A college that saw its Ofsted grade slip two years ago while it battled with deteriorating finances has got its ‘good’ rating back following a mega-merger.
Bournville College was warned by former FE Commissioner David Collins of its “hand-to-mouth” financial situation in 2014 and was downgraded by the inspectorate to ‘requires improvement’ overall and ‘inadequate’ for apprenticeships in 2016.
The former 8,000-learner college then received £10.5 million in exceptional financial support from the Department for Education in 2017/18, all of which was waived.
It shows very clearly that the college is totally focused on our students
But it appears the college’s troubles have started to turn following its merger with grade two South and City College Birmingham in August 2017, at which point their Ofsted records were wiped.
The new college taught more than 22,000 students over the previous full contract year and achieved ‘good’ ratings across the board.
Principal Mike Hopkins said he was especially “delighted” with the inspection outcome as it came “so soon after the merger with Bournville College”.
“[It] shows very clearly that the college is totally focused on our students,” he added.
“It also shows what incredible, dedicated and capable staff we have.”
Under Ofsted policy newly merged colleges have their inspection records reset and can be given up to three years before they’re inspected. South and City College Birmingham told FE Week it did not request its inspection despite it coming within just 15 months of its merger.
The new college has an estimated annual income of around £75 million and currently teaches around 5,000 learners who are aged 16 to 18.
Governors and senior leaders at the college, which now teaches 14- to 16-year-olds as well as apprentices and adult learners, were praised for managing “recent strategic changes well”.
“The recent college merger and the separate development of courses for full-time pupils aged 14 to 16, have led to improved outcomes for students, pupils and apprentices,” Ofsted said.
“The principal and senior leaders create a harmonious and inspiring environment, in a large and complex college, which enables staff to raise aspirations successfully.”
Inspectors found that achievement rates in vocational qualifications have “improved and are high”.
“Most students and apprentices who leave the college at the end of their course continue to higher education, employment, promotion or training,” they said.
We are now beginning our journey from ‘good’ to ‘outstanding’
Teachers are “successful in supporting students with significant personal difficulties and low skill levels to improve their confidence, language skills and readiness for work”.
To improve to ‘outstanding’, Ofsted said the college’s teachers and assessors, particularly in A-level provision and English and maths GCSE courses, need to “improve the quality of teaching learning and assessment”.
Leaders and managers also need to “improve pupils’, students’ and apprentices’ attendance” on courses where rates are currently “too low”.
South and City College Birmingham was first formed in 2012 following an initial merger between South Birmingham College and City College Birmingham.
Its mega-merger with Bournville College was originally planned for August 2016 but was delayed for a year.
Mr Hopkins said today: “Anyone considering where to study only has to read the Ofsted report to see that no matter who you are, this is the college where you will be supported, be safe and above all else will achieve your qualifications.
“We are now beginning our journey from ‘good’ to ‘outstanding’.”
An independent provider has been rated ‘outstanding’ in its first ever inspection report, while all the other full reports published over the festive period returned a ‘good’ rating.
A bumper crop of early monitoring visit reports have also been published – one that resulted in a ‘significant progress’ verdict in all areas, while at the opposite end of the spectrum three providers were found to be making ‘insufficient progress’ in at least one area.
BRS Education Limited was rated grade one overall and in four out of six headlines fields in a report published December 31 and based on an inspection in late November.
Leaders at the provider, which offers residential short courses for 16 to 19 learners, traineeships and apprenticeships in equestrian subjects, were praised for their “highly effective partnerships” with the horseracing industry which ensured that “most learners and apprentices” secured successful careers following their courses.
“Learners, trainees and apprentices are motivated and inspired by highly experienced and qualified staff who are credible experts from within the industry,” the report said.
“Excellent theory teaching, linked expertly to practical activities” ensured that learners and apprentices “quickly acquire extremely high levels of practical skills”, inspectors noted.
Two other independent providers received grade two ratings following their first inspections, in reports published during this period.
Specialist Trade Courses Ltd’s report was published on December 20, and based on an inspection in mid-November, while Umbrella Training and Employment Solutions Limited’s report was published on January 3 and was based on an inspection in late November.
Leaders and managers at Specialist Trade Courses, which offers health and social care apprenticeships and loans-funded courses in beauty therapy and personal training, have “successfully created a culture in which they and the staff have high aspirations for their learners”, the report said.
