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when it first opened, even though it aims to be taking on 1,200 a year by 2022. Troubled HS2 college calls in NCATI said it is confident the prime minister’s decision this week to give the greenlight for the construction of HS2 provides “the certainty the college, our laywers to silence Ofsted grade 4 partners, industry and learners have been seeking”. When he made his announcement FRASER WHIELDON expenses following formal intervention “exceptional circumstances in which the line’s builders, HS2 Ltd. in the Commons this week, the prime [email protected] – because as independent organisations the college was currently operating” Yet according to a recently-published minister confirmed HS2 would governing bodies are subject to their – namely “so as to not prejudice an government review of National Colleges, be an opportunity to embed skills, own fiduciary responsibilities. independent review taking place into delays in announcing HS2 contractors saying the project “will drive jobs and From front Exclusive Chair of the college board is Alison HS2”, a spokesperson said. meant employers were unable to apprenticeships for young people for a Munro, chief executive of HS2 Ltd from Learners and stakeholders interested commit to the apprenticeship volumes generation to come”. The crisis hit National College for HS2 January 2009 to September 2014, and in how the college is being run will have they had originally anticipated at the An ‘inadequate’ for NCATI would be has hired a team of lawyers to stop subsequently managing director of HS2 to make do with corporation board college. the worst handed to any of the four open Ofsted publishing a highly critical report, Phase 2 until her retirement in August minutes on NCATI’s website. These go In addition to this, and other factors National Colleges: National College for FE Week can reveal. 2017, when she was awarded a CBE. up only to December 2018 and February such as a high-speed rail apprenticeship Digital Skills, which opened in 2016, The government-backed flagship A DfE spokesperson did add that the last year for the audit committee, and being granted a lower-than-expected achieved a grade two in 2018; while college launched in 2017 but has board must act in the best interests of none have ever been published for its funding band, the government review National College Creative Industries, struggled to recruit learners and this the college, as a charity. search, governance and remuneration found NCHSR did not meet its learner which also opened in 2016 before time last year received close to £5 As spokesperson for Ofsted told FE committee. targets for 2018/19, along with two other dissolving this year, received a grade million in a bailout deal to keep the Week “The inspection and report are the Suspending publication means National Colleges. three last year and has now set up as a doors open. subject of litigation. The report has not the records of meetings taken during The HS2 college had already received limited company. In November, inspectors visited been published. In the circumstances, NCATI’s transition from the National £40 million in capital funding from The National College for Nuclear is the college – renamed last year as the we are not able to say more.” College for High Speed Rail (NCHSR) will the ESFA to construct buildings and split across two hubs at Bridgwater and National College for Advanced Transport The college also said it could not not be published until at least July 2020. purchase equipment. Taunton College in Somerset and Lakes and Infrastructure (NCATI) – for the first comment on the Ofsted result as “there NCATI has also failed to sign off its A further £12 million was provided College in Cumbria, both of which are time and found the quality of provision is a legal process taking place”. 2018/19 accounts, a situation the college by the Sheffield City Region combined grade two. to be so poor they were set to award the The influential Public Accounts said the ESFA is “aware of, as we are authority, and the Greater Birmingham A fifth National College, for onshore lowest grade possible, a grade four. Committee is set to be reformed next working with their team to be in a & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership. oil and gas, is on hold by its overseers – Governors were quick to instruct month, and FE Week understands position to finalise the statements”. HS2 Ltd also loaned NCHSR United Kingdom Onshore Oil and Gas lawyers to block the publication by filing that – subject to members agreeing The National College for High Speed £2,906,000 in 2018 and £2,804,000 in (UKOOG) – while “greater clarity and for a judicial review at the High Court. – its first evidence hearing will be an Rail rebranded as NCATI in 2019 and 2017. progress by way of timing and the scale They have also voted to stop publishing update on HS2 on March 4, which will announced plans to expand its provision The college signed up just 96 students of production activities is ascertained”. board minutes, as well as delayed likely include questions on the national to cover transport areas other than the signing off the accounts. college. high-speed rail industry, to which it had The Department for Education was This is the second judicial review to be been dedicated ever since it was opened A free and one off event in initially cautious of commenting during launched by an FE provider following a by then education secretary Justine the Houses of Parliament. the legal proceedings, but have since grade four Ofsted judgement in recent Greening. confirmed they placed they college in years. The country’s former largest It denied that the name change was formal intervention on December 6. training provider, Learndirect, lost its related to the troubled HS2 project. A Notice to Improve and the Further High Court battle with the education The college currently advertises Education Commissioner report will be watchdog in 2017. rail-related apprenticeships between Parliamentary published shortly. It led to a National Audit Office levels 3 and 6, as well as higher national It is understood that a court date for inquiry, a Public Accounts Committee certificates and higher national Debate the judicial review is yet to be set. hearing, and, ultimately, the government diplomas, foundation degrees, and full- Despite being handed a financial terminating the provider’s £100 million time courses at either level 3 or 4. notice to improve – and being in receipt funding contracts. Hopes were initially high for the SME apprenticeship of a £4.55 million government bailout to The Ofsted report is not the only college, with the likely construction of a sign off its 2017/18 accounts – the college thing NCATI is keeping hidden from the high-speed rail line connecting London funding crisis - did not need permission to use public public, as it confessed to FE Week it has with the midlands and north, HS2, near funds on legal proceedings. temporarily suspended the publication to their campuses at Birmingham and it’s arrived? The DfE said the college is not of board minutes as of last month. Doncaster. Moreover, it is being led by required to seek approval for legal The decision was taken because of Clair Mowbray, a former employee of Tuesday 25 February 17:30 to 19:00 Committee Room 12, House of Commons

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Squad UK assembled at Loughborough University

