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‘ofsted’

The statistics tell the story

The government wants an FE commissioner to step in when a college is deemed to be failing. Most colleges improve by themselves . . . so what role would he or she have, asks Joy Mercer In its  ‘Rigour and Responsiveness’ paper, the government suggests a new tough line on college failure, proposing the appointment […]

Opinion

Plea for equality on sixth-forms

The head of the Association of Colleges (AoC) has called on Education Secretary Michael Gove to ensure schools opening a new sixth form have good or outstanding Ofsted grades. Martin Doel, the association’s chief executive, wrote to Mr Gove saying that as colleges needed either of Ofsted’s two top gradings to take on 14 to […]

News

We keep it simple – but it works

Rochdale Sixth Form College was graded outstanding in its first Ofsted inspection. It’s good news in a borough that doesn’t always make the headlines for the right reasons, says Julian Appleyard Rochdale Sixth Form College opened in September 2010 to address underachievement in the area. For many years young people had opted to travel out […]

Opinion

Ofsted success leads to government support call

The government has been urged to do more to promote sixth-form colleges after the sector’s second outstanding grade under Ofsted’s tough new inspection regime. Rochdale Sixth Form College, which has around 1,000 students, got grade one rankings across the education watchdog’s headline fields following its first inspection. “Teaching is energetic and often inspirational, and builds […]

News

Colleges hit with Skills Funding Agency warnings

Two of England’s biggest colleges have been slapped with notices of concern by the Skills Funding Agency following inadequate gradings from Ofsted. City of Liverpool College got grade fours in every one of the education watchdog’s headline fields last month, just four years after it was praised as outstanding. And, more recently, City of Bristol […]

News

Four into one equals success

City and Islington College, born in 1993, has faced challenges aplenty in its 20 years. Despite the blips, a birthday study shows how it has championed the community it serves, writes Andrew Morris Take two FE colleges, one sixth-form centre and one adult education service, mix together slowly, simmer on a gentle heat and what […]

Uncategorized

How do you solve a problem like ‘college’?

Public confusion about the identity of a “college”, poor media perception of FE and a lack of skills among college press officers combine to prevent the sector getting better media coverage, it is argued. A brief study of journalists’ perceptions of the sector for FE Week points to a continued poor understanding among news editors […]

Uncategorized

Celebrating 20 years of college independence

Download your free copy of the FE Week 16 page special anniversary supplement celebrating 20 years of college independence, sponsored by NOCN. Click here to download (10mb) Introduction Twenty years ago radical change took place as colleges were freed from local authority control. The revolution had started five years earlier when the 1988 Education Reform […]

News, Supplements

Twenty years of freedoms and constraints

The government announcement of a new FE commissioner to reform inadequate provision in the latest skills strategy Rigour and Responsiveness had mixed responses. Sector leaders saw it as a necessary evil, while employers, notably the CBI, see it strengthening their hand as a counterweight to college freedoms in New Challenges, New Chances. The timing of […]

Uncategorized