Apprentices at Umbrella Training “benefit from a good standard of teaching, training and learning from experienced learning development managers, who have extensive experience in the hospitality industries” and are “highly motivated”, according to inspectors.
Two providers saw their grades go up from ‘requires improvement’ to ‘good’ over this period: adult and community learning provider Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council, and independent specialist college Henshaws College.
Leaders at both Bolton council and Bolton College – which delivers all the provision on behalf of the council – were praised for having “highly effective action to improve the provision”, in a report published December 21 and based on an inspection in mid-November.
“Council and college leaders design courses successfully to meet the needs of people living in the borough of Bolton, including the most disadvantaged residents,” the report said, while “tutors plan activities that engage and enthuse learners”.
All staff at Henshaws College “work together to instil a culture of inclusiveness”, according to its report published December 21 and based on an inspection in mid-November.
Leaders at the college, which offers education and training for learners with high needs, “have developed a good range of learning programmes that meet students’ needs and aspirations well”, inspectors found.
Heading in the opposite direction, two providers slipped from grade one to grade two in this period: The Working Men’s College and Cirencester College.
Leaders at The Working Men’s College “made good use of the funding available for adult learning” to “target effectively those learners with limited or no formal learning”, according to the report published December 21 and based on an inspection in mid-November.
But they “do not have sufficiently detailed information on learners’ next steps on completing their programmes, either within the college or elsewhere, or on how their current learning influences those choices,” inspectors found.
Governors, leaders and managers at Cirencester College, a sixth form college, “ensure that the curriculum meets students’ individual needs and prepares them well for their next steps”, the report, published 19 December and based on an inspection in late November, said.
However, “too few” learners on some courses “complete their programmes successfully”, while the numbers of learners planning to go into employment or an apprenticeships that had a work placement with an external employer was similarly low.
A further two providers held onto their ‘good’ ratings following full inspections in this period: 16 to 19 academy St Vincent College, and independent specialist provider Farleigh Further Education College – Frome.
Leaders and managers at St Vincent College, which was previously rated ‘good’ as a sixth form college before it converted to become an academy “have created an ambitious culture for their staff, students and local community”, according to its report published December 21 and based on an inspection in late November.
Students at Farleigh “receive excellent, sensitive support from managers, tutors and support staff in classes, on work experience and in their places of residence”, according to its report, also published December 21 and based on an inspection in late November.
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust was found to be making ‘significant progress’ in all three themes under review, in an apprenticeship early monitoring visit report published December 27 based on a visit in late November.
Leaders and managers were praised for their “well planned” strategy, which was “highly successful” at filling skills gaps and had enabled apprentices to progress to higher-level roles.
Three providers were found to be making ‘insufficient progress’ in at least one area: Vortex Training Solutions, Ultima Skills Limited and Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust.
The verdicts mean all three can expect to be barred from recruiting new apprentices, according to Education and Skills Funding Agency rules.
A further eight early monitoring visit reports have been published in this period, with all achieving ‘reasonable progress’ verdicts. Three other providers currently rated ‘requires improvement’ were also subject to monitoring visits.
Former City College Plymouth principal Garry Phillips has passed away.
His death over the Christmas period was confirmed by the college today.
“It is with great sadness that we heard that Garry Phillips has tragically and unexpectedly passed away. Garry’s family have asked that their grief and privacy is respected at this time.
“The funeral will be on Friday, 11 January, and Penny Wycherley, the interim principal and a former colleague of Garry’s will represent the college.”
The cause of his death has not yet been announced but there are not thought to be any suspicious circumstances.
Mr Phillips’ career in the FE sector spanned more than 20 years, and included top jobs in three colleges.
He became principal and chief executive of New College Telford in 2012, before moving on to Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College in July 2014.
The college dropped its Ofsted grade a year later, from three to four, but just 18 months later it had turned around and was rated ‘good’.
In March 2018 Mr Phillips announced he was moving on to City College Plymouth, where he took up the leadership position in July.
However, the publication in November of an FE commissioner report that was highly critical of Mr Phillips’ leadership at his former college prompted controversy and led to his resignation later that month.
David Hughes, chief executive of the Association of Colleges, said: “Garry’s death is a great shock and very sad indeed. I last spoke to him in December about his future plans and my thoughts are now with his family.
“He worked hard as the principal at New College Telford and Ealing Hammersmith and West London and then briefly at City College Plymouth.