FRASER WHIELDON without speaking. for hairdressing, was looking to get her [email protected] I took part with one of the groups four-person squad of competitors down when they had to pass each member to three this week, so: “It’s possibly through a hoop, which my team going to be a really quick journey for As the run-up to WorldSkills 2021 achieved by standing in a line and one person.” picks up pace, FE Week reporter having a couple of them run up the line, The squad also took sessions on how Fraser Whieldon went behind-the- passing the hoop over one person’s to use social media, as from now on scenes at a Squad UK bootcamp to find head, then up from the feet of the next “they are ambassadors for Squad UK out how we train our competitors for person. and for the vocational system,” says the international stage Blackledge. He is responsible for the “always Nearly 120 skilled young people came “Training evolving” training programmes from across England, Wales, Scotland managers tested WorldSkills UK runs, and says this year and Northern Ireland to Loughborough they have looked at a more “data- last weekend for their first bootcamp squad members’ driven” approach and analysed what to prepare them for competing in factors helped competitors perform either WorldSkills Shanghai in China commitment, better before, such as the support they next year or EuroSkills Gratz in Austria motivation get during the process. Isaac George, competitor in cyber security, signs the Union Jack 2020. They are also looking at how they Currently, they are known as and reaction put in performance milestones and Squad UK, a large group of potential how they do pressure testing in a “more strategic and technical information and asked Radbourne how she was going to competitors who will be whittled down to criticism” systemic way”, Blackledge explained. good practice. keep up that level of quality: “It’s very to Team UK, the select few going to I saw an example of this emphasis Christian Notley from Chichester much a strict training programme. China and Austria. It was a fun icebreaker and a great on data in a talk by WorldSkills College, chief expert for cabinet It's about having that openness with I joined them on Saturday morning, way for the squad to gel as a possible performance coach Karl Bartlett, where making, told me he had been making the competitors as well, making sure during introductions from Olympian- team, but there was a serious purpose he asked squad members to sign up for sure managers “share their knowledge” they’re getting exactly what they turned-WorldSkills-performance- to it. an app that allows him to monitor what as WorldSkills has “a huge wealth need, and we are pushing them as coach Peter Bakare and WorldSkills UK Training managers were using the they eat and tell them what they are of skills and information which are much as possible to be the best they deputy chief executive Ben Blackledge. bootcamp to measure each squad missing out on. applicable to other training managers”. can be through training and personal After which, the squad members split member’s so-called “soft skills”: their Blackledge describes the new “It's good to talk to new experts and development.” up into groups to take part in team- attitude, commitment, motivation and focus as “brilliant for Squad UK and I can learn to come up with new ideas Formerly a competitor, Radbourne building activities, such as sorting how they react to criticism. eventually Team UK, but also it is vital and it’s a great way to really drive feels she is better acclimatised to a themselves into an alphabetical line Linzi Weare, the training manager for the mainstreaming of what we do”. ourselves forwards and upwards,” he support role. When she was competing, “How does this get taken back into added. her nickname was Mary Poppins the classroom and back into colleges Naomi Radbourne was one new because “I always pulled something out and training providers to have that training manager I met on the day; she of the bag for other competitors and understanding that this is what makes has taken over hair and beauty never for myself”, such as hairbrushes the marginal difference or the big from Jenna Wrathall Bailey and facial mitts. difference in performance?” MBE, who helped lead the With that level of commitment, Towards the end of the day, squad UK to a string of gold a fresh training regimen, and the members took turns signing a Union medals at competitions wealth of experience behind Jack and waited for their turn in a including Sao Paulo in them, things are looking queue that stretched around the 2015, Abu Dhabi in bright for WorldSkills UK. conference centre in which the 2017 and Kazan in bootcamp took place. 2019. But the bootcamp is also about Bearing Beauty therapy Performance coach Peter Bakare checks squad getting the training managers up to that in training manager members are stood in correct alphabetical order snuff: on the Friday, they met to share mind, I Naomi Radbourne FEWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 307 @FEWEEK FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 5 News WorldSkills bootcamp: what does it take to be a competitor?

What makes you want to to do and are happy to contribute Madeline towards anything. “But of course, WorldSkills themselves compete in WorldSkills? Rowe have been great contributors, helping me get to and from these things.” Fine Jewellery At the bootcamp, she was looking to get FE Week spoke with a number of Squad UK Making competitor to know her squad mates: “I’ve always been members throughout the bootcamp to find out how difficult with the icebreaking, so I feel like, in terms to this morning, I’ve already gotten and why they got involved in the elite tournament. adeline is another competitor looking to know a couple of new faces, so that’s Mto represent the UK internationally, definitely helped a lot.” but things could have been very different She found the team-building activities of for her. the morning useful because, if she is picked “I don’t really go along and talk to people. I’m “I did A-levels and was planning to for Shanghai, “it’ll be nice to know a few more Lavanya not an extrovert, I’m an introvert. So I will go to university to do photography. My faces”. Hemanth probably try to work on communication and grandfather heard something in the news Spending time with the other squad being part of the team.” that said the jewellery trade is finding it members was something Madeline used to Laboratory But the improvement she sees is not hard to recruit people.” help with the stress of competing in front Technician just while she’s competing: Lavanya has Having always enjoyed design and of an audience at WorldSkills LIVE: “I’m not competitor also noticed an improvement when she is technology at school, Madeline found a used to people staring at me all the time.” working on her undergraduate project in the course with the Goldsmith’s Centre in But, with the other competitors, “we’re all laboratory. London, deferred her place at university in the same boat” and they went out together or a lot of squad members, this would “This actually gives me the confidence to and now works for David Marshall at The after LIVE, which she found to be a “nice place Fhave been their first bootcamp. But not work on my own in the lab, as it’s the same London Art Works. to make connections and get to know people so for Lavanya, who says she has received a technique in a different place.” The support from her employer to and especially people from across the country “golden ticket” to try again at competing in But her experience with WorldSkills also compete has been “great”, she says, as who are doing the exact same thing as you”. WorldSkills, after narrowly missing out on a helps her work in tandem, for instance, with they’re “totally up for anything I need “It’s just a great little networking system.” place to go to Kazan. her supervisor: “I’m learning through this Although another competitor ended journey,” she believes. up representing the UK in the chemical She first found out about WorldSkills from laboratory technician competition at last her tutors and initially just went along to year’s tournament, Lavanya was still within see what it was like, “but once I was into the the age range, so WorldSkills UK let her competition and the spirit and the confidence rejoin Squad UK to take another shot. it brings” she got very engaged. Having The Middlesex University student is attended a bootcamp last year, she said she determined to compete in Shanghai, but personally feels she “deserves it more” this wants to improve on her interactive skills: time around.

future events as well. Cameron He came third in the cyber security competition at the WorldSkills LIVE, and McKnight was looking forward to getting stuck in with training. He hopes to gain new skills Cyber Security and knowledge at the bootcamp, as well as FE Week Fraser Whieldon takes part in the bootcamp activities competitor meeting new people and collaborating with his squad mates. Cameron feels they “definitely” need the ompetitors take part in WorldSkills support of their training providers to get Cfor many reasons. For Cameron, it was through the process. His own support comes another chance to improve his skills in the from Belfast Metropolitan College, where area he obviously loves. he is studying cyber security technician Cyber security, Cameron says, is under infrastructure. “constant threat… It’s evolving every Many of the competitors talk about the day, with companies and enterprises support of colleges in terms of giving them across the world being attacked by time to compete. Cameron also highlights cyber criminals. So my goal is to use how his lecturers’ knowledge backs up his the knowledge and skills I gain from training. WorldSkills and I’m excited to apply that Competing while at Belfast has been to future careers.” “especially useful” as he has “lecturers who He said it was an “absolute honour to specialise or come from a line of industry”. participate in this first bootcamp”, which In fact, the majority of his tutors specialise he described as “very, very good”, adding in a wide range of areas which Cameron it would be a privilege to participate in says are applicable to cyber security. Squad members jot down what they think makes a successful competitor 6 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 @FEWEEK EDITION 307 FEWEEK.CO.UK News Ofsted says 'sorry' as FE inspectors hit a rocky patch Inspectorate apologises to college principal after reversing grade four

BILLY CAMDEN on December 6. [email protected] The resulting report showed ‘good’ ratings across the board, with the education watchdog apologising “for Exclusive the inconvenience”.

