Training providers are being are being told they will learn the results of their long delayed adult education budget bids in August, even though the Education and Skills Funding Agency claimed the announcement would be made “at the end of July”.

This is far from the first time this news has been held back – the tender took place between January and February of this year, with the results promised on May 19. 

After missing that deadline, the ESFA told the relevant providers in June that they would have to wait until the end of July.

And now, providers have been let down again.

They were told today that their results would be published on August 4, in a message sent via the ESFA’s e-tendering portal.

“Following the earlier message issued on June 28, the ESFA can now confirm that the award notification as a result of the invitation to tender for education and training services – adult education budget 2017 to 2018, will be made on the August 4,” it said.

“Contract awards resulting from the tender exercise will be for a nine-month period running from November 1 2017 to July 31 2018.”

The delay was a hot topic at the Association of Employment and Learning Providers’ conference in June, where Keith Smith, director of funding and programmes at the ESFA, told delegates that an announcement was expected “very, very shortly”.

“We’re looking at how we manage the transitions from the current allocations to the new allocations,” he explained.

“I can’t say anything more on it yet but it’s imminent; I think it’ll be good news for the sector.”

Independent learning providers were first told as long as as last October that they would need to re-tender for around £110 million of the Adult Education Budget for 2017/18.

On hearing of the August date, chief policy officer at the AELP, Simon Ashworth, said: “All the indications are that the tender has been heavily oversubscribed.  Given the reports that the AEB has been underspent, we retain the view that the whole budget should have been procured to secure better outcomes and improved value for money.”

The tendered AEB contracts were originally meant to have started on August 1 – three days before the tender results will finally – we hope – be revealed

An end-point assessment organisation claims that the Education and Skills Funding Agency will allow it to subcontract apprenticeship exams – even though the agency is in the middle of a significant crackdown on similar arrangements.

SSL Assessment Services Partnerships is currently approved to deliver EPA for the level three team leader standard, and is listed on the register of apprentice assessment organisations.

The arrangement involves two separate entities – SSL working as a consultancy, responsible for quality and process, and a training provider looking after occupational competence.

And while the bulk of any fee is to go to the training provider for carrying out the actual assessment, SSL intends to retain a portion of it for its services.

Nigel Sweeney, the firm’s managing director, accepted that “perhaps this is subcontracting in its broadest sense”, but said he preferred the term “partnership”.

“We are a partnership in which the lead partner [SSL] has the ability to pick the very best occupational lead partner for each specific standard,” he insisted.

He added that the “occupational lead partner is a partner in their own right”.

The ESFA, which manages the AAO register, has been hammering subcontracting arrangements like this amid widespread concerns over abuses of the system.

Providers can no longer subcontract whole apprenticeship frameworks or standards, after numerous lead organisations were caught charging massive “topslice” fees.

And, as of August 1, subcontracting of advanced learner loan provision will also be banned, with only lead providers allowed to deliver these courses in the future.

Despite this, Mr Sweeney told FE Week what he was doing was “fair” – and claimed it had been approved by the ESFA.

But FE Week has been unable to get confirmation on this fact.

A spokesperson for the Institute for Apprenticeships said it “abides by the register of apprentice assessment organisations, administered by the ESFA” and that it was up to each employer to decide “which of the registered organisations they contract to deliver the end-point assessment”.

But when we asked the ESFA if such a model was allowed, we were directed back to the IfA’s comment – even though it clearly indicates that responsibility for enforcing the rules lies with the ESFA.

However, during a webinar in January for the Future Apprenticeships programme, run by the Association of Employment and Learning Providers and funded by the Education and Training Foundation, representatives from what was then the SFA hinted that there would be a new models for EPA coming through – including partnerships.

Janet Ryland, of the funding and programmes division, said the agency was not “prescribing the type of models or consortia”, while her colleague Richard Mole said they needed to be “clear about who’s responsible, where the conflicts of interest lie and how those will be managed”.

Mr Sweeney said that he and the training provider partner were working together to develop the assessment materials, with the training provider bringing the “occupational competence” and his own company providing “policy and process” and quality assurance.

The training provider will carry out the assessment, but the final decision on whether an apprentice passes will rest with SSL.

The “lion’s share” of the fee is to go to the provider, but a portion would be retained by SSL for “admin, engaging with the employer” and handling “quality issues”, Mr Sweeney said.

Currently SSL is partnered with White Rose Training to deliver final exams for the team leader standard, but Mr Sweeney said he wants to engage other providers to deliver assessments for other standards, and would be applying for recognition by Ofqual.

