DfE | FE Week - Part 20

ESFA row-back on plans to increase apprenticeship performance threshold

The government has today scrapped plans to increase by three percentage points the apprenticeship minimum standard achievement threshold. The minimum standard is an important performance measure as the Education and Skills Funding Agency “monitors delivery against that minimum standard, which could trigger intervention to support improvement”. The ESFA: “calculate how many of the apprenticeships or […]

Learndirect and DfE scandal referred to NAO by Public Accounts Committee chair

The Learndirect scandal is expected to face a National Audit Office investigation following a request from the Public Accounts Committee, FE Week can reveal. In a series of events that will be familiar to FE Week readers, the largest training provider in the UK has been afforded special treatment by the DfE and retains all […]

EXCLUSIVE: DfE’s decision to defend small school sixth form cost £76,000 in fees

A legal challenge brought against the government by the Association of Colleges over the opening of a small-school sixth form last year has cost the tax payer over £75,000, FE Week can reveal. According to a Freedom of Information we submitted to the Department for Education in July, it paid out a huge £60,000 for […]

DfE blames lack of resources for loans figures suspension

The Department for Education has blamed a lack of resources for its failure to publish up-to-date advance learner loans figures – on which reporting is now suspended indefinitely. In the past, the DfE has published a report with up-to-date numbers of the advanced learner loan applications it has received and those applications ready for payment […]

DfE ditches Boles back-to-school plan for apprentices

A plan to force apprentices to go back into schools and promote apprenticeships has seemingly been dumped just a year after it was announced by the former skills minister. Nick Boles told the parliamentary sub-committee on education, skills and the economy last April that the government would introduce the “commitment on the part of an […]

DfE blasted for flip-flopping on GCSE maths and English resits

The government has been blasted for flip-flopping on its review into GCSE maths and English resits. All 16 to 18-year-old students with a near-pass (previously grade D, now grade three) GCSE in the subjects have since August 2015 had to continue studying and resit them through the rule, alongside FE courses, rather than a level […]

AELP demands widespread changes to 20 per cent off-the-job apprenticeship training rule

Calls are being made for widespread changes to the minimum 20 per cent off-the-job training apprenticeship rule, in a new report expressing Association of Employment and Learning Providers frustration. According to the government, off-the-job training must amount to “20 per cent of the apprentice’s contracted employment hours across the whole apprenticeship”, but AELP wants more detailed […]

Decision to retain forced maths and English GCSE resits ‘extremely’ disappointing

A government move to continue insisting on widespread GCSE maths and English resits – through the heavily criticised condition of funding rule – has left sector bosses “extremely disappointed”. All 16 to 18-year-old students with a near-pass (previously grade D, now grade three) GCSE in the subjects have since August 2015 had to continue studying […]

Skills Commission demands cross-departmental minister for lifelong learning

A group of key FE figures has called for a cross-departmental minister for a lifelong learning, through a new report by the Skills Commission. It’s one of a number of recommendations made by the commission, co-chaired by former chair of the Learning and Skills Improvement Service Dame Ruth Silver, in its new report ‘Spotlight on…lifelong […]