coronavirus | FE Week

Government to U-turn on masks in colleges

Staff and students will be expected to wear face coverings in colleges in England from September following a government U-turn, FE Week understands. Ministers are expected to announce the change later today following growing pressure in the wake of a similar decision in Scotland and changes to World Health Organisation guidelines. It means staff and […]

Ofsted director seconded to government Covid response team

A senior Ofsted director has been seconded to a government team planning for the return of students to schools and colleges. Sean Harford, the watchdog’s national director of education, moved temporarily to the Cabinet Office this week to work on the government’s response to the pandemic. He will be there until the end of the […]

Exams 2020: Ofqual confirms final appeals process for GCSEs and A-levels

Schools and colleges will be able to appeal against GCSE and A-level results if they feel data used to standardise grades was not a “reliable basis” for predicting 2020 results, Ofqual has confirmed. The exams regulator has set out the full arrangements for appeals this year, confirming that centres will be able to appeal if […]

Rule change restricting use of 16-19 tuition fund branded ‘bureaucratic madness’

An “unwelcome” change to the rules for the government’s 16 to 19 tuition fund which restricts the learners the money can be spent on has been branded “bureaucratic madness”. The Education and Skills Funding Agency has updated its guidance on the fund to add a new stipulation that it can only be spent on learners […]