An Ofqual spokesperson confirmed that SSLASP was not yet recognised by the qualifications regulator.

Colleges in West Yorkshire have agreed a “landmark” partnership with the combined authority to align their annual £56 million adult education budget provision while it waits for an official devolution deal to happen.

The authority – made up of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds, Wakefield and York councils, and Leeds city region enterprise partnership – has the region’s seven colleges on board with the scheme, which aims to address “acute skills shortages” faced by the area.

Each college has its own targets it needs to reach as part of the partnership, including increasing starts on higher-level apprenticeship courses, improving the proportion of full-time courses with a work experience element, and increasing its income from apprenticeships.

It is hoped that by reaching these targets, the colleges will help to narrow the skills gap in Leeds’ major sectors of manufacturing and engineering, health and care, infrastructure and digital.

The partnership has been created while the combined authority progresses with plans for a full devolution deal, which FE Week understands is in its very early stages.

Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, skills lead for the West Yorkshire’s combined authority and leader of Bradford council, said she was “immensely pleased” with the new partnership.

“It is paramount that our young people, particularly those hardest to reach, have access to training and qualifications that will lead them to rewarding employment,” she said.

“By realigning this £56 million annual spend, we can ensure that young people have the right skills to gain access to well paid jobs that meet the demands of our businesses.”

The seven colleges in the partnership are Bradford College Group, Calderdale College, Kirklees College, Leeds City College, Leeds College of Building, Shipley College and Wakefield College.

Ian Billyard, principal of Leeds College of Building said that by working with the combined authority, his college had “identified how we will improve our links with employers, grow our apprenticeship offer and develop our pathways to higher-level learning to address the skills shortages in our sector and bring affordable, high-quality education to the young people of the north.”

Andy Welsh, chief executive of Bradford College Group said he was “keen to develop” his college’s “career-focused provision further and in alignment with the needs of the Leeds City Region economy”.

“In partnership with the combined authority and with a renewed focus, we will continue to work to support the needs of Bradford residents and beyond, from the most disadvantaged to those accessing degree level training. Bradford College Group fully endorses this partnership.”

The Institute for Apprenticeships has failed to appoint a permanent chief executive, FE Week can reveal.

A job advert for the top position at the new institute was first launched in April, with a submissions deadline date of May 22.

A person for the role should have been appointed by now, but having failed to do so the IfA has turned to Odgers Berndtson, a major recruitment firm, for help.

In an email sent last week to a sector leader and seen by FE Week, a recruiter from the company says: “I wanted to make contact about a chief executive opportunity I am working on for the Institute for Apprentices.

“Whilst I appreciate you have just moved into a new role, I would be keen to have a word to seek your thoughts and expert opinion on this assignment and see if anyone within your network you may think is suited towards this role.”

A spokesperson for the IfA then confirmed to FE Week today that the institute is still actively  looking for chief executive applicants.

“We received a good response to the advert and have a strong field for the post,” he said. “At present the competition remains ongoing and as part of the process we have used headhunters. The institute remains committed to filling the post as soon as possible.”

The spokesperson added that in the meantime, Peter Lauener will remain as interim chief executive for the institute and he has “made it clear that he is happy to remain in post until the next chief executive is appointed to ensure continuity of leadership”.

The IfA launched in April and is expected to have an annual budget of around £8 million and up to 80 staff.

The chief executive position is only a fixed term contract, of up to five years, with a salary of up to £142,500.

According to the email sent by Odgers Berndtson, the boss of the IfA will have a role in “developing and managing effective relationships with senior stakeholders, seeking to bring them on board and win their commitment to the functions of the Institute, including how those might evolve over time”.

It adds: “The chief executive will be expected to be a visible and authoritative presence on the public stage and in engaging with senior figures in the private and public sector, and will be a credible figure with employers.”

In April, the government appointed Antony Jenkins as permanent chair of the IfA, as well as the chairs for 15 route panels, and a panel of apprentices to advise the board.

The House of Lords has called for an inquiry into whether or not FE and vocational training is funded fairly.

Lord Forsyth (pictured above), the chair of the economic affairs committee, is asking for written submissions to be sent in by September 14.

There are a number of FE areas he is hoping to receive submissions for, including the sector’s thoughts on the apprenticeships levy and the government’s target of three million new apprenticeships by 2020.

The post-16 skills plan, based on the recommendations from Lord Sainsbury’s review of technical education, is also on the agenda, as are the much anticipated T-levels, which will give 16- to 19 year-olds the option to study for technical qualifications in 15 sectors.