“He started his career as an apprentice and took on a series of challenges in colleges in the North West and Midlands. He was always keen to make a difference and to improve the world.”
The Department for Education will no longer financially support the Chartered Institution for FE – leaving its future in doubt.
The institution, which was conceived in 2012 and has so far received £1.5 million in subsidies, will receive one final payment at the end of this month – after which it will be on its own.
“It has always been the intention that the CIFE should be financially independent, and not reliant on government funding,” a spokesperson for the DfE told FE Week.
The institution’s work “will no longer be financially supported” by the department from January 2019, she said, with the last payment “in respect of CIFE’s previous liabilities” to be made at the end of the month.
The institution currently has 16 members – far fewer than the 80 its boss, Dan Wright (pictured above), has previously said it would need to be “completely free” of government subsidy.
FE Week has attempted to contact the CIFE to ask how it will sustain itself without any further DfE cash, but has been unable to speak to anyone.
However, a statement released just before Christmas said that an “increase in membership and remodelling of our infrastructure enables the institution to stand free of government funding”.
It said the CIFE recognised “the financial pressure the DfE faces in terms of funding the FE sector” and that it had decided to “stand independently of government”.
“We expect membership to grow as we use our voice independently”, it said.
Mr Wright said in September that discussions with the DfE about additional subsidy for 2018-19 were still ongoing, but that no decisions had been made.
The CIFE, the brainchild of the former skills minister John Hayes, was created to get high-achieving FE providers a royal seal of approval.
Colleges and training providers must be rated grade one or two by Ofsted to apply, and also meet the institution’s quality standards.
The annual subscription fee for members who have achieved chartered status is £5,000, but for interested parties there is also a £3,000 non-refundable fee to have an application reviewed in the first place.
The government has begun inviting providers to reapply to its refreshed apprenticeship provider register – with the first group told it must do so by the end of next month or face being kicked off.
All 2,571 organisations currently on the register will be segmented into groups and told to reapply throughout this year – with those that are not delivering training being invited first – under new “tougher” rules being enforced by the Education and Skills Funding Agency.
An unknown number of providers were informed by the agency on Christmas Eve that they would be included in wave one of the reapplication process, which will take place throughout February.
If you do not reapply to the RoATP in your application period, ESFA will remove you by 31 March 2019
“We would like to invite you to reapply to the RoATP between 1 February and 28 February 2019,” an email to one employer provider, seen by FE Week, said.
“If you do not reapply to the RoATP in your application period, ESFA will remove you from the RoATP by 31 March 2019. You will be able to submit an application at any time in the future.
“If your application is unsuccessful, ESFA will remove you from the RoATP and you will be unable to take on any new apprentices.”
FE Week asked the ESFA how many and what types of training providers were being included in wave one of the reapplication process, but it would not say.
A spokesperson would only say: “All organisations currently on the register of apprenticeship training providers will need to reapply. We will be inviting organisations to reapply in phases, during 2019.”
The refreshed register of apprenticeship training providers finally opened on December 12, more than a year after the last window closed.
The ESFA’s email reiterated key changes to RoATP, including that the register will now stay open indefinitely, and that all organisations wanting to receive funding for apprenticeship training will need to go through the new application process and answer a series of new questions.
Furthermore, any providers without any delivery within a 12-month period will now face being removed from the register.
The ESFA’s director of apprenticeships, Keith Smith, told the Association of Employment and Learning Providers conference in October that the agency wants to focus the reapplication process on “those providers that are potentially not delivering, and on those that we think will struggle to pass our new requirements”.
Last month, FE Week analysis revealed that almost a third of providers on the government’s register did not deliver any apprenticeships in 2017/18.
“One thing that we’ve been mindful about is that we have got employers in the system both levy-paying and non-levy paying that are coming into the apprenticeships system for the first time,” he said – indicating that some of the inactive providers may start to deliver in the future, in response to demand from these new employers.
Other changes to the register include greater scrutiny of providers, who will have to have traded for at least 12 months and provide a full set of accounts.
The ESFA’s email about reapplications said the changes to RoATP “demonstrate our continued commitment to improving the quality of apprenticeship training and ensure only providers who are appropriately skilled, ready to deliver and financially stable, can access apprenticeship funding”.
All providers can make two applications to RoATP within a 12 month period.
The ESFA’s email said that if applications are unsuccessful or providers believe the ESFA made an error in the assessment, then organisations have the right to appeal.
