite of providing a significant evidence base, they invariably choose the cheapest option”.

“We will cut our cloth to suit, but it is a real pity high-quality provision will be removed from the sector,” they added.

People 1st, which represents the standards’ trailblazer groups, appealed against IfATE’s decision to cut the four standards.

All four appeals were rejected by IfATE, as were two against cuts to the level 3 bus and coach engineering technician standard, which was cut from £18,000 to £16,000; and the level 3 heavy-vehicle service and maintenance technician, which was cut from £18,000 to £15,000.

The cuts may mean training providers decide these two standards are not viable to run, warned the standards’ trailblazer group representative, head of fleet at First Bus Jon Harman.

Of the 17 new funding bands published this week, only one standard had an increase: the level 3 highway electrician/service operative, from £9,000 to £12,000.

Six remained the same, while ten have had cuts.

There have been two funding band reviews, in May last year and the following December, which have led to several standards having funding cuts, including the popular chartered manager degree apprenticeship.

Three funding band reviews from December are outstanding.

An IfATE spokesperson said: “The aim for all standards reviewed is to ensure they have the most appropriate funding band to support high-quality delivery, and provide value for money for employers and taxpayers.

“Each standard has been considered on its own merits following the same approach used throughout the review process to ensure consistency.”

The spokesperson said IfATE had worked collaboratively with trailblazer groups and collated evidence that was used fairly and in a balanced way.

“We welcome feedback and will assess the impact of any changes to funding bands over the coming months, taking action where appropriate.”

The winners of the ninth annual BTEC Awards have been recognised at a ceremony featuring performances, celebrity appearances and a bucket load of vocational talent.

Awards were presented to 21 winners in 20 categories, following deliberations by an expert panel of 52 judges, including the managing director of FE Week publisher Lsect, Shane Mann.

The winner of the creative media student of the year award, Sam Pope from The Bath Studio School, was described by his teacher as a “serious talent” who “goes beyond what is expected” while mentoring classmates too.

His short films have even landed him a role in an upcoming professional feature film by award-winning director Kae Bahar.

The awards were held in Westminster and run by Pearson, and its president in the UK, Rod Bristow, said: “All of those that won this year deserve huge congratulations and stand every chance of continuing that success into the careers they are now ready to start.

“This year’s awards are a fantastic celebration of them, alongside the schools, colleges, universities, training providers, and employers, who have underpinned their efforts.”

Hosting the awards was TV’s Steph McGovern, and the ceremony was also attended by Olympic gold medallist Max Whitlock, presenting the award for School of the Year.

The winner of the business and enterprise student of the year award, Ttanya Sachdev from Braeburn International School Arusha in Tanzania, earned her award after starting her own tuck shop business for teachers and students.

Performing at the ceremony were the four winners of the Showstopper Challenge, groups from schools and colleges offering BTECs in the performing arts: Deanery High School, D16 Performing Arts College, Jackie Palmer Academy and Bury College.

In a recent poll, Pearson has found that two thirds of medium sized businesses have hired BTEC graduates in the last five years. One such graduate is the winner of the hospitality, travel and tourism student of the year award Luke Bearpark from Exeter College, who has landed himself a job on the international cabin crew for British Airways.

Another college winner was East Surrey’s Francesca Horn, the winner of the art and design student of the year gong, whose work has previously been featured on BBC News.

The winner of the child, health and social care student of the year award, Teanna Maguire from Sir John Deanes sixth form college was described as a “shining star” with an “exemplary work ethic”.

Kasra Soltani, only came to England four years ago, yet his time and effort at Croydon College earned him this year’s construction student of the year award.

Shalini Rajan, the winner of teacher of the year, was said to be “empowering her students by embracing modern teaching and learning strategies” at The Winchester School in Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates.

The winners are:

• BTEC Art and Design Student of the Year: Francesca Horn, East Surrey College, UK
• BTEC Business and Enterprise Student of the Year: Ttanya Sachdev, Braeburn International School Arusha, Tanzania
• BTEC Child and Social Care Student of the Year: Teanna Maguire, Sir John Deane’s Sixth Form College, UK
• BTEC Construction Student of the Year: Kasra Soltani, Croydon College, UK
• BTEC Creative Media Student of the Year: Sam Pope, The Bath Studio School, UK
• BTEC Engineering Student of the Year: Ryan Kimber, Isle of Wight College, UK
• BTEC Hospitality, Travel and Tourism Student of the Year: Luke Bearpark, Exeter College, UK
• BTEC Land-based Student of the Year: Chloe Rochester, Bishop Burton College, UK
• BTEC Music Student of the Year: Katie Cherry, Holmer Green Secondary School, UK
• BTEC Performing Arts Student of the Year: Millie Davey, Scarborough TEC, UK
• BTEC Public Services Student of the Year: Ryan Jolly, East Surrey College, UK
• BTEC Science Student of the Year: Abbie Densham, Exeter College, UK
• BTEC Sport Student of the Year: Dominika Bzdon, Nelson and Colne College, UK
             
• BTEC Apprentice 16-18 of the Year: Connor Coupland, Leeds College of Building, UK
• BTEC Apprentice 19+ of the Year: Christopher Meredith, Leeds College of Building, UK
• BTEC School of the Year: Milton Abbey School, UK
• BTEC College of the Year: Sunderland College, UK
   
• BTEC Teacher of the Year: Shalini Rajan, The Winchester School, Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates
• BTEC Tutor of the Year: Gwyn Williams, Abingdon and Witney College, UK
• BTEC Students of the Year 2019: 
  • Josephine Kiaga, Braeburn International School Arusha, Tanzania
  • Christopher Meredith, Leeds College of Building, UK

Scandal-hit Hadlow College has scored well in its first Ofsted monitoring visit since it went into administration.