Ofsted has apologised and overturned “It became a provisional ‘inadequate’ judgement after a college complained when clear that the inspectors alleged that student safety was at risk. lead HMI had Scarborough Sixth Form College was left concerned after a two-day not gathered visit in October. Its provisional rating was a grade sufficient four, which FE Week understands evidence” related specifically to safeguarding. Principal Phil Rumsey lodged a Rumsey would not divulge what complaint before the report was due safeguarding allegations inspectors to be published, claiming that the lead made, but told FE Week: “As our inspector had not gathered “sufficient inspection was approaching the evidence” to make fair judgements. middle of the final day, it became clear Ofsted dispatched inspectors that the lead HMI had not gathered Scarborough Sixth Form College to visit the sixth form college – sufficient evidence to make fair where education secretary Gavin judgements in his specific areas. Williamson studied for his A-levels – “I requested an extension to the inspection and Ofsted agreed that additional evidence to complete the of offering two T-level pathways – in the initial inspection was incomplete inspection. construction and digital – ahead of and sent two more inspectors to “The evidence supported a grade of their launch set for September 2020. carry out the necessary further ‘good’ for overall effectiveness. This is Rumsey said in October that the inspection.” in line with our complaint handling decision was made because of a lack of He added: “We are delighted that policy. We have apologised to the work placement opportunities in the the inspection recognised that our principal for the inconvenience of the area and a shortage of good-quality ‘teachers are highly skilled’ and additional visit.” teachers. that ‘a high proportion of learners It is the latest concern over Ofsted Education secretary Gavin achieve high grades’.” judgements for colleges. Williamson came out shortly after and Shrewsbury Colleges Group was said he backed the college’s decision. given a provisional ‘inadequate’ rating “They have to look as to how they “We have following an inspection in November deliver the very best quality and the apologised to the in which inspectors claimed to have very best choice, and they’ve had to found serious safeguarding concerns. make that decision and it is the right principal for the But Ofsted has now declared the decision because it is about preserving inspection “incomplete” that quality,” he said during an inconvenience” after the principal interview with FE Week. launched a formal “This doesn’t close the opportunity Scarborough’s published report complaint. to offer it in a year after that, but also states that governors and Inspectors were it’s getting the whole package leaders “successfully promote a due back into the right, because every youngster culture of safeguarding”. college this week that takes a T-level, we want to A spokesperson for Ofsted said: (see page 7). get it right first time.” “This college was inspected in Scarborough The college still plans to offer October 2019. The college submitted Sixth Form College’s the education and child care a complaint, which we investigated Ofsted visit came pathway from September. in line with our published just days after it procedures. We found the inspection pulled out was incomplete. Scarborough Sixth Form College's grade two report “A further visit took place in December 2019, when we gathered Phil Rumsey FEWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 307 @FEWEEK FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 7 News Ofsted says 'sorry' as FE inspectors hit a rocky patch

during the inspection, after a suspended student tried to regain entry to college. Complaint forces 'inadequate' At the time a spokesperson told FE Week the force had “reassured us, in the light of enquiries by this Ofsted inspection team, that they consider our inspection to be reopened college campuses to be safe”. The inspectorate had been set to report that students and staff do not YASEMIN CRAGGS MERSINOGLU concluded in a 10 page report, seen feel safe and the college had not taken [email protected] by FE Week, that “having visited and sufficient steps to help ensure their worked at many colleges across the safety. country, Shrewsbury Colleges Group is Inspectors also allegedly found that Exclusive one of the safest”. staff required to carry out site security “Every effort has been made by the roles have not received adequate Ofsted inspectors have returned to a senior leadership team and safeguarding training and necessary risk assessments college after the principal questioned team to ensure the continued safety of to ensure effective safeguarding the accuracy of serious safeguarding both students and staff,” it added. covering the college estate were not in failure claims that led to a provisional “There is a strong culture of place. ‘inadequate’ rating. safeguarding evident which is The college denied these accusations. Shrewsbury Colleges Group, which underpinned by established policies Shrewsbury College Shrewsbury Sixth Form College teaches more than 9,000 students and procedures. There is substantial and Shrewsbury College of Arts mostly aged 16 to 18, insisted the evidence to support this statement as involved had run out of time and thanked students, parents, employers and Technology merged to become judgement from an inspection in detailed in the report.” were not able to review the available and partners for their support during Shrewsbury Colleges Group in August November was “wrong”. Staniforth has now told FE Week: evidence. “this difficult process”. 2016. Its principal, James Staniforth, told FE “Ofsted have subsequently deemed the “We are a safe place to study and we Staff were informed of the revisit on Both FE providers were rated ‘good’ Week that he had “never experienced inspection to be incomplete and will be are confident that the evidence available Monday. in their final inspections before the anything like it” after working for 27 returning to complete the inspection. will demonstrate the effectiveness of Ofsted declined to comment. merger. The group is now based across years in education. “We are delighted that Ofsted will our safeguarding practices,” Staniforth Shrewsbury Colleges Group three campuses with a turnover of £23 The Education and Skills Funding now have another opportunity to review added. previously denied safeguarding million. Agency required the college to appoint the wide range of evidence we have The principal said the college looked was “ineffective” and claimed the The group’s first inspection took place an independent review of safeguarding regarding safeguarding.” forward to Ofsted returning and will “judgement was changed on the final between November 26 and 29, 2019. by an approved consultant following a He said the college submitted a await their judgement. day of the inspection without adequate If the draft report had been published, referral from Ofsted. formal complaint after the draft report He also extended acknowledgments explanation”. it would have been the first general FE The consultant undertook a two criticised the college’s safeguarding to “our excellent staff for their hard It did admit, however, that West college to receive a grade four in nearly day of audit at the end of January and provision because they felt the team work in keeping students safe” and Mercia Police were called to an incident two years. Ofsted updates report after grades omission fiasco