“You must submit your appeal within 10 working days of receiving your application result and feedback on your application,” it added.
Twenty-three leading figures from the FE and skills sector have been recognised in the Queen’s New Year honours, published today.
These included one CBE, 10 OBEs, 11 MBEs and one British Empire medal – but no knighthoods or dames.
Lynsi Hayward-Smith, a trustee for the Education and Training Foundation, received a CBE in recognition for her services to FE.
Lynsi Hayward-Smith
The head of adult learning and skills at Cambridgeshire County Council has served on the board of the ETF for almost five years, having first been appointed in 2014.
David Russell, boss of the ETF, said Ms Smith’s award was “extremely well-deserved” and gave “due recognition” to the “sustained impact” she has had in her career.
“She has been instrumental in shaping the success of the ETF over its first five years as a trustee, ensuring we never lost focus on adult learning or on overall impact,” he said.
Karen Redhead, who led Derwentside College for eight years until July, received an OBE for services to FE.
In her 28 years of experience in education she has held leadership roles in four different colleges, and is proud to call herself a “product of FE”.
She took over at Ealing, Hammersmith and West London in July, replacing former leader Garry Phillips.
Ms Redhead said she was “absolutely delighted and honoured” to receive an OBE today.
“It is a privilege to help shape the future of young people and I will endeavour to continue making a positive contribution to FE,” she said.
Dr Neil Bentley
Dr Neil Bentley, who has led WorldSkills UK since 2015, received an OBE today for services to equality in business.
Prior to his current role Dr Bentley led OUTstanding, a business network for LGBT leaders and their allies, following 11 years as deputy director general and chief operating officer for the CBI.
“I hope this recognition will help encourage more leaders in business and education to create inclusive working and learning environments to help more young people excel in work and life, irrespective of their background,” he said.
Other sector figures to have received an OBE in this year’s New Year honours include Karen Dobson, principal and chief executive of Newcastle and Stafford College Group, and Everton Burke, chair of governors at Burton and South Derbyshire College.
Everton Burke
Ms Dobson said she was “absolutely thrilled” and “humbled” to be recognised, while Mr Burke said he was “taken aback” by his award.
“The sector gave me 25 years of wonderful opportunities and I am keen to repay this by giving back as much as I can,” he said.
Among the FE and skills figures recognised this year with an MBE is Angela Middleton, founder and chief executive of training provider MiddletonMurray.
Her award was for services to apprenticeship training, youth employment and business.
She described the award as an “absolute honour” that would “enthuse us even more to contribute to the continued growth of apprenticeships and to small businesses in the UK”.
Two college chairs – Christopher Bridge at Colchester Institute, and Derek Randall, at Bridgwater and Taunton College – both received MBEs, as did Rachel Pilling, the head of safeguarding at The Manchester College, and Dr Judith Poole, head of student support and wellbeing, at Blackpool and the Fylde College.
Who got what in FE and skills:
CBE
Lynsi Hayward-Smith, trustee, ETF – for services to FE
OBE
Dr Neil Bentley, chief executive, WorldSkills UK – for services to equality in business
Carol Brooks, lately chief examiner, CACHE – for services to early years education
Everton Burke, chair of governors, Burton and South Derbyshire College – for services to FE
Karen Dobson, principal, Newcastle and Stafford College Group – for services to FE in Staffordshire
Nigel Duncan, principal, Fareham College – for services to FE
Professor Raymond Linforth, vice chancellor and principal, University College Birmingham – for services to HE and FE in the West Midlands
David Newborough – for services to skills in the energy and utility sector
Helen Pettifor, director of professional standards and workforce development, ETF – for services to FE
Karen Redhead, lately principal and chief executive officer, Derwentside College – for services to FE
Eleanor Tobin, lately principal, Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College – for services to education and young people
MBE
Christopher Bridge, chair of corporation board, Colchester Institute – for services to FE and skills
Amali de Alwis, CEO, Code First and board member, Ada – for services to diversity and training in the technology industry
Paul Griffiths, chairman, Industry and Marine Hydraulics – for services to engineering skills and apprenticeships in Teesside
David Mark Hughes, chair, the East Midlands Apprenticeships Ambassador Network – for services to education
Angela Middleton, founder and chief executive, MiddletonMurray Group – for services to apprenticeship training, youth employment and business
Claire Paul, director, leadership development and new talent, BBC – for services to apprenticeships and education
Rachel Pilling, head of safeguarding, The Manchester College – for services to FE and safeguarding
Dr Judith Poole, head of student support and wellbeing, Blackpool and the Fylde College – for services to education
Derek Randall, chair of governors, Bridgwater and Taunton College – for services to FE
Bernard Rimmer, estates supervisor, Myerscough College – for services to the agricultural community
Ann Turner, lately principal and chief executive, Myerscough College – for services to land-based education and training
British Empire medal
James Whiskens, lately caretaker, Fircroft College – for services to student pastoral care
As 2018 draws to a close we take a look back at the story of the year, as told through the medium of FE Week’s cartoons.
