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‘apprenticeships’

Have hopes for the new national colleges been derailed?

Nearly three years ago the government pledged to create five national colleges that would train more than 20,000 students between them by 2020. Over the weekend one of these, the National College for High Speed Rail, hit the headlines after it emerged it had just 93 learners last year. That prompted FE Week to take […]

News

Ofsted watch: A mostly positive week for FE and skills

It’s been a mostly positive week for FE and skills, with one provider receiving a grade two on its first ever full inspection and five early monitoring visit reports returning ‘reasonable’ grades. The only blemishes on this otherwise glowing picture are two apprenticeship providers found to be making ‘insufficient’ progress. Leaders at independent learning provider […]

News

DfE refers 3aaa to police following investigation

The Department for Education has referred Aspire Achieve Advance to the police following its investigation into the crisis-hit provider. The company, known as 3aaa, was put into administration today following a second government investigation regarding claims about inflated achievement rates. This newspaper can now reveal that the DfE has referred their findings to the police […]

News

Government needs to improve access to apprenticeships

This week the education select committee published a wide-ranging report on the government’s apprenticeship record. It highlighted failings in apprenticeship policy, process and delivery that we, along with sector bodies, have articulated for months – often in this newspaper. But what needs highlighting from this report is the importance not just of the apprenticeship but […]

Opinion

Can UTCs fit in the technical education jigsaw?

The government should think again on UTCs, and consider moving admissions to 16, says Gerard Dominguez-Reig Technical education is prone to continual fiddling by recent governments. In the last few years we’ve seen the roll out of T-levels, significant reforms to apprenticeships, and the area reviews of further education colleges. Emanating from government’s post-16 skills plan, […]

Opinion

Major subcontractor heavily criticised in ‘insufficient’ Ofsted monitoring visit report

A major subcontractor has been heavily criticised in a new apprenticeship provider Ofsted monitoring visit report that found it to be making ‘insufficient progress’ in all areas under review. Cumbria-based NC Training started delivering levy-funded apprenticeships in July 2017, but also held eight subcontracts worth £1.6 million last year. The verdict means it can expect […]

News

FE Commissioner report reveals ‘cash crisis’ and falling achievement at Northumberland College

Northumberland College has undergone a “cash flow crisis” and could see its finances plummet further, according to an intervention report from the FE Commissioner. The report, published today, also revealed declining learner recruitment, inadequate apprenticeship delivery, low achievement and “last minute negotiations” to defer loan repayments at the college, and warned that it may yet […]

News

Three cheers for the Institute for Apprenticeships!

Maritime Skills Alliance sticks up for the maligned IfA for creating two wholly new port operative apprenticeships in a complex and non-standardised industry FE Week’s made quite a bit recently of the fact that neither Ministers, nor Sir Gerry Berragan, the Institute for Apprenticeships’ Chief Executive, can name any employers willing to offer the IfA any […]

Opinion

Scrap UTC 14-19 model, says former schools minister in latest damning report

A former schools minister has called for the admission age at university technical colleges to change to 16, after damning new research faulted their academic progress and ability to recruit and retain learners. The latest report from the Education Policy Institute has laid bare the major issues at the 14-19 providers, including high drop-out rates […]

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