YASEMIN CRAGGS MERSINOGLU that includes grades for adult learning that apprentices receive good-quality [email protected] programmes and apprenticeships. off-the-job training that supports them Peter Symonds College remains an well in their job roles. outstanding provider and should In addition, most of its 4,200 young Ofsted has been forced to revise a be congratulated for this significant students achieve high grades in their published inspection report after achievement.” A-levels and were “well-prepared being made aware it was missing both The updated report shows the for their aspirational next steps to apprenticeship and adult course grades college scored ‘outstanding’ for its adult prestigious universities”. and commentary. learning programmes, but ‘good’ for The inspectorate claimed that they Peter Symonds College teaches apprenticeships. also benefit from “excellent facilities around 4,200 young people aged 16 to Peter Symonds College confirmed and resources” and their participation 19 and was rated ‘outstanding’ across that both adult education and in enrichment activities “develops their the board in a report published by the apprenticeships were “inspected and sense of social justice and their roles as Peter Symonds College education watchdog last week. were in receipt of focused ‘deep dives’ as active citizens”. But the report failed to grade part of the whole college inspection”. Furthermore, Ofsted found that provision for 55 apprentices aged 19 or “Peter Symonds College is extremely decades.” work of a very high standard” and college leaders and managers place a older and 61 adult learners on access to proud to have retained its outstanding The Hampshire-based college consequently “nearly all move on to “very strong” emphasis on maintaining higher education courses. grade in our recent inspection,” a retained its top grade after more than a university to study their chosen subject”. the wellbeing of their staff by allowing After FE Week raised this with Ofsted, spokesperson added. decade without inspection. It was also reported that apprentices them to take part in activities like yoga a spokesperson claimed that inspectors “This reflects the hard work and In its new Ofsted report, inspectors gain the knowledge and skills they and Pilates which balance out their did assess this provision during the visit commitment of all our staff and said they found that teachers plan need to work successfully in supporting working lives. in January, and the omission of grades students as well as our unremitting flexible timetables which enable adult teaching and learning in schools. As a result, staff felt “very well in the original report “was an oversight focus on providing high quality learners to combine their studies with According to inspectors, since supported and repay managers by on our part. education: something for which we busy lifestyles. apprenticeship provision began in 2017, promoting the college’s ambitious “A revised report has been published have been renowned for several The students were said to “produce leaders and managers have ensured culture for all its students”. 8 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 @FEWEEK EDITION 307 FEWEEK.CO.UK News College groups struggling to shine as Ofsted visits for first time

YASEMIN CRAGGS MERSINOGLU [email protected]

Exclusive

More than half of all young learners who enrolled in September at ungraded merged FE colleges now find themselves studying at Ofsted grade three providers. FE Week analysed the performance of these mega-colleges ahead of the imminent publication of a grade three report for Capital City College Group (see page 9 for full story). In total, 13 college groups have been inspected for the first time since being formed and following the introduction of the Education Inspection Framework (EIF) in September. According to Education and Skills Funding Agency data for 2019-20, these providers educate 52,293 young people aged 16 to 18, of whom 27,996 (54 per cent) are now at the six colleges who have been hit with grade St Helens College threes. Of the six, nine pre-merged colleges The education watchdog found that upon their pre-merger ratings. ‘requires improvement’. Newcastle and Stafford Colleges have now lost ‘good’ ratings, while four “a significant number of senior staff Henley College Coventry and City Ofsted said the interim principal Group boosted its grade from pre- individual colleges failed to improve left” after this. College Coventry were both rated had begun to stabilise the college merger ratings of ‘good’ for Newcastle- their grade threes. It added that there had been grade three before joining to become following the merger and extensive under-Lyme College and ‘inadequate’ Nottingham College, created disruption to specific courses and the Coventry College in 2017. changes to staffing and college for Stafford College to ‘outstanding’ in after a merger between ‘good’ management of these was “not yet Inspectors stated that, since the structures. November. providers New College Nottingham effective enough”. merger, governors “recognised quickly It added that while new senior Inspectors praised its leaders and and Central College Nottingham in However, the report did that leaders’ planned improvements leaders have a clear strategic direction, managers for “very effectively” bringing 2017, is one group that now ‘requires acknowledge that governors had were ineffective and took decisive the appointment of a permanent about the merger and “rapidly” improvement’. taken effective action to set up a new steps with the leadership of the principal had not been finalised and integrating the two campuses. Inspectors reported that governors, leadership team following the merger. college” and the chair and chief the lack of stability “has had a negative In addition, six other merged colleges who do not have enough impact on In addition, Greater Brighton executive had also appointed new impact on the pace of improvement”. are now considered ‘good’. the quality of education, had focused Metropolitan College, which formed in governors with “a strong background There have been success stories for Grade two provider South Cheshire on “resolving the challenges created” 2017 after the merger of Northbrook in education to enhance the board’s merged colleges under the new EIF. College had merged with West Cheshire by the merger. College and City College Brighton and effectiveness”. Since it came into force, there has College, a grade three provider, to form United Colleges Group also lost the Hove, both of which were rated ‘good’, Similarly, St Helens College was been one ‘outstanding’ rating and six Cheshire College – South & West in College of North West London’s and received a grade three. formed in 2017 after a merger between grade twos for these colleges, which 2017. City of Westminster College’s ‘good’ Moreover, both Coventry College St Helens College and Knowsley deliver provision to 24,297 16- to Its governors were praised by the ratings following its merger in 2017. and St Helens College failed to improve Community College, which both had 18-year-old students in total. education watchdog for continuing to “secure improvements to the Grades received by general FE colleges under the new Education Inspection quality of education that learners and Framework following their first inspections since mergers apprentices receive during the merger process”. Date of Date of Tyne Coast College retained the Provider name Grade inspection publication grade two rating obtained by both South Tyneside College and Tyne Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group 1 25/10/2019 14/11/2019 Metropolitan College after they merged Bedford College 2 26/09/2019 28/10/2019 in 2017. Cheshire College – South & West 2 15/11/2019 10/12/2019 Inspectors believed governors and senior leaders at the college managed North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College 2 27/09/2019 25/10/2019 the merger “very effectively” and Tyne Coast College 2 11/10/2019 29/10/2019 ensured that the college campuses Warrington and Vale Royal College 2 11/10/2019 08/11/2019 “continue to serve their communities The Windsor Forest Colleges Group 2 29/11/2019 06/01/2020 well”. Coventry College 3 20/09/2019 25/10/2019 The Windsor Forest Colleges Group Greater Brighton Metropolitan College 3 11/10/2019 18/11/2019 was created in 2017 after ‘outstanding’ Strode College merged with East Nottingham College 3 17/01/2020 07/02/2020 Berkshire College, which had received St Helens College 3 17/01/2020 07/02/2020 a grade three. United Colleges Group 3 13/12/2019 29/01/2020 Ofsted claimed that governors FEWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 307 @FEWEEK FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 9 News College groups struggling to shine as Ofsted visits for first time