Skills minister Anne Milton and her boss, education secretary Damian Hinds – the stars of the final cartoon of the year – between them racked up the most appearances, with seven and five respectively.
Other sector figures to have been immortalised in cartoon form this year by the talented Bill Houston include Sir Gerry Berragan, boss of the Institute for Apprenticeships, Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman and prime minister Theresa May.
Education secretary Damian Hinds didn’t deny the apprenticeships budget was heading for an overspend, following reports there would be a £500 million shortfall this year.
Richard Atkins urged college governors to speak to him before appointing a principal, as part of a wide-ranging interview covering interventions, insolvency and why cash is king.
Association of Colleges boss David Hughes said Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman was “quite right”, after she raised concerns over large numbers of learners recruited to level two courses with poor job prospects.
Eight high-profile college leaders have stepped down at short notice in just two months. In the same week that this year’s NICDEX college rankings were published, we looked at what could be behind the exodus.
The Baker Dearing Trust claimed that the number of 14-year-olds studying at university technical colleges had gone up, but also admitted that the average per institution had gone down.
Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman wrote to the Public Accounts Committee setting out her “strong view” that 16 to 18 funding should be increased – and that the impact of funding pressures was being seen in inspection outcomes.
The Greater London Authority is planning a party to “celebrate the wider history of adult education in London” and “set out its vision for the future” when it takes control of its devolved adult education budget in 2019.
The ESFA finally cleared up confusion over whether providers found to be making ‘insufficient progress’ in adult education provision – but not in any other area under review – in an early monitoring visit would be barred from taking on new apprentices.
Education committee chair Robert Halfon said that degree apprenticeships are his “two favourite words”, but his successor Anne Milton warned of the risk of crowding out those at lower levels – particularly those who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity.
Andrew Cleaves, one of the most highly-paid principals in the country, stepped down with immediate effect from Birmingham Metropolitan College, which owed millions in bailout cash to the government.
Education secretary Damian Hinds failed to name any employers that support the Institute for Apprenticeships – despite being asked five times by FE Week editor Nick Linford – just weeks after the IfA itself similarly failed to name any names.
Employer groups behind a number of the most popular apprenticeships were up in arms against proposals to cut the amount of levy cash that could be spent on them, in the Institute for Apprenticeships’ first funding band review.
Skills minister Anne Milton denied that apprenticeships cash could be spent on MBAs – despite evidence to the contrary – and her shadow counterpart Gordon Marsden demanded the government “urgently look deeper” at the huge rise in higher level apprenticeships.
Lord Baker, architect of university technical colleges, said Ofsted doesn’t take into account UTCs’ “excellent” destinations, as three of the 14 to 19 technical institutions were rated ‘inadequate’ in the space of a week.
Education secretary Damian Hinds and the DfE’s permanent secretary both appeared before separate select committees – the former to defend his decision to plough ahead with the tight T-levels timetable, and the latter to explain why he wanted a year’s delay
The Institute for Apprenticeships has picked up the pace on standards approval, but it’s still not fast or better enough according to skills minister Anne Milton – who told FE Week she always has her “big stick” with her when she meets with its leaders.
After a series of high-profile multi-million pound bailouts in recent months, the FE commissioner said colleges will struggle once the restructuring facility and exceptional financial support are withdrawn – and there will always be a need for some funding to oil the wheels.
As the controversial tender process for the first three T-levels got underway, FE Week looked at which awarding bodies might bid for the exclusive licences.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, defended topslicing three per cent of its devolved adult education budget for administration costs, saying that the Department for Education had refused his request for a separate budget for this purpose.
