Skip to content
11 April 2026

Tag: ESFA

Chief executive standing down from troubled college group

Bradford College has confirmed that its group chief executive is stepping down after it received both a financial notice to improve and an Oftsed grade three in short succession. Andy Welsh, who became group chief executive in August 2014, is stepping down at the end of this academic year. The Education and Skills Funding Agency […]

ESFA threatens to bring forward data deadlines

The ESFA has threatened to move the deadlines for individualised learner records (ILR) forward because it reckons too many providers submit on the last day. The threat has sparked anguish from colleges and ITPs across the country – and one disgruntled person has even asked the agency not to “keep beating us with a stick”. […]

It’s judgement time for the ESFA on degree apprenticeships

So, the tenders are in for the second attempt at procurement for apprenticeship provision for non-levy paying employers, and it’s over to the ESFA. As well as evaluating tenders, we’d suggest it’s also time to hold the ESFA’s own performance to account. It’s fundamental this time that the procurement is successful and works to the […]

‘Collusion’ banned in tough new EPA guidance

The government has fired a warning shot at organisations seeking to undermine the independence of final apprenticeship exams with the release of new guidance this month that specifically prohibits “collusion”. The Education and Skills Funding Agency has acted after an FE Week investigation earlier this year found employers in three sectors preparing to exploit a […]

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 […]

Colleges ‘deeply concerned’ about £650m non-levy tender

The Education and Skills Funding Agency was accused of plunging the relaunched non-levy apprenticeship funding tender process into chaos last night, as new “clarifications” and document updates were sent out. David Hughes reflects on college concerns below. Colleges are very frustrated and deeply concerned about the timing and the details of this procurement. Concerned because […]

BREAKING: ESFA appoints Eileen Milner as its new chief executive

The Education and Skills Funding Agency has appointed a permanent chief executive to replace Peter Lauener. Eileen Milner, who joins the ESFA from the Care Quality Commission, will start her new job in November, after which Mr Lauener is expected to retire.  In his announcement, he wrote that the appointment process for the position of […]

Local authority sets up rival apprenticeship provider register – but will charge

A local authority is planning to make hundreds of thousands in management fees by offering access to its own apprenticeship provider list, FE Week can reveal. Nottingham City Council is currently tendering for apprenticeship providers to join its “directory” – a list that it intends to share with other public sector employers across England. The […]