The college, which became the first provider to fall under the new insolvency regime in May, received three ‘reasonable progress’ ratings. Its last full inspection, in 2010, resulted in a grade one.

In its report published today, inspectors said the interim principal, Graham Morley, “supported effectively by the educational administrators, senior leaders and the advisory group, has made sure that the education of students at the college has not been adversely affected” by the recent tumult.

Since February, when FE Commissioner Richard Atkins visited the college, Hadlow has seen the resignations of its principal Paul Hannan, deputy principal Mark Lumsdon-Taylor, board chair Theresa Bruton, as well as several governors, following allegations of financial irregularities.

However, replacements have been appointed, including Morley and a new chair of governors, Andrew Baird, who chairs East Surrey College’s board and is a National Leader of Governance.

The new leaders and managers have recognised a historical decline in achievement rates for learners on study programmes, which fell by 2.7 per cent between 2015-16 and 2017-18, according to today’s report.

They have “planned carefully to improve student retention” by giving students initial advice to make sure they are more aware of their course’s requirements, and identified when a learner is at risk of leaving a course and scheduled talks with them prior to this point to inspire them.

Systems have been developed to improve classroom performance, and leaders and managers can effectively check and improve the quality of curriculum areas.

They support staff well to make changes that help more learners to achieve their qualifications, such as when introducing GCSE resits for English and maths last year, which led to a higher proportion of learners who take these examinations achieving grades four to nine.

“Students value and enjoy the courses that they study,” inspectors found, benefitting from “high-quality resources and equipment that teachers use to develop their understanding of their industries well”.

Learners also benefit from a wide range of enrichment activities at the land-based college: equine students complete British Horse Society qualifications to make them of greater value to employers; and horticulture students can access the college’s nationally recognised collection of hellebore flowers.

The college’s 200 apprentices benefit from well-planned programmes, both for frameworks and standards, and “develop the skills, knowledge and workplace behaviours they need to be successful”: out of the 14 apprentices on the golf green-keeping standard, half of them have achieved a distinction.

This report will be welcomed good news to Hadlow College, which has been the subject to months of negative press following what Atkins called an “extremely serious financial situation”.

He found the board, many of the members of which Hadlow shared with West Kent and Ashford College (WKAC), had failed in their fiduciary duty; to the extent, Atkins told FE Week, the college would not have been able to make payroll in February without exceptional financial support.

Ofsted told FE Week in May it was keeping the college under review.

Hadlow College was part of the Hadlow Group of colleges with WKAC, which ran a portfolio of businesses including a visitor and business park, a vineyard, a cookery school – Atkins said neither of the latter two were financially successful.

The park, Betteshanger Sustainable Parks, went up for sale the week the college went into administration.

A government department is pumping £100,000 into a pilot designed to get around the inflexibilities of apprenticeship levy rules for the creative industries.

UK film and television businesses have struggled more than most to make use of their levy funding since the policy’s introduction in 2017, with figures from industry body ScreenSkills showing they’ve only spent a quarter of the £20 million they annually pay into the pot.

The main issue is that apprenticeships must last for a minimum of 12 months, but most roles in TV and film are freelance and usually only run for two to three months.

To overcome this barrier, culture secretary Jeremy Wright used a visit to the set of Bond 25 at Pinewood Studios today to announce a pilot.

It will aim for around 25 apprentices to be employed by a provider, which will be similar to an apprenticeship training agency, and be placed on multiple placements for major films and TV shows during a 12-month programme.

It is planned to launch later this year, but details still need to be ironed out.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport told FE Week it is yet to be decided whether it will be the delivery partner that will be paid the £100,000. The partner is expected to be appointed over the next few months.

Seetha Kumar, chief executive of ScreenSkills, which will lead on the pilot, welcomed the government’s “move to working with us to unlock the apprenticeship levy for the screen industries”.

“The opportunity to earn while you learn has huge potential to encourage new and diverse talent to join our booming film and television sector while tackling its skills needs,” she said.

“The pilot will provide an opportunity to stress-test a new approach to using levy funds to deliver high-quality training. We are working on ironing out the details as it is vital to find a way for the apprenticeship levy to support UK screen.”

Barbara Broccoli, the producer for EON Productions Ltd, said the film industry is projecting “severe skill shortages” in the next 5 to 10 years and it is “vital we invest in training through apprenticeships, to ensure that we have a healthy and diverse workforce in the future”.

Education secretary Damian Hinds applauded the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport for “investing in apprenticeships to help more young people from underrepresented groups to pursue a career in TV and film”.

“There are a range of high-quality and exciting apprenticeship opportunities available in creative industries – everything from Junior 2D Artist, to Broadcast production assistant or Post production technical operator,” he added.

The levy requires employers with payrolls greater than £3 million to set aside money for apprenticeship schemes.