Ofsted | FE Week

HEFCE to regulate degree apprenticeships

Degree apprenticeships will be regulated by the Higher Education Funding Council for England, and not by Ofsted. The news was revealed by the Department for Education this morning, as part of its apprenticeships accountability statement. It comes after FE Week reported in December that Ofsted had been seeking to extend its remit to cover higher-level […]

Sixth UTC hit with Ofsted inadequate grade

Pupils were “sold a dream” and had their “confidence and aspirations knocked” by a university technical college that has been slammed by Ofsted. Bolton UTC received the lowest possible grade in all areas by the education watchdog in a damning report from the education watchdog, based on an inspection at the end of February. The […]

Ofsted watch: ‘Requires improvement’ for K College successor

A provider that took on much of the former K College provision, following its demise, has been rated as ‘requires improvement’ – in a mixed week for the FE and skills sector. Inspectors praised leaders at West Kent and Ashford College for being “determined in tackling the inadequacies that prevailed in the previous inspection”, in a report […]

First inadequate Ofsted rating for loans-only provider

The first inadequate-overall Ofsted rating has been handed out to a loans-only provider, which complained it had been unaware it was subject to inspection, causing its Skills Funding Agency contract to be pulled. The Beauty Academy was handed the lowest possible rating overall and in three headline fields in a report published today (March 30), […]

Editor Asks: Amanda Spielman, chief inspector, Ofsted

With ‘inadequate’ verdicts fatally undermining many FE providers, the stakes have never been higher on Ofsted inspections. The new boss, Amanda Spielman, admits this places huge pressure on her inspectors, and didn’t rule out reintroducing a capacity-to-improve caveat for certain providers. The new register of apprenticeship training providers has brought the dire consequences of a […]

Damning Ofsted report that caused downfall of huge provider published

The damning Ofsted report that caused the downfall of huge apprenticeship training provider First4Skills has now been published. The Liverpool-based provider went bust earlier this month, affecting around 200 staff and around 6,500 learners, after the Skills Funding Agency pulled its contract. That action was prompted by a grade four rating from the education watchdog, […]

Exclusive: New Ofsted chief ‘worried’ about apprenticeship register

The new chief inspector at Ofsted, Amanda Spielman, has spoken to FE Week of her concern following publication of the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers. In a wide ranging interview on March 17, Ms Spielman was asked about the impact RoATP would have on Ofsted’s resource, given it represents a near doubling of the number of providers that […]

Less than 50 per cent of inspected UTCs ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’

Less than half of the university technical colleges visited by Ofsted have received ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ grades, exclusive FE Week analysis has revealed, in another blow to the ailing project. The education watchdog has now visited a total of 20 UTCs, but only nine of these, or 45 per cent, were judged to be good […]

Ofsted boss commits to more ‘positive and purposeful’ approach to FE

Ofsted’s new chief inspector was vowed to “reset” the relationship between the education watchdog and colleges, in her first speech to the FE sector since taking over from Sir Michael Wilshaw in January. Amanda Spielman struck a more conciliatory tone than her controversial predecessor at the AoC Ofsted conference this morning in London. But while […]