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‘ofsted’

Was government support of Learndirect sale legal?

> MPs demand answers over ESFA approving sale of Learndirect Apprenticeships in 2016 > PAC inquiry to quiz Ofsted on decision to delay inspection month before sale collapsed MPs furious at the long-running Learndirect debacle are asking the public accounts committee to find out why the government supported the sale of the provider’s apprenticeships business, […]

News

Struggling college awarded £21m to make merger work

A struggling college received a massive £21 million bailout from the government as part of its recent merger deal, FE Week has learned. Telford College of Arts and Technology formally joined forces with neighbouring New College Telford to form Telford College shortly before Christmas, over 18 months after the partnership was first announced. But a […]

News

Non-levy tender appeals are lucky for some

Multiple providers have successfully overturned the government’s decisions not to award them contracts in the controversial non-levy tender – including several big hitters. The ESFA last week began contacting organisations that had appealed the outcome of the procurement before Christmas. Among the winners were Focus Training Group, which has a ‘good’ rating from Ofsted, Basingstoke […]

News

Level 2 apprenticeships are vital for social justice

The boss of the AELP wants the education select committee to help him get rid of the 20-per-cent off-the-job training rule hated by so many small ITPs The education committee’s inquiry this week into the quality of apprenticeships could not be more timely after the change at the top of the Department for Education. The […]

Opinion

DfE disappoints as it rejects a 16-to-18 funding-rate rise

The Department for Education has ruled out an increase in funding for 16- to 18-year-olds next year – dealing a blow to campaigners fighting for more cash. In a letter to providers published this afternoon, the department confirmed that there would be no change in funding for 2018/19. “The national base rates of £4,000 per full-time […]

News

Revealed: Four more deputy FE commissioners

Four new deputies have been appointed to support the FE commissioner in his drive to slash the number of colleges rated grade three or four, FE Week can exclusively reveal. The new recruits – which include two principals who will retire from their colleges later this year – mean Richard Atkins now has an army […]

News

Grade two provider wins non-levy tender appeal

A provider has successfully overturned the government’s decision not to award it a contract in the recent controversial non-levy tender. Focus Training Group, which is rated ‘good’ by Ofsted and has delivered apprenticeships in the south-west for 20 years, was originally told it had not reached the minimum threshold score to secure a contract, but […]

News

Ofsted watch: Bad start to 2018 for West Thames College

The new year has got off to a less-than-‘good’ start for one college, which saw its Ofsted grade drop from two to three in a quiet week for FE providers. West Thames College, one of just two FE and skills providers to have a full inspection report published since the start of the new year, […]

News

Lifeline for Somerset provider devastated by AEB tender

A community learning provider in Somerset that found itself at the sharp end of the adult education budget debacle has been handed a lifeline, with a vital funding meeting with the ESFA. Somerset Skills & Learning, which teaches around 10,000 students but had its funding cut by £1 million last year, will meet officials on […]

News