Opinion

What next for FE after the Comprehensive Spending Review?

The sector might not be about to change quite as drastically, or catastrophically, as had been expected from Chancellor…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
Opinion

Questions, questions, questions as AoC chief Martin Doel prepares for life of a professor

Martin Doel has revealed plans to become the inaugural Further Education Trust for Leadership (Fetl) Professor of FE and…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
Opinion

The big Lep Euro funding step

Within the next couple of weeks, we expect the Skills Funding Agency to finally begin the process of European…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
Opinion

Climbing out of the abyss

Chancellor George Osborne’s Budget last month was widely expected to be disastrous for FE. But while many are still…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
Opinion

The ‘heartbreaking’ path to raising standards through competition

Among the many proud principals watching learners take part in last month’s WorldSkills UK competitions at the Skills Show…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
Opinion

Sir Michael sees how ‘inequalities in funding impact on what we can do with our learners’

Phil Hatton reviews the Ofsted 2014/15 annual report and pinpoints as key its mention of how funding issues are…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter


Opinion

Should Ofsted help shape programmes as well as inspect them?

Sue Pember casts her eye over the Ofsted 2014/15 annual report. Ofsted’s mission statement is ‘raising standards and improving…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
Opinion

The Principal’s Office — English and maths challenge

The national 16 to 18 A*-C pass rates in 14/15 were 35.8 per cent (38.9 per cent) for GCSE…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
Opinion

Leading the ILP way on new short inspections

Hull Business Training Centre this month became the first FE and skills independent learning provider to undergo Ofsted’s new…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
Opinion

Good news in Budget — but what does it mean for learners?

Sandra McNally considers the possible impact of Chancellor George Osborne’s November 25 Budget. The Spending Review has brought good…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
Opinion

Sixth form colleges’ academy VAT pass announcement comes as perfect leaving present

David Igoe will stand down as chief executive of the Sixth Form Colleges’ Association (SFCA) at the end of…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
Opinion

Consultation for two-levy payers but Chancellor George Osborne Budget blueprint ‘ticks boxes’

With the CITB having operated a training levy in the construction sector for half a century, it’s view of…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford