'Cheated' Colleges' Secret Audit
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
FE Week FE Week news ~ analysis ~ jobs ~ fun Monday 28 May 2012 Lewisham and 13 other colleges say pants to poverty See page 8 www.feweek.co.uk Jan Hodges ~ her story FE Week speaks to the chief executive for the Edge Foundation Page 5 John Hayes’ promise Lewisham College engineering students displaying their design. Left to right: Joel Mvula, Bubacar Djalo and Landing Samba Picture by Nick Linford Minister for FE writes about his apprenticeships commitment ‘Cheated’ colleges’ secret audit Page 6 dents from specific lines of data. “These practices make it dif- a starting point for inspection and WLN’s Leading ladies FE Week Exclusive The report reads: “The use of ficult for the colleges in the sector as a source of evidence to judge Nick Summers practices to improve success rates is which put learners first and do outcomes for learners. Ofsted is widespread within FE colleges. not undertake practices to inflate confident of the reliability of the @SummersNicholas “The failure of the regulatory success rates to compete and could national success rates data for this bodies and the funding agencies to ultimately result in the sector’s out- purpose.” A report commissioned by a secret deal with these practices in a clear standing colleges being those that The report says the Tenon Educa- group of FE colleges has accused and open way has led to their con- do not necessarily deliver the best tion Training and Skills College Fo- other institutions of manipulating tinuation and expansion into other chance of success to the learners,” rum was created because principals data in order to boost success rates. colleges as the sector strives to the report reads. felt “cheated” about the practices Scaling the heights at the Women’s The document, written by Tenon achieve sector success benchmarks The report also says colleges are being used to improve success rates. Leadership Network Conference Education Training and Skills which are artificially high.” using specific practices “to support Part of the forum’s role, the docu- Pages 14 and 15 Limited on behalf of the Tenon However, the Skills Funding in the manipulation of inspection ment says, is to show there are a Ofsted grade analysis Education Training and Skills Col- Agency (SFA) say they are “as- grades.” “significant number of colleges who lege Forum and seen by FE Week, sured” that data manipulation is not One of these, called “destroyed strive to act with the highest possi- suggests FE colleges are able to a widespread issue in the FE sector. the trends”, is where a college stops ble integrity” for their students and improve headline success rates by “Since 2009 we have only uncov- offering a specific learning aim once communities. 31% of Independent up to 10 per cent by adopting unfair ered one case of data manipula- its success rate starts to decline. However, it is understood that FE Learning Provider practises. tion,” an SFA spokesperson told FE “Although the data would be colleges can only enter the group Ofsted grades have The “widespread” methods listed Week. included in the overall success rates when once they have been invited fallen in 2012 in the report include recruiting “This was uncovered through for the previous two years, it would by Tenon Education Training and above a college’s funding targets, audit and appropriate steps were be excluded from the remit of the Skills, and also passed certain “en- then declaring certain learners taken.” inspection,” the report states. try criteria”. We’ve done colleges, now we take a to be unfunded and removing The spokesperson added: “We The second, called ‘buy one, get Tenon Education Training and look at the independent sector them from the final Individualised are aware of an unpublished one free’, is where a college decides Skills declined to comment on the Pages 10 and 11 Learner Record (ILR) return. report produced by Tenon making to run a learning aim with a declin- report and membership of the Other practices include making allegations of data manipulation ing success rate as a non-funded forum. A cool Mini Mascot late decisions on whether or not in the FE Sector. As it stands, the qualification, while choosing to use The Association of Colleges said they should declare a learner is research methods and analysis in a similar learning aim under a dif- they have a policy of not comment- studying an additional qualification the report do not provide for robust ferent inspection code. ing on leaked reports. to their primary learning goal. conclusions. We would be pleased “We understand these practices Figures published by the Data The methods, which the report to discuss our reservations once the have been in a number of colleges Service on the 24 May show that says were originally identified by report is published.” that have achieved high grades at ‘General FE College including the Learning and Skills