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‘ofsted’

Colleges under fire in social mobility commission report

A hard-hitting report by the government’s social mobility commission has attacked college performance and recommended funding for employment outcomes rather than recruitment. The Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission’s 348-page document concluded: “Current policies are likely to be insufficient to address entrenched and unacceptably high levels of youth unemployment and inactivity.” It had used damning […]

News

Commons grilling for Elmfield, Syddall and SFA

Former Elmfield director Ged Syddall and Skills Funding Agency finance director Paul McGuire look set for a “no-holds-barred” grilling by MPs over allegations of apprenticeship malpractice. It is understood they will be called before the House of Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee by the end of next month in light of an investigation […]

News

SFA lifts blanket ban on new Elmfield learners after minister orders Ofsted revisit

The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) has lifted its blanket ban on new learners at Elmfield Training after an early Ofsted revisit ordered by Skills Minister Matthew Hancock resulted in a positive report. The SFA will now assess any request from Elmfield to start apprentices with, for instance, current client Barclays Bank on a “case-by-case basis”. […]

News

Planting and pruning course ‘not for leisure’

With Skills Minister Matthew Hancock wanting the 24+ Advanced Learning Loan System used to fund courses with a “direct line of sight to work,” FE Week reported how loans were paying for apparently leisure-focussed courses. Among them was a level three certificate in horticulture that was for less than four hours a week. The report […]

Opinion

Ofsted finds significant prison shortfalls

Ofsted FE and skills director Matthew Coffey has delivered a damning verdict on prison education and training in England and Wales. In a speech on Thursday at London’s Wormwood Scrubs prison he pointed out how 65 per cent of the 78 prisons inspected since 2009 had failed to achieve at least a good grading. “None […]

News

Colleges achieving from ‘burning platform’

The Organisation for Economic Development caught everybody’s eye with a report uncovering “poor” levels of adult numeracy while also questioning literacy skills. But, explains Martin Doel, there was another report earlier this month that was equally deserving of attention. The Organisation for Economic Development (OECD) recently published a review of vocational education and training, covering core […]

Opinion

Upholding need for teacher qualifications

Ruth Mathias raises concern about the government decision, which was implemented earlier this month, to remove the requirement for FE lecturers to have teaching qualifications. The decision to remove the requirement for teaching qualifications for FE lecturers mean candidates with no prior teacher training, or professional teaching qualifications, could now secure lecturing roles in FE […]

Opinion

Elmfield director Ged Syddall walks during Newsnight probe — but remains majority shareholder

Former Elmfield Training Ltd chief executive Ged Syddall (pictured) has quit as the firm’s director — but remains its majority shareholder — during a BBC investigation into alleged malpractice. A Newsnight probe, supported with information uncovered by FE Week, was due to be aired tomorrow night (Friday October 4), focussing on Elmfield’s dealings with workers at […]

News

Bravo principal in 120 breathtaking kickboxing bouts for charity

The principal of Basingstoke College of Technology (BCoT) today took part in 120 two minute kickboxing fights to raise funds for the The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. Anthony Bravo is 6 foot 5 inches tall and was National Association of Kickboxing Champion in 1995, 1996 and 1997 (each year winner of two out of the three categories: […]

News