London's mega-college to be hit with a grade three

YASEMIN CRAGGS MERSINOGLU academic year. approach to T-levels will continue as ineptness” had partly led to the surprise to deliver the digital, education and [email protected] But this could now be at risk as planned and they will “comply with deficit. health routes from next year, had Department for Education rules state any additional scrutiny that the ESFA It followed unplanned multi-million- raised the issue with the Education and that only providers rated ‘good’ or require of us and feel confident we will pound deficits of £5 million in 2016-17 Skills Funding Agency after their own Exclusive ‘outstanding’ can deliver the new be well prepared”. and £6 million in 2017-18, which led to ‘requires improvement’ rating. qualifications. CCCG was formed after a merger job cuts. A spokesperson confirmed it will A large London college group wrestling Kurt Hintz, principal of the College between WKCIC Group and the College CCCG’s new finance director, Rachael “submit an application to continue to be with an unexpected £10 million deficit of Haringey, Enfield and North East of Haringey, Enfield and North East White, previously said that internal a provider of T-levels”. is set to receive a grade three after its London, part of CCCG, said he was London. controls were missing – which she put In addition, the DfE confirmed last first-ever inspection took place last unable to comment on Ofsted’s verdict City and Islington College and down to the three individual colleges month that it will also “make a decision month. until the group received and reviewed Westminster Kingsway College first coming together. in due course” on whether United FE Week understands Capital City the report in full. merged in August 2016. Both were She said: “I think a lot of it has been Colleges Group, which was lined up College Group’s (CCCG) Ofsted report However, “the feedback that we considered ‘good’ by the inspectorate where colleges have merged and to offer the digital and construction will be published imminently. received following the inspection at the time – as was the College of there’s probably been no re-alignment courses, should be kicked off the Chief executive Roy O’Shaughnessy from Ofsted’s team on our strengths Haringey, Enfield and North East or reassessment of what is an efficient programme after receiving a grade previously told this newspaper in and areas needing improvement was London, which joined them in or controlled environment to work three from Ofsted. December that he was trying to “dim very similar to the conclusions we had November 2017. within.” The department has promised to the expectations” by self-grading reached during our own rigorous self- The group currently has a deficit of CCCG isn’t the only consider each case individually at ‘requires improvement’ and was assessment,” he told FE Week. £9.7 million. It had originally budgeted T-levels college to be hit and reach a mutual decision with expecting a visit from the education Hintz added that CCCG will continue for a £750,000 surplus for 2018-19. with a grade three. the providers before a decision is watchdog between January and July with its “robust” quality-improvement This was revised downwards by July Earlier this week, made; and the time invested by 2020. plan that had been in place “long to a deficit of £5.1 million but it suddenly FE Week reported that institutions and the work done to The group is scheduled to deliver before” Ofsted arrived and which is grew again by September. Nottingham prepare students may impact three T-level routes (in digital, now showing signs of “significant O’Shaughnessy then launched College, on the decision. education and childcare and health improvement”. an independent investigation and which and science) from the 2021-22 He also confirmed the group’s previously told FE Week that “genuine is due Roy O'Shaughnessy

and senior leaders had ensured Grades received by general FE colleges after the introduction of the new Education Inspection Framework they continued to serve their local communities “well, with a broad and Date of Date of Length of Provider name Grade relevant curriculum offer” since the inspection publication inspection merger, with leaders and managers working with local employers and Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group 1 25/10/2019 14/11/2019 Full partners to plan and review provision Bedford College 2 26/09/2019 28/10/2019 Full so that it was “focused on current Brooklands College 2 13/12/2019 16/01/2020 Full industry practices”. Cheshire College – South & West 2 15/11/2019 10/12/2019 Full Despite this, the inspectorate Derby College 2 04/12/2019 07/01/2020 Short also found that while leaders had East Riding College 2 04/12/2019 18/12/2019 Short made improvements, “the rate of improvement has been too slow in a Leeds College of Building 2 25/10/2019 12/11/2019 Full few areas”. North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College 2 27/09/2019 25/10/2019 Full Moreover, Warrington and Vale Royal Petroc 2 07/11/2019 29/11/2019 Short College, which formed in 2017, improved Reaseheath College 2 05/12/2019 08/01/2020 Short its pre-merged college grades. Salford City College 2 04/12/2019 16/01/2020 Short North Warwickshire and South Shipley College 2 30/01/2020 10/02/2020 Short Leicestershire College retained North Warwickshire and Hinckley College’s Tyne Coast College 2 11/10/2019 29/10/2019 Full and South Leicestershire College’s ‘good’ Warrington and Vale Royal College 2 11/10/2019 08/11/2019 Full ratings after the two merged in 2016 The Windsor Forest Colleges Group 2 29/11/2019 06/01/2020 Full and a further grade two was received by Chesterfield College 3 28/11/2019 24/01/2020 Full Bedford College. City of Bristol College 3 15/11/2019 11/12/2019 Full In total, 27 general FE colleges have Coventry College 3 20/09/2019 25/10/2019 Full been inspected so far under the EIF, including CCCG’s verdict. Greater Brighton Metropolitan College 3 11/10/2019 18/11/2019 Full FE Week analysis shows that more National College for the Creative and Cultural Industries 3 11/10/2019 13/11/2019 Full than two-fifths (12) of these have been Nottingham College 3 17/01/2020 07/02/2020 Full hit by grade threes. St Helens College 3 17/01/2020 07/02/2020 Full One provider was declared Stoke-on-Trent College 3 11/10/2019 11/11/2019 Full ‘outstanding’, while more than half (14) Suffolk New College 3 15/11/2019 13/12/2019 Full were considered ‘good’. None has been found to be The Sheffield College 3 27/09/2019 25/10/2019 Full ‘inadequate’. United Colleges Group 3 13/12/2019 29/01/2020 Full 10 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 @FEWEEK EDITION 307 FEWEEK.CO.UK News New Boris adviser would 'take a flamethrower' to adult education policy

Professor Alison Wolf is now working three days a week advising Number 10 on FE policy ahead of the Budget next month. In October she critised "target- led policy", called for the introduction of adult education "lifetime allowances" and said the Department for Education should step aside because "you have to put far more of the power and decision-making in the hands of the individual". FE Week's editor, Nick Linford, looks at what it could mean for the adult education policy and the DfE if Wolf wins the argument.