During a select committee hearing skills minister Anne Milton admitted it wasn’t clear who was ultimately accountable for apprenticeship quality, after the ESFA lifted a ban imposed on one provider that was blasted for its poor provision by Ofsted.
Staff at a number of colleges across the country went out on strike during exam season as part of an ongoing dispute over pay – action that David Hughes, boss of the AoC, described as “regrettable”.
George Osborne, former chancellor and driving force behind UTCs, said UTC model hasn’t worked – joining Michael Gove, education secretary at the time of their launch, in criticising the 14 to 19 technical institutions.
Peter Mucklow, former sixth form college commissioner and director for young people at the ESFA, was handed the mammoth task of overseeing devolution of the adult education budget as part of a management reshuffle at the agency.
Chancellor Philip Hammond told parliament that the government had expected apprenticeship starts to fall, but not as much as they had done – as the latest statistics showed a 31 per cent year-on-year drop.
Seven months after Learndirect’s failed legal fight against Ofsted, the Manchester Administrative Court finally published the detailed judgement – revealing that the provider didn’t get “anywhere near” quashing its ‘inadequate’ rating.
Leeds City College was rated ‘outstanding’ for its 14 to 16 provision by Ofsted, despite having one of the worst Progress 8 measures in the country – adding weight to arguments that the measure is unfair for colleges and other providers that recruit at 14.
The AELP has ditched its ownership of the Education and Training Foundation, claiming that it no longer operates as an independent body and is instead an extension of the DfE focusing on the incoming T-levels.
An FE Week survey found that the 20 per cent off-the-job training rule was the biggest barrier to apprenticeship recruitment, but skills minister Anne Milton insisted it was a “protected characteristic” and it wouldn’t be changing.
More than 1,500 members of the University and College Union at colleges across the country took to the picket lines – despite the snow – in the second day of strike action over a “disappointing” pay offer of one per cent.
Prime minister Theresa May chose Derby College to launch the government’s post-18 funding review, which Association of Colleges boss David Hughes said he hoped would result in an expansion of HE provision at colleges.
Sector leaders – including Paul Eeles, chair of the Federation of Awarding Bodies – welcomed a U-turn by the Institute for Apprenticeships that meant mandatory qualifications could be included in standards.
As the number of apprenticeship providers on the government’s register topped 2,000 for the first time, FE Week editor Nick Linford argued that Ofsted needed to be given the cash to inspect these new providers.
FE commissioner Richard Atkins told an education select committee hearing that FE funding was ‘unfair’ – adding his voice to others, including Amanda Spielman, calling for more cash for the sector.
The £45m allocation given to Learndirect in last year’s adult education budget tender fiasco came as a surprise, its boss Andy Palmer told a hearing of the Public Accounts Committee about the nation’s largest FE provider.
FE Week found some providers had hundreds of locations listed on the Find Apprenticeship Training website – with one using tutors’ home addresses to show it had a national presence.
The Institute for Apprenticeships is “considering” releasing a presentation given to employers that warned of an imminent apprenticeship overspend.
The admission came in a letter, sent today, from its boss Sir Gerry Berragan, in response to a request from shadow skills minister Gordon Marsden.
“We are considering the request and will respond as soon as possible in the new year,” it said.
The presentation, given by the IfA’s chief operating officer Robert Nitsch at an employer engagement event at Exeter College on November 30, included a forecast of a £500 million overspend on the apprenticeship budget in 2018/19 – rising to £1.5 billion by 2020/21.
“With an apprenticeship programme still adapting to the introduction of the apprenticeship levy, and fluctuating starts across levels and standards, I believe maximum transparency as to where the apprenticeship budget is being spent is essential for the health of the sector,” he wrote.
The IfA’s response comes just days after the education secretary dodged a question in parliament from education select committee chair Robert Halfon about the projected overspend.
Damian Hinds was asked to “confirm that there is a £500m overspend on the apprentice levy budget” during education questions in parliament on Monday.
“I can confirm to my right honourable friend that of course it’s very important that we continue to monitor the way the apprenticeship levy works,” he said in response.
The non-reply prompted Mr Halfon to call on the government to be “open and transparent about this alleged overspend” which he described as “incredibly concerning”.
“I think what they were trying to set out was one scenario or a potential, particular illustration of what the budget might do and might happen, depending on some assumptions about demand, take up and those sorts of things,” Mr Smith said.
However, he added that from the agency’s “current point of view we’re working within the context that the apprenticeship levy does and can continue to cover the costs of the programme”.
