Skinners’ Academies Trust
‘ofsted’
Ofsted should be congratulated for admitting that it got it wrong with the wording of important extracts of its report on Yeovil College. No individual or organisation is flawless by any means, and while Elton John may have said in his famous song that ‘sorry seems to be the hardest word’ – it shouldn’t be. […]
Opinion
The FE sector has paid tribute to Kim Thorneywork, the “distinguished” former chief executive of the Skills Funding Agency, who died this week. Ms Thorneywork joined the agency in 2006 and became its leader in July 2012, but the following October she announced that she was stepping down after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Sector […]
News
A senior Ofsted inspector has apologised after the inspectorate accepted multiple challenges to the wording of a report on Yeovil College, which included factual inaccuracies and insulting comments. The words “college leaders have tackled the lack of pride and ambition that existed in the college” appeared on the front page of the ‘good’-rated report, which […]
The Prime Minister’s pledge to roll out mental health first aid training to education staff working with young people will not cover the FE sector. Theresa May (pictured left) spoke out yesterday about a “burning injustice of mental health and inadequate treatment” at the Charity Commission annual meeting at the Royal Society in London yesterday (January […]
Dr Sue answers your questions on all aspects of governance, from taking time off to liability. Question One: Time off work As a school governor I was given time off work. Does the same apply to college governors? Answer: Governors frequently ask about their entitlement to time off work to carry out their functions. […]
Epping Forest College has been rated ‘inadequate’ across-the-board, in an Ofsted report out today that warned of safeguarding failings that emerged through a “large-scale incident” during the inspection. The education watchdog, which inspected the college between November 15 and 18 last year, found that the safeguarding processes and procedures at Epping Forest failed to “ensure […]
Improving staff wellbeing is not only vital to college success, it’s our moral duty as FE leaders, says Stuart Rimmer At the recent AOC annual conference, its president Ian Ashman declared 2016/17 the year of mental health in FE. This was an important, welcome and long overdue step that has been superbly received by the […]
Your weekly guide to who’s new, and who’s leaving. James Staniforth has been appointed principal and chief executive of the Shrewsbury Colleges Group. The newly formed group, comprising Shrewsbury Sixth Form college and Shrewsbury college, has become Shropshire’s largest combined A-level and vocational education provider since it completed its merger in July. Mr Staniforth will […]
Movers and Shakers
Ofsted seems to be heading for a U-turn on a controversial policy that exempts providers rated ‘outstanding’ from routine inspection. FE Week revealed in November that two colleges – Bridgwater and Taunton College in Somerset, and Hills Road Sixth Form College in Cambridgeshire – had not been inspected for a decade. Since then, another college […]