The inquiry will also look at higher education.

“Successive governments have committed to increasing participation in higher education,” he said. “More recently the government has pledged to increase the number of apprenticeships offered.”

“For those who do not go to university, is the system of further education and vocational training funded fairly? Should there be a greater focus on technical qualifications in STEM subjects to fill shortages in the labour market?”

The committee is keen to gather evidence from those with “direct knowledge” of the issues, including students, recent graduates and apprentices, but it also wants to hear from businesses and enterprise on whether the current system “equips workers with the necessary skills for the modern economy”.

“For our inquiry to be effective we need to hear as many views and experiences as possible,” he said. “Written evidence will play an important role in informing our work and I would encourage anyone with knowledge, or an interest in this area, to return a submission by September 14, 2017.”

Anyone wanting to give written evidence should submit their views online here.

Degree students left waiting for overdue results from a Lancashire college have branded the delay “cruel” and are demanding answers. 

The final grades for students at Blackburn College’s university centre should have been published two weeks ago, according to reports in the local media – but have not yet been released.

The college has blamed data glitches for the delay, but hasn’t elaborated about what’s behind the problem, how many students are affected, or even when the problems will be resolved.

A number of students affected have tweeted their anger at the ongoing delay.

One user, Kylie Armstrong, wrote on July 18: “@LancasterUni celebrating graduation while they have delayed our results #cruel #wedemandanswers”

Others have complained about the impact the delay could have on their future studies or job offers.

Tracy Stuart, a vice-principal of curriculum and quality, expressed “regret” that the students had not got their results.

“The college is undertaking a robust review of its data to ensure its accuracy,” she said, resulting in “a delay which we are working hard to resolve”.

“Blackburn College is currently scheduling the submission of its results,” she added.

She refused to reveal any more information despite further questions from FE Week.

Blackburn College, which crashed two grades from ‘outstanding’ to ‘requires improvement’ after an Ofsted inspection in May, offers degrees through its university centre, the majority of which are validated by Lancaster University.

Prof Mike Wright, a dean of academic quality at Lancaster, said the university had been “informed that a systems issue is affecting Blackburn College results” and that staff at the college and the university were “working collaboratively to fix the problem as quickly as possible”.

“As soon as Blackburn’s internal systems issue is resolved and Lancaster University can be satisfied with the accuracy of the results, we will then be in a position to set a date for the college to release those results to students,” he said.

FE Week has asked the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for HE if it had received any complaints from Blackburn students, and a spokesperson told us that the organisation was “not able to comment on individual cases or to confirm whether or not we have received cases relating to a particular issue”.

She added: “It may be useful to clarify that students normally need to complete their provider’s own internal complaints process before they can bring a complaint to us.”

 

Three providers have been branded ‘inadequate’ in a tough week for the FE and skills sector.

Land-based provider Easton and Otley College, independent provider EQL Solutions Limited and employer provider Compass Group UK & Ireland have all been given the lowest possible grade.

Easton and Otley College was rated grade four in all areas except effectiveness of leadership and management, and apprenticeships – both given grade three – in a report published July 20 and based on an inspection carried out in May.

“Too many students” on study programmes were found to “not make the progress of which they are capable”, while adult learners “do not benefit from effective, well-planned teaching, learning and assessment”.

Consequently, “too few” learners “achieved their qualifications”, with the proportion having “declined in recent years”.

Leaders and managers were also criticised for failing to act “swiftly to bring about improvements to the provision in order to ensure that students and apprentices make good progress”.

Governance and management at EQL Solutions Limited came in for heavy criticism in a report published July 19 and based on an inspection in March.

The Warrington-based provider was rated inadequate in all areas except adult learning, with governors and leaders slammed for failing to “eradicate the weaknesses identified at the previous inspection”.

The “strategic and operational management of subcontractors” was deemed “requires improvement”, as was the “performance management of staff at every level”.

Apprentice achievement rates had “declined significantly” since the previous inspection – but unemployed adult learners were found to “make good progress”.

Meanwhile, employer provider Compass Group UK & Ireland was handed grade fours across the board in a report published June 20 and based on an inspection in June.

“Few” line managers were found to be “engaged in the apprenticeship programme” while UK directors “do not have a clear understanding of the performance of apprenticeship delivery”.

Consequently, most apprentices “make slow progress” as a result of “operational restructuring, changes of assessors, poorly planned learning and a lack of time at work to devote to their apprenticeship”.

