Aspiring police officers save a life on their walk home from college

Four public services students have been praised by police after they saved a man’s life on their walk home from college.

The students from Warrington & Vale Royal College came to the aid of a man who was considering jumping from a bridge over the M62 motorway, keeping him calm and blocking his path to the edge of the bridge.

Inspector Hannah Friend from Cheshire Police presented Connor O’Hara, Kaileb Walters, James Barnshaw and Nathan Kenyon, all in their final year of their level three course, with “good citizen” citations, after tracking the boys down via a social media appeal launched by the local newspaper, Warrington Worldwide.

“These individuals have acted with compassion, bravery and selflessness. They have demonstrated the best qualities of community spirit and have rightly been described as pillars of the community for their outstanding assistance during this incident,” she said.

“We weren’t aware that there was CCTV filming us,” said Nathan. “We didn’t do it for the recognition, it was just instinct and something we hope any other human would do.”

Fine art students work on Tudor-themed art exhibition for Durham Cathedral

Durham Cathedral is displaying work from local learners at a new exhibition on the fashion choices of kings and queens from the House of Tudor.

BTEC foundation and extended diploma fine art students from Darlington College have been asked to contribute artwork on a Tudor theme for the exhibition, which could take the form of a shoe collection, textile design or painting.

The college was approached to produce an installation by the cathedral’s learning and outreach officer, Philippa Cunliffe, once a learner at the college.

“They are looking at footwear and fashion, from the kings and queens of arguably one of the most expansive periods of the country’s history,” Ms Cunliffe explained.

“The students instantly appreciated what an incredible opportunity this project was to showcase their skills and we are already seeing some great ideas coming through,” said fine art lecturer Donna Slyfield. “We are all incredibly excited about working with Durham Cathedral and can’t wait to see the exhibition installed in such hallowed surroundings.

The work will be on public display from the beginning of February at the cathedral.

SEND learners raise money to fund education of boy in Nepal with Downs Syndrome

A team of foundation studies students and their lecturer have raised over £500 to help fund the education of a boy with Downs Syndrome in Nepal, reports Samantha King.

After learning about humanitarian work as part of a module on volunteering, a group of learners at Truro College with special educational needs, decided to raise money for a good cause, settling on the plight of 14-year-old Nissan.

“I asked my relatives in Nepal if they knew of a school or group of children we could support and this led us towards Nissan who lives in the village where my family are from,” explained Karenza Pariyar, a learning support assistant at the college who led the group’s fundraising effort.

Nissan tests out his new crayons

“We decided to focus on Nissan because I knew we could keep in contact, follow his progress and make a real difference to his life, rather than diluting the effect by giving one thing to many kids.”

Fundraising through cake weighing, jelly bean counting and sponsorship, the group raised £504, spending £204 on educational and sensory toys including kinetic sand, Play-Doh, fidget spinners, a keyboard and crayons to help with motor skills, and leaving £300 to further Nissan’s education in Nepal.

Ms Pariyar has now visited Nissan along with a suitcase filled with the toys, and is currently working on developing resources to further develop his communication skills, including making Makaton cards for him and his parents in Nepali.

Karenza Pariyar with Nissan

“At the moment we’re torn between spending the rest of the money on getting somebody in to work with him, or sending him away to boarding school and seeing how he gets on,” she explained.

“The money’s on hold, but his parents know it’s there and it’s waiting for him. We want to make sure it doesn’t get wasted and that the best possible thing does happen for him.”

The group of student fundraisers are receiving regular updates on how Nissan is getting on with his new toys, and members of the community get in touch via Facebook with updates.

“There’s a girl in the village who lives next to him and has a mobile, so I’m able to chat with her,” Ms Pariyar added. “Our students here in England love following Nissan’s story and feel they have connected with someone on a compassionate level from another country, and gained a friend and an insight into how others with learning disabilities live and learn.”

Agricultural college takes in a rescue horse for the very first time

A college’s equine department has taken in a rescue horse for the very first time.

Noo-Noo, named after the Teletubbies character, was one of five ponies rescued by the RSPCA in a roadside abandonment case, and will be rehomed at Askham Bryan College’s Middlesbrough campus.

The new addition will be valuable for animal care and management students, who will learn how to help the horse settle in to a new environment and prepare the animal for a more permanent home over the course of year.

“The students are producing regular reports on the health and progress of Noo-Noo, and it is hoped that the experience encourages the students to help other horses and ponies that may be in need,” explained Catherine Fairburn (pictured), a lecturer and level three equine course manager.

“Students must handle the pony to ensure it picks its feet up, can be led and groomed as well as being involved with feeding and routine health treatments.”

Noo-Noo will share a home with three Shetland ponies, who are permanent residents of the campus.

Movers and Shakers: Edition 231

Your weekly guide to who’s new and who’s leaving

Mike Welsh, Principal and CEO, East Riding College

Start date: January 2018
Previous job: Deputy principal, College of North West London
Interesting fact: Mike is a keen organic gardener, has an allotment, and keeps bees and chickens. He enjoys cooking this produce for friends and family.