Little did we know that when the manifesto was published that weakened and one of the things we Baroness Alison Wolf gave “the main problem is that we have said in our [Augar] review was that evidence to the education select completely destroyed any sort of easy the government had to stop doing committee last October she would infrastructure of proper institutions this and had to put money back in.” be appointed to advise the prime in all towns where you can go to She saved her strongest criticism minister from within the Number evening classes briefly, where you for the government machine: “The 10 policy unit. can go for a while, come out and simplest thing you could do would As FE Week reported last week, go back. That used to exist in every be to basically take a flamethrower Wolf is on a sabbatical from town in this country. The ghosts of it to the way the whole adult and Kings College London and is now are there, but it needs to be revived”, further education budget has all working for the PM three days per something exposed in our feature this these pots.” week in the run up to the budget week on pages 12 and 13. This will have been sweet next month. music to the ears of Dominic Perhaps the move should not Cummings, chief policy adviser to have really come as a surprise “A vast amount Boris Johnson and former adviser given the help the government to Michael Gove when he was urgently needs to reform the of the money education secretary. apprenticeship levy, implement It is well known that Cummings T-levels and invest in adult skills does not actually has regular run-ins with civil post-Brexit. servants and recently said he And Wolf is an obvious pick go on frontline wanted to find advisers that are given she was appointed by “weirdos and misfits with odd Michael Gove in 2011 to undertake provision to skills”. an independent review of learners" Wolf also said an “obsession vocational of education from with targets, outcomes and making which most recommendations people do things in a way where were implemented. Then in 2015 And when the Conservatives you can tick things off, has been she joined a group of select few published the manifesto with a very harmful”. on the Sainsbury Review that commitment to £600 million per introduced the T-level plan and year for a National Skills Fund, it was again, there she was on the panel accompanied with a press release “You have to writing the Augar Review in FE and that said this would be the “first HE funding last year. steps” towards a “Right to Retrain”. put far more of Could this policy be what Wolf meant when she told MPs “adult the power and citizens should have a right to decision-making “I hope I am a certain amount of education” and made “a pitch for lifetime in the hands of going to be able allowances”? She said: “You have to put far more the individual" to make a pitch of the power and decision-making more, if you get anything at what in the hands of the individual and and "I think you we call level 3, or skilled crafts, you "I think, alas, for lifetime that you get better skills for the definitely earn more, and if you get a economy not by asking a government have to make good apprenticeship you definitely, devolution allowances" department to organise courses for definitely earn more, but just shelling people that they are sent on but by the colleges a out for lots of little courses does does not help. giving them far greater ability to not automatically translate into It simply adds Looking back at what she learn skills when they think they very central productivity.” said when MPs asked how she want to.” part of this" So, with Wolf at Number 10 and the another layer of would improve adult education And when it comes to adult secretary of state, Gavin Williamson policy, it seems obvious she has education, colleges need both the returned to the DfE after the reshuffle bureaucracy and already played an important part money and the freedoms according “One of the problems with this and eager to develop policies to spend in the manifesto that promised to Wolf: “I think you have to make the target-led policy that we have had the manifesto pledges, civil servants at arguing about £1.8 billion for college capital. colleges a very central part of this. for a long time is that you find, the Department for Education could She said in the month before They have also been tremendously yes, if you get a degree you earn be in for a shock. who gets what" FEWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 307 @FEWEEK FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 11 News New Boris adviser would 'take a flamethrower' to adult education policy

Devolution Online learning Wolf was in no doubt be to basically take a flamethrower to the that the devolution of the way the whole adult and further education Civil servants at the Department for Education “every town has a university—it is called Adult Education Budget has been a budget has all these pots. I do not know as have over many years been looking for ways to the Open University.” At which Wolf shot mistake. much about the local authorities, so I will increase the access as well as reduce the cost back: “That is true, but it has been pulling Lucy Powell MP asked: “What other things stick to the adult education budget going to of adult learning, but with little success when it back from having bricks and is more and do you think might help us to both increase the colleges. If you could get rid of all these comes to government funded online learning. more virtual. I personally think that was the spending and spend it better? What silly little divisions and special programmes, It is thought that they are having another a big mistake.” about devolution and some of those issues?” and just hand them the money – and also go, through very limited National Retraining Mearns then asked if there is Wolf replied: “I think, alas, devolution does allow them, as happens in other countries, Scheme pilots, but Wolf appeared not to be a “a particular problem with the not help. I wish it did, but judging by what is to have a certain amount of carryover fan of delivering education over the internet. National Retraining Scheme about an happening in London it simply adds another between years – I think overnight you Ian Mearns MP overemphasis of online learning” to layer of bureaucracy and arguing about who would increase by 30 per cent the amount pointed out that which Wolf simply said “Yes”. gets what. of money that went straight through to the “The simplest thing you could do would classroom.”

National Retraining Service Tenders Wolf seems to be strongly of the opinion of providing the service.” Wolf made it clear she was where you think, how could you be against it— that having colleges apply for lots of Wolf added: “I agree, really. not a fan of the little known how could you be against giving adults help “little pots” of funding is “extraordinarily Partly it is the level of funding, and to National Retraining Scheme that with retraining? Of course, you should not be.” wasteful.” a considerable degree it is the way the funding already has its own department “The trouble with having something that is The University of Edinburgh’s Professor is sent out. It is divided into little pots that mean within the DfE. specialised and specific and that goes through Lyn Tett was on the panel and told MPs: that it is, amazingly, true that you have fantastic Ian Mearns MP asked: “How effective employers is that it is going to be another pot. “Another problem, especially at the FE colleges that struggle to spend the adult part do you think it will be in terms of helping It is going to have its own regulations. It will community level, is that most people are of their grant. It is hugely wasteful because, again adults to upskill or retrain—are we ready work fine if you have a large employer with a sustained by applying for grants—they as Lyn has said, a vast amount of the money to go?” trade union that can see what is coming along could be from the local authority, from the does not actually go on frontline provision Wolf replied: “You kind of know what the road. However, I cannot see how it can big lottery or whatever—so they spend an to learners; it goes on the administration, I am going to say: do we need another actually enable the population as a whole to awful lot of their time getting money in so the collection of data and the grant specialised pot? It is one of these ideas access the flexible opportunities it needs. they can provide a service, instead applications. It is extraordinarily wasteful.” 12 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 @FEWEEK EDITION 307 FEWEEK.CO.UK News Could Alison Wolf persuade the PM to revive night schools?

BILLY CAMDEN all towns where you can go to evening But starting in the west, City of [email protected] classes briefly, where you can go for a Bristol College said that it put on over A while, come out and go back,” she told 350 courses in the evening which had MPs. more than 3,730 enrolments in 2013/14, Exclusive “That used to exist in every town in but this dropped by almost half to this country. The ghosts of it are there, just over 1,900 enrolments in 2018/19 Part-time evening courses were once but it needs to be revived.” when 217 courses were offered. a route that allowed tens of thousands In its 2019 report on education of adults to retrain. But government spending in England, the Institute for funding cuts have seen this long Fiscal Studies (IFS) found that adult “The appetite B tradition begin to fade away. As one learner numbers have fallen from 4.4 champion of the provision enters million in 2004-05 to about 1.5 million for learning in Downing Street, Billy Camden delves in 2017-18. into the current offer in colleges Funding for classroom-based and adults is huge, C across England and questions community learning peaked at around whether this form of education could £4.1 billion in 2003-04, falling by the barrier soon be resurrected nearly two thirds by 2018-19. The IFS said there has been a “large is cost” Night schools might be in for a revival and deliberate shift from classroom- following Baroness Alison Wolf’s based to apprenticeship training” in A range of night classes continue to appointment as a skills policy adviser that time. be offered this year including in sign D to the prime minister. Evening courses, which are typically language, biology, vehicle restoration, The academic, who advises Boris run between 6pm and 9pm, have marketing, HR, law, welding, floristry Johnson three days a week, gave reportedly borne the brunt of this. and graphic design. evidence to the education select It is an issue that has reached the But the college’s principal, Andy committee just four months ago in House of Commons in recent years. Forbes, said the “frustrating thing is which she raised the issue in the Labour MP David Lammy held a that we know we could run far more E F context of declining adult education parliamentary debate on the topic adult evening classes than we do now” numbers. in 2017 in which he called for their and the biggest barrier is “that we now return. have to charge fees for courses”. But there is little research that “Colleges that have experimented “The ghosts specifically shows the numbers of by running free courses have shown evening courses currently on offer, and how big the demand is, but most are there, but how that compares to previous times. FE colleges – like City of Bristol FE Week spoke to colleges with large College – are not in a strong it needs to be adult education budget allocations enough financial position to in the biggest cities in England to take the risk,” he added. revived” gain an insight into how their night “We need funding school offer has changed over the to do this properly.” “The main problem is that we have years – including one in London that Ann Marie Spry, completely destroyed any sort of easy has bucked the trend of declining vice principal for adult education infrastructure of proper institutions in numbers. at Leeds City College, said they are A NCG B Leeds City College 19+ FE & SKILLS EXPENDITURE C Nottingham College £bn cash D South & City College Birmingham 4 E City Of Bristol College F CCCG