The government has today published its response to the education select committee’s report, The apprenticeships ladder of opportunity: quality not quantity”, published in October.
Here are seven of the key findings from the response:
Discounted transport for apprentices won’t arrive anytime soon
Last year the Conservative party’s general election manifesto promised to introduce “significantly discounted bus and train travel for apprentices”.
But a year and a half later there’s still no sign of it – and the government’s response today revealed it’s likely to be 2020 at the earliest before apprentices can enjoy discounted travel.
“We recognise that more can be done to remove the barriers to young people taking up apprenticeship opportunities, but further discounts will require additional funding,” it said.
Both the Department for Education and the Department for Transport would “work together to support discounted travel for apprentices” but “given the additional cost to the taxpayer, the focus of this work will now turn to preparing proposals for consideration at the forthcoming spending review”.
The response got short shrift from committee chair Robert Halfon (pictured above).
“The government continues to drag its feet on how it will reduce the cost of transport and it must now act on its manifesto commitment and deliver on the promise of significantly discounted bus and train fares,” he said.
Nor will a UCAS-style portal for technical education
The Conservatives also promised a “UCAS-style portal for technical education” in last year’s manifesto – and likewise this is unlikely to be introduced soon.
The government’s response said it carried out “extensive research” with over 2,000 young people, colleges and careers advisers about introducing such a portal.
“While the research indicated that young people would value a central source of information as they make decisions about their next steps, it did not show that they found the current application process challenging.”
“As a result, we are focussing first on ensuring young people have the right information on all their options, including on technical education and apprenticeships,” the government’s response said.
It will “keep under review” the need for a “centralised 16-plus application portal in the future as part of our work to simplify 16-plus courses and qualifications”.
But the government’s expectations on subcontracting WILL be published soon
The education committee report urged the government to set a cap on management fees charged by prime contractors, and to tighten its requirements on providers that subcontract their provision.
In its response, the government said it was “about to undertake further work to develop our expectations around the operation of subcontracting relationships between providers” and it planned to “publish our final expectations by the end of December 2018”.
“Our key priorities will be to develop an approach which increases the amount of funding that reaches front line delivery and increases transparency by ensuring that providers explain in detail the make-up of any fees or charges,” it said.
Anne Milton didn’t mean that large providers are “less risky”
The education committee’s report said that it “cannot agree” with the skills minister that “large providers are less risky” – particularly following the Learndirect debacle – “although dealing with them rather than a number of smaller providers may lighten the ESFA’s workload”.
But, according to the government’s response, that wasn’t what she meant at all.
“The minister, Anne Milton, would like to clarify that she was not implying that ‘larger providers are less risky’ during her oral evidence session to the Committee,” it said.
Instead she “stated that specifically in the context of a procurement, smaller providers can become ‘a bit more risky’” – but that “it is not the case that small providers are considered risky”.
Six-monthly updates from the Institute for Apprenticeships’ apprentice panel will now be published
The report recommended that the role of the Institute for Apprenticeships’ apprentice panel “be formalised” and that its “recommendations to the institute’s board and the board’s response should be published”.
This recommendation was put to the apprentice panel, who “agreed that it would be more beneficial to produce a six-monthly report on their progress that is apprentice-led and owned by them”.
This report will be published “on the Institute’s website, along with the minutes from board meetings they participate in”.
Good apprentice employers could soon have a kitemark
“It is right that those employers who deliver a good experience for their apprentices are recognised for this and can promote it,” the government’s response said in response to a recommendation that it support efforts to develop a good apprentice employer kitemark.
Work to develop such a kitemark “indicating a signal of quality for apprentice employers” is ongoing, the response said.
“Using existing quality measures and working with stakeholders, criteria will be developed and, if met, employers will be able to showcase the kitemark,” it said.
“This will provide quality assurance to apprentices whilst encouraging good practice amongst employers.”
Ministers are set to test ways to ensure compliance with the Baker clause
Four months later and it’s not clear if it has yet.
“A recent ministerial roundtable considered the barriers to compliance and agreed to test new ways of applying the legislation, including writing directly to parents with details of the local offer and holding careers fairs,” it said.
But in “cases of serious non-compliance” the DfE was “prepared to intervene”, it said.
“This could include an official or minister from the department writing to the school and, ultimately, the legal powers of intervention available to the Secretary of State may be enforced.”