Council The Department for Education inspection,” the report reads. Tertiary’ all length success rate rose (LSC), also include changing the (DfE) told FE Week they had nothing However, Ofsted say looking at from 79.3 per cent in 2009/10 to 81.4 end dates of courses retrospectively, to add. The “unfair” practices, the success rates is only a small part of per cent in 2010/11. Page 20 removing overseas or work-based report claims, now make it impos- their inspection process. For more on the techniques learners from their ILR return and sible to compare colleges with one A spokesperson for Ofsted said: described in the Tenon report and inside... using transfer codes to remove stu- another using success rates. “Ofsted uses success rate data as latest success rate figures see page 4. This digital edition is for West Cheshire College staff members only and not for onward distribution or reproduction. 2 FE Week Monday 28 May www.feweek.co.uk Ofsted adds to criticism of A4e Nick Summers later says the company focuses “too heavily” Telegraph, reads: “An ever-increasing volume on making sure these providers complete their of frauds came to my attention, often via a par- @SummersNicholas paperwork properly, rather than on the quality ticular direct report of mine in the audit team.” of training being delivered. A4e has since issued a statement, which Staff at A4e are struggling to improve the way “A4e places too strong an emphasis on con- reads: “The majority of allegations made by Mr FE they deliver apprenticeships, according to a sortium partners declaring their own areas for Hutchinson are unfounded and untrue. Week monitoring report published by Ofsted. improvement either through discussion, their “A4e always adheres to established proce- The document, which details a monitoring self-assessment reports or position statements,” dures by ensuring relevant issues are referred visit carried out in April, says the training the monitoring report reads. to the relevant funder authority. provider is making “insufficient progress” in However, the Ofsted report also praises staff “None of the issues raised here prove there is three areas and “reasonable progress” in the at A4e for taking on “an increased responsibil- systemic fraud at A4e and all of them relate to remaining five. ity for implementing improvement initiatives. historic contracts.” FE Week is a new newspaper dedicated to The mixed grades follow a “satisfactory” in- “They enthusiastically and swiftly make The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) issued reporting on news, analysis, jobs and fun spection rating which was given to the training changes to the provision which have positively a statement earlier this month confirming in the FE sector. provider in August 2010. improved the experience of learners,” the moni- they have found “no evidence of fraud” in the It says that while A4e has made changes toring report reads. training delivered by A4e. The finding follows So tell us what you think at to try and improve the success rates of their “During meetings, staff teams regularly dis- allegations of fraud relating to the company’s www.surveymonkey.com/s/feweek learners, such as a new management informa- cuss the progress they are making with quality work with the Department for Work and Pen- tion system and revised learner recruitment improvement plans.” sions (DWP). And tweet us your thoughts @feweek or procedures, they are “yet to result in sustained It is unclear whether the progress made “The Agency now has adequate assurance with the hashtag #feweek improvement.” by A4e is common for other private training on current and potential future contracts with “These initiatives have improved success providers. A4e,” a statement by the SFA reads. Managing Editor: Nick Linford rates in a few subject areas and regions, but A spokesperson for Ofsted told FE Week: “As with all of our suppliers, we will be Deputy Editor: Nick Summers overall success rates declined in 2010/11,” the “Ofsted does not comment on individual inspec- vigilant and use all of our oversight and audit News Reporter: Holly Welham monitoring report reads. tions over and above the published report – in processes to maintain assurance that public Designer: Daniel Duke A4e says they have introduced a number of this case a monitoring inspection report. funds and learners’ interests are safeguarded.” Sales Director: Gemma Ryder successful initiatives in the company and made “As each monitoring report will focus on The government terminated A4e’s Manda- Operations: Shane Mann “significant progress” since Ofsted inspected issues raised at the previous inspection, we do tory Work Activity contract earlier this month, Financials: Nahed Chowdhury them in 2010. not undertake any analysis across a range of despite finding no evidence of fraud in its Analyst: Tashanna Egbochue “This latest inspection commends us for do- monitoring visit reports.” delivery of the programme.