York College
‘ofsted watch’
Being under the Ofsted spotlight can be an uncomfortable place, says Denise Brown-Sackey, who turns the inspection tables back on the education watchdog. Are providers fit for purpose — but is Ofsted fit to judge? Being under the Ofsted spotlight can be an uncomfortable place, says Denise Brown-Sackey, who turns the inspection tables back […]
Opinion
It has been a year in which Ofsted stories have hit the front pages time and time again — starting back in September last year with Sir Michael Wilshaw’s “Deptford not Delhi” criticism. He warned that colleges could be at risk of focusing on international opportunities to the detriment of home-grown learners. The former head […]
News
With Ofsted’s careers guidance review due out soon, Karen O’Donoghue explains what she thinks needs to be done so that youngsters are getting pointed in the right direction. The Ofsted Thematic Review on careers guidance in schools is due out soon. The debate on careers provision for young people, simmering since the introduction and […]
As the time for the next Chief Inspector’s Annual Report approaches, three members of the Policy Consortium — which provides professional policy analysis for learning and skills — look for messages that may emerge about the past year, as well as some of the possible implications they might have. Colin Forrest, Carolyn Medlin and Mike […]
There’s a choice of comfy little red sofa with two small armchairs either side, or a cold but smart table and chairs next to the window. My bag is plonked, hopefully, by the welcoming sofa and I hover nearby before Matthew Coffey, Ofsted’s director of further education and skills, walks in. He stands next to […]
Profiles
A York college that will be running traineeships for 19 to 24-year-olds has said no to putting the programme on for 16 to 18-year-olds because of a lack of government funding, FE Week can reveal. The 2,000-student Askham Bryan College was rated as good by Ofsted early last year and so can run the government’s […]
A former Association of Colleges president has become City College Coventry’s new governors’ chair after a disastrous Ofsted report resulted in the Skills Funding Agency calling for “fundamental changes”. Maggie Galliers, who was the association president for 2011/12, was unanimously voted into the post and joins new interim principal John Hogg in a revamped leadership […]
While providers gear up for the challenge of delivering traineeships, Ofsted has been looking at how to assess the scheme. Matthew Coffey explains what the education watchdog wants to see in action. We’re all too familiar with the young person who, for whatever reasons, hasn’t excelled at school and runs the risk of joining the […]
And apprenticeships inspire high levels of ambition, confidence and eloquence says Matthew Coffey, National Director of Further Education and Skills This is an important week for vocational education. The Worldskills competition in Leipzig, Germany is showcasing some of the world’s best young trainees. They will compete for medals in 46 disciplines ranging from hairdressing to […]
