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‘ofsted’

Ofsted watch: Four providers improve to ‘good’ in busy week for FE

Four providers – including a major college – have boosted their grades from three to two this week, while seven others either maintained the ‘good’ rating or achieved it in either their first inspection. Elsewhere it’s been a busy week for monitoring visits, with 16 reports published – 14 for new apprenticeship visits which produced […]

News

How should providers interpret the ‘new’ ESFA guidance on prior learning?

It is an add-on rather than an update – and could be an attempt to claw back funding or scare providers into discount pricing, says Simon Ashworth Earlier this week the ESFA published guidance on the recognition of prior learning. It’s important to note this is additional guidance, rather than specifically new or updated funding […]

Opinion

Baker U-turns by telling all UTCs they could survive by joining multi-academy trusts

University Technical Colleges are being pressured to join multi-academy trusts after the programme’s architect Lord Baker U-turned on previous warnings that they will be “watered down” if they do. FE Week can reveal that Lord Baker and academies minister Lord Agnew wrote to principals and chairs of all UTCs last month urging them to join […]

News

Ofsted slams civil service apprentices scheme for inappropriate management courses

A provider that trains civil servants has been slammed by Ofsted for putting science graduates on apprenticeships that are a rebadge of its old commercial management courses – with no thought for if they need the training. The Business Portfolio (UK) Limited (TBP), which teaches 32 apprentices employed at the government-owned National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL), […]

News

Boss of charity behind the UTC programme to step down

The chief executive of the organisation that is behind the troubled university technical colleges programme is stepping down. Charles Parker, who has headed up the Baker Dearing Trust since 2012, will leave the top position in August. He’ll be replaced by Simon Connell, the trust’s current development director. The trust was set up by former […]

News

Damning Ofsted visit finds provider not knowing who its apprentices are

A training provider has been heavily criticised for not knowing accurately enough who their apprentices are, in an Ofsted monitoring report which rated it ‘insufficient’ across the board. Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust was today accused of failing to understand what constitutes a “high quality apprenticeship programme”. Ofsted found that managers are “unable to provide […]

News

ESFA audits to check apprenticeship price reductions made to account for prior work experience

The Education and Skills Funding Agency has reminded providers to conduct prior learning assessments when taking on apprentices, and warned they will be audited to ensure price reductions are being made. New guidance on the rule was published today, and follows the launch of a tender by the agency in February to find a researcher […]

News

The truth about The Hadlow Group financial scandal

The Hadlow Group has hit the headlines following allegations of financial irregularities and the departure of several senior leaders and governors. Now, FE Week has learnt further details of issues which brought about the FE Commissioner and Education and Skills Funding Agency investigations, as well as the fallout from the controversy. Deputy CEO could face […]

News

FE Commissioner pushing for mega merger to secure Cornwall College’s future

The FE Commissioner is pushing for a mega merger in Cornwall to secure the future of Cornwall College, which is currently surviving on government bailouts. FE Week exclusively revealed the existence of a mysterious and confidential review of further education in Cornwall back in November, after it was requested by Cornwall Council. It put pressure […]

News