3

“proud” to offer over 100 adult evening “We would welcome additional 2 courses currently, including in areas public funding to widen our scope and like start your own business, languages create a sustainable and robust adult for beginners and Tai Chai. offer.” While the college couldn’t give an South and City College Birmingham 1 estimate of numbers in previous years, said it reduced evening and weekend “we did have to reduce the number we classes “substantially when the Non-apprenticeship ASB offer” owing to “cuts in funding”. adult funding was cut and the rules A spokesperson said: “Supporting on funding changed, as part of the 0 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 low skilled workers and adults with austerity measures”. mental health issues is an integral part A spokesperson said: “Adult funding of our work, and it’s important that rates are 60 per cent of 16 to 18 but

House of Commons briefing paper on adult further education funding in England since 2010 we continue to be responsive to local young adults are provided with the community needs. same education and training in the FEWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 307 @FEWEEK FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 13 News Could Alison Wolf persuade the PM to revive night schools?

same classes as 16 to 18 year olds. “We would definitely re-introduce evening classes if there was funding to do so.” Nottingham College said while it does still offer a range of courses in the evening, including in ceramics, photography, counselling and computing, there are “fewer than in previous years”.

“We would re-introduce evening classes if the funding was there ”

“This could be attributed to less demand, changes in funding, the focus on employability and end-of-course added to this decline,” Bromley said. London (CONEL), ran fewer than Kurt Hintz, the principal of CONEL, have to take out a loan. outcome, and a decline in many of “The reluctance to take up the adult 10 evening classes three years ago, said: “The appetite for learning in “It is at level 3 and above the courses that people would term learner loans seems to be linked to a but last year they ran 142 in areas adults is huge, the barrier is cost. that incomes start to increase hobbies or leisure.” lack of disposable income – i.e., once including the trades, ESOL, sports When it’s free, it’s full.” significantly. By not funding Liz Bromley, chief executive of the course is complete, I will have to massage and accounting. courses at this level, members of NCG, said her college group still pay back my loan, and if I have not What’s more, all of them up to level our community are prevented from offers a range of evening courses had a pay rise, then I’m financially 2 are “free” of charge. “Colleges maximising their potential.” in management and professional worse off.” In June 2018 the Greater London running free David Hughes, chief executive of subjects, creative industries and She added: “We would like to see Authority announced that adults in the the Association of Colleges (AoC), education, as well as adult English and much more flexibility around the capital who earn less than the London courses have summed up by saying evening maths. eligibility criteria for funding of course living wage will have their training provision “still exists but is smaller But “yes, we have reduced the that have a direct link to the local skills fully funded from 2019/20 for courses shown how big in volume, adding that many of number,” she told FE Week, adding agenda.” up to level 2. the ‘leisure’ courses, so popular that a steep decline started at the There is one college group which is After experiencing what it calls demand is” for evening programmes, have time of the introduction of advanced stemming the tide of declining evening “significant success” with the GLA’s significantly decreased in number”. learner loans – a policy which has courses: Capital City College Group policy – it saw in excess of one- But, he added, level 3 continues to “AoC would welcome policy struggled to get off the ground since its (CCCG). third more adults enrolling – CCCG be an issue: “Current funding stops at changes and funding to accompany it introduction in 2013. One of its divisions, The College extended this offer to all adult level 2. Many adults are discouraged which allows for the most responsive “Changes to funding eligibility also of Haringey, Enfield and North East learners. from progressing to level 3 as they and flexible provision.”

Liz Bromley Andy Forbes David Lammy 14 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 @FEWEEK EDITION 307 FEWEEK.CO.UK News Northern Powerhouse Partnership director tells education ministers they’ve ‘run out of time’

FRASER WHIELDON The Northern Powerhouse fire, he explained. [email protected] Partnership is chaired by former “I don't think they were just voting chancellor of the exchequer George about Brexit. I think they were voting Osborne and represents businesses about their towns their places, and The director of George Osborne’s and politicians from across the north. skills is vital to that.” Northern Powerhouse Partnership The adult education budget has “Where is the ambition,” he asked has called for skills policy to be fully already been devolved to certain the audience, “to mirror those like devolved from Whitehall, claiming the mayoral combined authorities in the British Airways and what they invest government has "failed" to deliver the north, including Greater Manchester in skills in Barrow," which puts 1,000 system the north needs. and Tees Valley. The government is also apprentices through their factory Henri Murison, speaking at the working with Sheffield City Region and every year, according to Murison. launch of the Northern Skills Network North of Tyne combined authorities Having previously worked for the in Leeds, pinned the failure on the with the aim of devolving the AEB to West Yorkshire Police and Crime Department for Education’s officials those two in September. Commissioner and Newcastle City Henri Murison and said whoever the education Murison said his call for greater Council, he also targeted ire at the secretary is after this week’s cabinet devolution has been provoked because government’s announcement this reshuffle “needs to listen to us, not the department took “years” to deliver week of HS2, a high-speed rail line for skills” for over 300 providers, executive director for customer and their officials”. money which had been promised to connecting London with the north and announced it had entered into a commercial strategy Sian Wilson. In the meantime, he said, the the north, and they are “not welcome midlands. strategic partnership with awarding The partnership, according to department has “run out of time” so in the north of England with that Without greater skills devolution, organisation NCFE. network chair Mike Smith, will help “universal control of our skills system” promise anymore”. “all the train lines in the world will This partnership will involve them promote the value of technical must be given to the north. The vote to “take back control” in make no difference on their own,” he NCFE representatives sitting on the and vocational skills to employers “That’s why we’re going to have the Brexit referendum and the collapse said. network’s board and means they will and stakeholders, as well as support mayors in every region of the north, of the so-called “Red Wall”, where His call for greater control over become “the ‘go to’ organisation for leaders of all ages to achieve the in the Humber, in West Yorkshire, in Labour MPs across the north were skills policy in the north comes as insights and advice on the skills and qualifications they need to advance Chester, Warrington, then Lancaster – replaced by Conservatives in the the Northern Skills Network, which education issues affecting the north,” their chosen careers and increase and we’re not going to stop.” December election, added fuel to this is aiming to provide a “single voice according to the awarding body’s their social mobility”. Reappointed education secretary Williamson pledges to 'deliver skills country needs'