____________________________________________

Chris Jones, Interim CEO, Bradford College

Start date: January 2018
Previous job: FE adviser, the Department for Education
Interesting fact: Chris is currently learning to juggle.

____________________________________________

Joy Kettyle, Principal and CEO, Waltham Forest College

Start date: March 2018
Previous job: Vice-principal for curriculum and quality, Gloucestershire College
Interesting fact: Joy took up golf over a year ago, but says the squirrels still dive for cover when she’s on the course.

____________________________________________

Sanjeev Ohri, Chief officer for business development and Dudley College worldwide, Dudley College

Start date: December 2017
Previous job: Vice-principal international and business development, Dudley College
Interesting fact: Sanjeev has an obsession with fashion, and has over 18 wardrobes housing 86 suits, and hundreds of ties, shirts and shoes.

____________________________________________

Caireen Mitchell, Principal and CEO, Croydon College

Start date: April 2018
Previous job: Group director of planning and performance, Capital City Colleges Group
Interesting fact: Caireen is a cycling enthusiast (her mother has banned her from talking about it) and will compete in this year’s Mallorca 312 event.

 

If you want to let us know of any new faces at the top of your college, training provider or awarding organisation please let us know by emailing news@feweek.co.uk

Non-levy procurement process was a lottery

The government’s non-levy procurement process wasn’t a fair competition because providers weren’t given all the information in advance, writes Patrik Knowles

Last December 7 was going to be a critical day across the sector, as providers found out the results of the long-awaited procurement exercise for “apprenticeship training to employers not using the digital account”, more commonly understood as “those employers who do not pay the apprenticeship levy”.

The results varied between providers: some celebrated success, some commiserated and others simply felt indifferent. The one thing the vast majority of us had in common, however, was a feeling of perplexity about the process the ESFA adopted, in particular its pro-rata methodology to calculate allocations for providers.

In the ESFA’s defence, we understand that it will not have known the calculation for this pro-rata methodology until it had received all of the tendered allocations within a specific region, but this lack of clarity only left everyone second-guessing.

Was this procurement exercise about quality or more about money?

As a ‘good’ provider ourselves, delivering apprenticeships to a wide range of employers large and small for over 20 years, we were disappointed to learn that we had not been successful. Passing the compliance and qualitative section of the tender was a great achievement, and we even scored maximum marks on one of the sections, but it came down to the pro-rata methodology, which subsequently reduced our allocation below the £200,000 threshold.

The invitation to tender document, paragraph 6.5 states: “The approach seeks to balance how the agency provides opportunity for growth, ensures stability of provision and encourages potential providers to submit realistic and deliverable proposals within the amount of funding available for award, taking into account factors such as non-levy historic delivery and experience in delivering all aspects of a contracted service.”

Like many other providers, we tendered for an allocation which was not only above the threshold but also one which was both realistic and deliverable as per the above, thereby ensuring we didn’t risk tendering for too much funding than we could deliver, an approach many would understand.

Furthermore, the ESFA made it clear that it was seeking to maintain stability of quality provision while recognising that the procurement would be a competitive exercise. Although this is an approach many of us would agree with, was this procurement exercise about quality or more about money?

Many high-quality providers with good track records, who passed the compliance and qualitative questions, were not awarded a tender based on the allocation they submitted because of a system likened to a lottery, which varied from region to region.

The vast majority would agree that the process lacked transparency

The vast majority would agree that the process lacked transparency. Had providers known the figures which would be used to make up the pro-rata calculation, everyone would of course have increased the allocation tendered for, including many successful providers which received a significant reduction in their original allocation.

The positive news that some providers have successfully appealed on the basis that their qualitative statements didn’t meet the required threshold mark also poses another question: if the ESFA has been able to revisit these tenders and overturn its original decision, does that mean there is the potential that the pro-rata methodology may have been calculated incorrectly?

A procurement exercise of this magnitude is always going to be a challenge for any government department, after all it is difficult to please everyone and you will always get winners and losers, but the sector’s passion for delivering quality apprenticeships will always lead us to ask whether some of those who missed out actually shouldn’t have.

Finally, I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate those providers who were successful, wish those who are appealing their decisions the best of luck and acknowledge that, through our passion and dedication, we as a sector will all continue to work with the ESFA in delivering the quality, much-needed services to support the government in its ambitions on education and skills.

Patrik Knowles is managing director of HYA Training 

Carillion and the employer-provider problem

The collapse of Carillion is a sombre reminder that apprentices must, by law, be employees.

The government expects that when an apprentice loses their job, their college or training provider will support them to find work elsewhere to finish the course.

In fact, the funding rules permit a “break in learning” for a limited period for exactly this reason.

But, what’s different here is that Carillion was both the employer and the training provider holding the ESFA contract, in an arrangement known as an “employer provider”.

Carillion’s collapse means the apprentices are not only out of work, but their training provider no longer exists to help.

It’s reassuring to hear that on this occasion the CITB and some colleges are stepping in to help the apprentices find relevant employment.

But without the national media attention and pressure on government would the support be so readily forthcoming?

The government drive under the apprenticeship levy reforms has been to dramatically increase the number of employer providers (there are over 200 on the register of apprenticeship training providers).

