Richard Atkins | FE Week

FE commissioner: check with me before appointing a principal

The FE commissioner has urged college governors to check with him before appointing a principal as part of a crackdown on “serial offenders” ahead of the incoming college insolvency regime. Richard Atkins was speaking exclusively to FE Week in the same week he was reappointed to the role for another two years. “I would encourage […]

Richard Atkins re-appointed FE commissioner for further 2 years

Richard Atkins has been re-appointed FE commissioner for a further two years, the Department for Education has revealed today. The announcement, which comes two years after the former Exeter College principal took over the reins from Sir David Collins, follows an exclusive FE Week interview with the commissioner earlier this week in which he recapped […]

FE commissioner annual report: number of colleges put into intervention drops by more than half

The number of colleges referred for formal intervention by the FE commissioner fell by more than half last year – and none them were the result of an ‘inadequate’ Ofsted grade, according to Richard Atkins’ 2017/18 annual report, published today. But the number of colleges in financial difficulties referred to Mr Atkins and his team […]

Bids reopen for £13m strategic college improvement fund

Colleges can bid for the remaining £13 million from the strategic college improvement fund using newly released guidance. The first round of the fund was launched last year, when 14 struggling colleges shared £2 million. Today’s announcement invites struggling colleges, supported by a stronger institution, to ask for money to help them improve in specific […]

FE commissioner reflects on six months of change

Six months ago the FE commissioner embarked on a series of new initiatives designed to support colleges before they get into too much difficulty. Using diagnostic assessments and peer-to-peer support, Richard Atkins aims to avoid a repeat of the high-profile college failures of recent months. These new measures are all the more important, given the […]

Hull College boss: How I’m taking it out of intensive care

Hull College chief executive Michelle Swithenbank probably has the toughest job in FE right now. The former nurse has been charged with taking a college which has received the largest ever government bailout to any FE institution out of intensive care and back on the road to recovery. It’s a task that would challenge the […]

Atkins: Struggling colleges will still need stopgap funds

Colleges that get into financial difficulty will still need funding to “oil the wheels” once the bailout tap has been turned off, the FE commissioner has said in an exclusive interview with FE Week. Struggling colleges currently have access to the restructuring facility and exceptional financial support (EFS), but these will each be withdrawn later […]

FE commissioner recruiting new national leaders of governance

The FE commissioner is on the hunt for recruits to join his army of national leaders of governance. Serving governors or clerks from grade one or two colleges can apply for the role, which pays £300 a day for an estimated 50 days’ work a year. They will provide mentoring and support to governors at […]

Commissioner credits improvements at college Ofsted branded ‘unsafe’

The FE Commissioner has recognised improvements at a financially challenged college that was recently branded grade four by Ofsted for delivering “unsafe” training. But Richard Atkins’ intervention summary report on Moulton College, still warned that the required changes in approach, culture and actions “need to be monitored in a more directed manner by leaders and […]