Leaders were also criticised for failing to “manage rigorously enough” the subcontractor’s performance.

Three providers slipped one grade from ‘good’ to ‘requires improvement’ – independent providers TQ Workforce Development Limited and Archway Academy, along with adult and community learning provider NACRO.

A significant decline in apprenticeship achievement rates was among the issues highlighted for TQ Workforce Development, in a report published July 19 and based on a June inspection.

Leaders and managers were deemed “slow to implement actions to improve teaching, learning and assessment” while learners’ and apprentices’ progress was “hindered” due to a lack of “challenging, detailed targets based on their individual starting points”.

Issues with data collection and progress monitoring were among those pulling Archway Academy down, in a report published July 19 and based on an inspection in June.

“Too few” tutors were “sufficiently demanding” of learners, and many did not “use results of learners’ initial assessment and education, health and care plans sufficiently well to plan learning that meets all learners’ individual education and training needs”.

Meanwhile, the report into Nacro – published July 19 and based on an inspection in May – singled out problems with the community learning and skills provider’s study programmes.

Poor design of the programmes that failed to allow “sufficient consideration of the personal circumstances that often prevent learners from being able to maintain a commitment to year-long study programmes” led to “too few learners” achieving their qualifications.

Former sixth form college Totton College, which is now part of Nacro, was also rated as ‘requires improvement’ in a separate report published July 18 and based on a June inspection.

Learners’ progress was being impeded by “low” attendance and teachers who had “insufficiently high expectations of their learners” – with the result that achievement rates were “too low”.

Just two providers were found to be ‘good’ overall this week following full inspections – one of which, Learning Skills Partnership Ltd, went up from grade three, while the other, Smart Training and Recruitment Ltd, held on to its grade two.

Leaders and managers at Learning and Skills Partnership Ltd were praised for having “overseen significant improvements” at the Hull-based independent provider, and for having a “clear and carefully considered vision”, in a report published July 19 and based on an inspection in June.

The “vast majority” of apprentices benefitted from “well-planned and effective teaching, learning and assessment”, leading to “the development of good occupational skills which their employers value highly”.

The standard of apprentices’ work at Smart Training and Recruitment Limited was deemed “good”, with the “large majority” making good progress on their programmes, in a report published July 18 and based on an inspection in June.

The “excellent relationships” developed by “very ambitious” leaders and managers at the Isle of Wight-based independent provider have enabled them to “deliver high-quality programmes that meet local and regional needs and the needs of apprentices”.

Eight providers held onto their grade two following a short inspection this week – independent learning providers Introtrain (ACE) Limited, Midland Group Training Services Limited, and Health & Safety Training Limited, and adult and community learning providers Building Crafts College, Southampton City Council, Derby Skillbuild, Derbyshire Adult and Community Education Service, and Cheshire East Council.

And finally, a monitoring visit report into safeguarding at Lewisham Southwark College was published this week, which found all aspects of safeguarding to be effective.

GFE Colleges	Inspected	Published	Grade	Previous grade
Lewisham Southwark College	21/06/2017	21/07/2017	M	M
Easton & Otley College	15/05/2017	20/07/2017	4	2
Totton College (Part of Nacro)	06/06/2017	18/07/2017	3	–

 

Independent Learning Providers	Inspected	Published	Grade	Previous grade
TQ Workforce Development Limited	13/06/2017	19/07/2017	3	2
Archway Academy	27/06/2017	19/07/2017	3	2
Learning Skills Partnership Ltd	19/06/2017	19/07/2017	2	3
EQL Solutions Limited	28/03/2017	19/07/2017	4	3
Smart Training and Recruitment Limited	13/06/2017	18/07/2017	2	2

 

Adult and Community Learning	Inspected	Published	Grade	Previous grade
NACRO	09/05/2017	19/07/2017	3	2

 

Employer providers	Inspected	Published	Grade	Previous grade
Compass Group UK & Ireland	13/06/2017	20/07/2017	4	2

 

Short inspections (remains grade 2)	Inspected	Published
Building Crafts College	13/06/2017	20/07/2017
Southampton City Council	27/06/2017	20/07/2017
Derby Skillbuild	29/06/2017	19/07/2017
Derbyshire Adult Community Education Service	21/06/2017	19/07/2017
Cheshire East Council	14/06/2017	19/07/2017
Introtrain (ACE) Limited	20/06/2017	20/07/2017
Midland Group Training Services Limited	21/06/2017	20/07/2017
Health & Safety Training Limited	21/06/2017	19/07/2017