monitoring visits

Speedy Ofsted criticism of provider just months after multi-million pound purchase

A new provider that was allowed to recruit over 1,000 apprentices before being inspected has been found making ‘insufficient progress’ by Ofsted in a monitoring visit. Prospects Training International Limited trades as Geason Training and was acquired by Speedy, one of the UK’s leading tool hire services company, in a deal worth up to £26 […]

Revealed: Six more apprenticeship providers banned from taking new recruits

Six more poor-performing apprenticeship providers have been barred from taking on new starts – bringing the total up to 12. The penalties were revealed in the latest update to the register of apprenticeship training providers, dated October 11. It means that the Education and Skills Funding Agency has wielded its powers against all new apprenticeship […]

DfE finds much needed apprenticeship monitoring cash

When the ESFA published the list of providers on the apprenticeship register in March 2017 we reported that the entire sector was shocked. Hundreds of companies, many never having filed a set of accounts, had successfully applied to a register that would give them unlimited access to apprenticeship funding. In an interview with me the […]

Ofsted watch: A trio of ‘insufficient progress’ reports

Three new apprenticeship providers have been found to be making ‘insufficient progress’ in at least one area under review this week – but it’s yet to be seen what the repercussions will be. Elsewhere, an independent learning provider was rated ‘good’ following its first ever inspection, in the only full FE and skills report published […]

Ofsted given final say over new apprenticeship provider quality

Ofsted has officially been given the final say over poor-performing apprenticeship providers following an early monitoring visit, the Education and Skills Funding Agency has confirmed today. FE Week reported back in May that the move was on the cards, following embarrassment for the government over apprenticeship accountability. According to the ESFA’s ‘Removal from register of […]