How many more could fold so unexpectedly, leaving apprentices out of work AND without a training provider to support them?

Prisons careers advice contracts ‘termination’ fears

Contracts to provide careers advice to prisoners appear to have been terminated without any replacement, according to a pressure group, which is demanding answers from the new prisons minister.

Professor Tom Schuller, the chair of the Prisoner Learning Alliance, has written to Rory Stewart today, claiming that changes will mean that “the current service to prisoners will simply stop” from April 1 without “any clear alternative” until the autumn at least.

“We have been informed that the Education and Skills Funding Agency has written to providers of the National Careers Service to terminate that part of their contracts relating to careers advice for prisoners in custody from April 1, 2018,” he wrote in the letter.

Neither the ESFA nor the Ministry of Justice were able to comment ahead of publication on the issue.

However, the PLA is convinced that the prisoner career advice service is being stopped, after it received complaints from members and saw correspondence from the National Careers Service, which FE Week has already seen.

“I understand that the ESFA has happily extended the rest of the NCS contracts in so far as they relate to careers advice in the community until the autumn, while a procurement for the replacement service is carried out; the prison part of the contract is the one part being terminated,” the PLA chair said.

He is aware that the MoJ is working on plans to provide “replacement services for information, advice and guidance services”, but he fears these “cannot be in place until the autumn at the earliest”.

The effect of this decision, he warned, would be to force current NCS providers to make hundreds of staff currently delivering careers advice in prisons redundant.

The PLA admits there are weaknesses in how the current NCS contract operates in prisons: “it is essentially designed for clients in the community and does not address needs in prisons very effectively”.

“But despite the constrictions of the formal contact, many NCS staff deliver much-needed and highly valued service to prisoners to assist them with their rehabilitation so that they can gain employment and lead constructive law-abiding lives on release,” the letter added.

Prof Schuller concluded by asking the minister, who has only been in place since January 9, to “urgently clarify” the rationale for this decision, and “how much needed careers advice and support will be provided to prisoners once the contracts terminate and any alternative is ready to be put in place”.

Former chair of the National Careers Service Dr Deirdre Hughes also made her concerns clear. “FE providers and careers advisers working with this group now face uncertainty and, in some cases, possible staff redundancies,” she said. “This disjointed policy between government offices needs to be revisited as a matter of urgency.”

 

Update at 2.11pm on January 18: A Ministry of Justice Spokesperson said: “We are committed to providing education and training to deliver more effective rehabilitation to address the needs of offenders. The Education Skills Funding Agency National Careers Service contract for services in custody ends in March 2018.”

Milton attempts to reassure SFCs’ cash concerns

Funding concerns will be acknowledged in a speech from the skills minister, who is to assure delegates at the Sixth Form Colleges Association conference that she will always fight their corner.

Anne Milton will attempt to strike a reassuring tone when she addresses the conference in London this morning.

“I am determined to see the sixth-form sector get the recognition it deserves,” she will say. “I will always be your advocate in government. The work that you and your colleagues do to transform the lives of young people is so important for them and for the country. You change lives.”

She will also repeatedly refer to funding, which is a touchy subject among members after the Department for Education last week ruled out increasing funding for 16- to 18-year-olds next year.

This flew in the face of the Support Our Sixth Formers campaign, back by the SFCA and FE Week, which has been warning the sector is at “tipping point”.

“Yes, we will always return to the question of funding in the longer term and will want to continue to talk to the sector about how to secure the high-quality education all our young people need, but to do this in an sustainable and affordable way,” Ms Milton will say.

The funding rate for 16- to 18-year-olds has remained unchanged for six years, and even Amanda Spielman, Ofsted’s chief inspector, warned during her speech at the launch of the Ofsted annual report in December that the “sector will continue to struggle” without an increase.

Ms Milton will refer to the issue again in her closing remarks.

“As ministers we are fortunate to have very helpful officials who draft us our speeches,” she will say.

“And like many draft speeches, I read the conclusion ended with the words that ‘this is a hugely exciting and challenging time’. What does that mean? It is possibly political speak for the fact that the challenge is money.

“But I guess it is exciting too. Exciting because with the government focus on social mobility we have a choice to change people’s lives.”

Ms Milton will also refer to efforts to “harness capacity” through “collaboration”, rather than “relying on competition to achieve improvement”.

“We have recently recruited the first of our new cohort of national leaders and I am pleased that this includes Peter McGee”, principal of the ‘outstanding’ St John Rigby Sixth Form College in Wigan, she will add. “He will work to help improvement in colleges”.

The national leaders will work under FE commissioner Richard Atkins to support struggling colleges.

“Our members will be pleased to hear the minister pledge to be our advocate in government, and we hope that she will continue to do everything she can to ensure sixth form colleges can continue to act as engines of social mobility,” said Bill Watkins, chief executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association.

“Young people from all backgrounds benefit from the kind of environment the sixth-form colleges provide: one where rigorous academic standards are expected, where it is safe to love learning, where everyone has access to individualised pastoral care and support, and where there is a fantastic array of extra opportunities and experiences outside the classroom.”