Nick Boles | FE Week

Former adviser to two skills ministers blasts apprenticeship levy

A former senior advisor to two previous skills ministers is the latest figure in FE to insist the levy is in urgent need of reform, in a new report full of stinging criticism of the recent apprenticeship reforms. Tom Richmond, who worked under Nick Boles and Matt Hancock and left the Department for Education in […]

Glacial progress exposed for colleges’ apprentice delivery

Colleges deliver just one in five apprenticeships last year, meaning virtually no progress has been made in the 18 months since they were told to get more involved by the minister at the time. This figure, based on FE Week analysis of data obtained by the Association of Employment and Learning Providers through a freedom […]

‘Good’ Ofsted report finally unveiled for recently incorporated FE college, after 90-day wait

Questions surround why publication of a ‘good’-overall Ofsted report was delayed until 90-days after the recently created FE college was inspected. The report on Basildon-based Prospects College of Advanced Technology was published this morning, after it was inspected between November 15 and 18 last year. Its performance is of key interest to the government and wider […]

Carmichael backs more FE investment as he rejects new grammars

New grammar schools have been rejected by influential education select committee chair Neil Carmichael, who called instead for more investment in the “much neglected” FE sector. The Tory MP (pictured) said in a new blog for conservativehome.com it would be wrong of the government to lift the ban on these selective secondary schools, with the intention […]