Search Results for

The following 3790 results have been found to match your search query:

‘ofsted’

Government lifts traineeship restriction on providers

Lead providers rated as requiring improvement and even inadequate by Ofsted will be able to deliver traineeships from next academic year, the government has announced. Currently, only outstanding and good providers can deliver the programme, introduced in 2013, although they can subcontract to grade three (‘requires improvement’) and non-inspected providers. But the government today said its grade […]

News

What next for FE after the Comprehensive Spending Review?

The sector might not be about to change quite as drastically, or catastrophically, as had been expected from Chancellor George Osborne’s Budget. But the need for change is nevertheless as urgent as ever, explains Kirstie Donnelly. So the Comprehensive Spending Review has finally been announced and, after months of speculation about exactly how deep the […]

Opinion

Sarah Wright, principal, Central Sussex College

A typist course at Warwickshire College at the age of 29 was the moment Sarah Wright knew her “life was going to be different”. Today she sits in the principal’s chair at Central Sussex College safe in the knowledge of when and where her next paycheque will come from — but such certainty and security […]

Profiles

Climbing out of the abyss

Chancellor George Osborne’s Budget last month was widely expected to be disastrous for FE. But while many are still awaiting the finer details, the sector appeared at least safe for now. Neil Carmichael outlines his view of the sector settlement. The mood of the Association of Colleges conference when I attended on the closing day […]

Opinion

Bankruptcy warning on Saudi college ventures

English colleges who set up new learner ventures in Saudi Arabia as part of multi-million pound deals could be facing “bankruptcy” as the projects prove less popular than expected, it has been claimed. Education Investor has reported that Saudi’s Colleges of Excellence programme, which attracted the likes of Lincoln College, Moulton College and Activate Learning […]

News

Channel Four programme claims high street giant Next saved £2.5m in wages employing hundreds of low paid apprentices

High Street giant Next slashed £2.5m off its wage bill by employing hundreds of low-earning apprentices, according to a hard-hitting Channel Four programme exclusively previewed to FE Week. Apprenticeships come under scrutiny in Dispatches tomorrow night as investigators look at the wages and quality of training delivered by high-profile companies. The programme, entitled Low Pay Britain, focuses […]

News

Ofsted identifies improvement at horror youth prison

Ofsted inspectors who uncovered “degrading treatment, racist comments and care from staff under the influence of illegal drugs” at a youth prison have reported an improvement. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ), as previously reported on feweek.co.uk, pledged “urgent action” in light of Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre’s May inspection report. And the actions appeared to have […]

News

Annual Ofsted report exposes FE maths and English issues

Ofsted deputy director for FE and skills Paul Joyce has outlined how the story of the education watchdog’s 2014/15 annual report was one of a huge rise in maths and English learners “undoubtedly” impacting upon worsening inspection grades. He spoke to FE Week moments after Ofsted chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw unveiled the report, which […]

News

Sir Michael sees how ‘inequalities in funding impact on what we can do with our learners’

Phil Hatton reviews the Ofsted 2014/15 annual report and pinpoints as key its mention of how funding issues are affecting quality. Reading the learning and skills section of the Chief Inspector’s annual brought few surprises for those who have been monitoring inspections throughout last year. However, the picture painted of being ‘above’ or ‘below’ the […]

Opinion