York College
‘ofsted’
A government drive to help young people with learning difficulties and disabilities prepare for the world of work is making “patchy” progress, despite plans to make it universal. So-called ‘supported internships’ were first introduced through a pilot in autumn 2012 with 15 FE colleges. They are unpaid study programmes for 16- to 24-year-olds lasting around […]
News
Two large colleges have pulled back from ‘inadequate’ Ofsted ratings – with both recognised for improved performance in reports out this morning. City of Bristol College and North Shropshire College have now been rated grade three. Inspectors recognised in today’s report on the former, which was rated grade four 17 months ago, that “senior leaders […]
The body that runs the university technical colleges has been making bold claims about a surge in demand for places for 14-year-olds. New figures shared exclusively with FE Week by the Baker Dearing Trust indicate that applications from 14-year-olds are running at nearly “double the rate” compared with last year. Silverstone UTC, for example, currently […]
University technical colleges across the country are planning to recruit students a year before their standard 14 starting age, an FE Week investigation has found. Five UTCs are consulting on taking students in from year nine, instead of year 10, in future academic years – with more expected to follow suit. The UTC project is […]
Independent training provider Nottinghamshire Training Network found itself stuck at a grade three this week, with all its provision deemed to ‘require improvement’ except traineeships, which were rated ‘good’. Problems with leadership and management were identified at the provider, such as leaders failing “to ensure that subcontractors meet the additional learning needs of all learners and […]
Your weekly guide to who’s new and who’s leaving There has been a senior appointment at East Coast College, which was created by a merger between Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Colleges. The college now operates from campuses in Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft, and will formally merge over the summer in time for the new academic […]
Movers and Shakers
The principal of Prospects College of Advanced Technology is set to retire, after guiding it through becoming the first new FE college in more than 20 years. Neil Bates (pictured above) will step down at the end of this academic year and said today it has been an “enormous privilege” to have led the college […]
The surprise resignation of Bolton Sixth Form College’s principal has been confirmed this morning to FE Week, three days after it was reported he had been suspended. Alex Fau Goodwin only took over as principal at Bolton in July 2016, following the retirement of former leader Steve Wetton. But the Bolton News reported last week […]
Two London colleges have finally agreed to merge, more than 18 months after the link between them was first proposed. The College of North West London and City of Westminster College will join forces this summer to become United Colleges Group. The decision was taken at their individual corporation meetings on May 17 and 24 […]