BILLY CAMDEN Week understands that Lord Agnew is to executive David Hughes said: “I am [email protected] leave the DfE. delighted to see Gavin Williamson The junior academies minister took confirmed as education secretary. on the responsibility for FE provider “He has shown over the past six Gavin Williamson is to stay on as market in September. months that he believes in colleges, education secretary following a post- Downing Street confirmed and wants to develop a stronger post- Brexit ministerial reshuffle. Williamson, who studied A-levels at 16 education and training system.” However, at the time of going to press Scarborough Sixth Form College, will He added: “I know that the it was not known whether the MP for keep his role at the Department for additional funding announced last South Staffordshire would keep the FE Education on Thursday. September was in large part due to and skills brief he has held since his He later tweeted to say he was his advocacy within the government, appointment last July. “delighted to be reappointed”. and I have no doubt that the capital Many calls, including from “From early years to further funding and new National Skills Fund Conservative MPs, have been made for education, I will ensure we deliver the promised in the Conservative election prime minister Boris Johnson to appoint skills the country needs,” he added. manifesto were also driven by his a dedicated minister for the sector – a This week’s reshuffle saw a number Gavin Williamson ambition for the sector. role that has been vacant since Anne of his colleagues return to the “We are looking forward to him Milton resigned. backbenches. his short time in the role, he has already review all due to take place in the year championing college investment in Michelle Donelan, who was covering Sajid Javid quit as chancellor and was managed to secure more investment ahead.” the budget and the spending review.” for Kemi Badenoch as children replaced by Rishi Sunak. for sixth-form education than all of his Association of Employment and Williamson has been a Conservative and families minister with some Several other prominent cabinet predecessors combined since 2010. Learning Providers chief executive for most of his life, and served as responsibilities for FE while she was members were sacked by Johnson, “He has also engaged very Mark Dawe said the decision to keep chair of Conservative Students, the on maternity leave, was promoted to including business secretary Andrea constructively with us and our members Williamson on at the DfE was “sensible”. precursor to Conservative Future, universities minister in the Department Leadsom and environment secretary – and as a former sixth form college “We hope that the secretary of state while at university. for Education in the reshuffle. Badenoch Theresa Villiers. student, has first-hand experience of the will impress upon the new chancellor He worked in the manufacturing moved to the Treasury as a minister. On Williamson’s reappointment, sector. the need for greater investment in industry, as managing director of Donelan did not rule out also taking James Kewin, deputy chief executive “We look forward to continuing this apprenticeships, particularly a separate fireplace firm Elgin & Hall and later as on the FE and skills brief at the time of of the Sixth Form Colleges Association, positive relationship – particularly with fund for non-levy payers of £1.5 billion,” boss of Aynsley China. going to press. said: “We are pleased that Gavin a Budget, the conclusion of the level 3 he added. He is a former chief whip and And FE Week’s sister paper Schools Williamson will remain in post. During qualification review, and a spending And Association of College chief defence secretary. CONFERENCE PARTNER STRATEGIC PARTNER HEADLINE PARTNER CONFERENCE SPONSORS

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For sponsorship & exhibition enquiries visit AAC is brought to you by feweekaac.com or email [email protected]. Early bird exhibition rates available. 16 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 @FEWEEK EDITION 307 FEWEEK.CO.UK News Renewed calls for skills tax credits as budget looms

BILLY CAMDEN Halfon added. profound ones, but if you net out the [email protected] It is an idea favoured by Baroness whole system, a provider still largely ends Alison Wolf, who now advises the prime up providing training and getting paid minister Boris Johnson on skills three through a government subsidy. But now With the budget less than a month away, days a week. its customer — as always should have and the prime minister confirming the In October 2019, during an education been the case — will be the employer, not apprenticeship levy needs reform, there select committee hearing, Halfon asked the government or one of its agencies. are signs that the government could Wolf: “Should there not be a skill or “It changes who the training provider quickly revisit the original tax credit social justice tax credit for businesses if has as their customer. The customer recommendation from 2012. they genuinely reskill their employees?” should have the money — it focuses the Education select committee chair The baroness replied: “I think there mind of the vendor. I feel strongly about Robert Halfon has called for the policy should – if one can figure out a way of this point, and I think it’s the heart of the to be introduced on numerous occasions doing it that will not be open to massive review.” over the past year. fraud. It would be a very good idea. Asked if they were considering skills He told an Annual Apprenticeship “As you say, you have double tax tax credits in the run up to the budget, a Awards parliamentary reception last credits for research. Why not have Treasury spokesperson said: “We already week that he finds it “incredible” that double tax credits for training? Off the Doug Richard provide tax relief for employee training if companies invest in research and top of my head I think it is a really good through a 100 per cent corporation tax development “they get a research tax idea, but like so many of these things the former Dragons’ Den star Doug Richard. coming from the government, they deduction. We keep all tax reliefs under credit, hundreds of millions of pounds question is whether it is actually doable He called for employers to pay [providers] now have the more granular review.” a year”. without having either a massive amount providers directly for apprenticeship challenge of having to collect their They added that in order to consider "Why on earth isn't there such a thing of semi-fraud or a massive amount of training. money from employers,” he explained. more generous tax treatment, there as a skills credit where, if companies expensive apparatus looking at it. Richard said tax credits, or other “The employers only get the credit if must be a clear economic case made for invest in skills and apprenticeships, “I think it would be a really interesting forms of government incentives, should they show they’ve spent the money. It government intervention, so that any they get a skills tax credit from the thing to consider.” then be dished out to employers as the means if the employer wants it done, measures are well-targeted and provide Treasury to incentivise businesses to do The idea of skills tax credits was first government pays its part of apprentice they can’t hold the money back from the value for money for the tax-payer. more, whether it is an apprenticeship, mooted in the 2012 Richard Review of training. provider.” The next budget will be held on adult learning, or whatever it may be,” Apprentices, which was conducted by “Instead of the money for providers He added: “There are differences here, March 11.

requirements – an academic pathway, a career-focused pathway and more DfE plans to axe 5,000 quals specialised occupational routes.” On the announcement, Williamson said: “Trying to decide what course will put you on the path to a great career - but will anybody notice? is hard enough, but with over 12,000 qualifications available and many in the same subject – it can feel like a BILLY CAMDEN Williamson believes the announcement The first “review of post-16 level 3 for qualifications with low or no needle in a haystack. [email protected] will help “make sure students have a and below qualifications” consultation enrolments should have their funding “Removing funding for qualifications clearer choice” of what is on offer as ran from March to June 2019 and was reviewed. that have no or low numbers of there is currently a “confusing” market supposed to be released before the But, he told FE Week, colleges and enrolments will help make sure A consultation on plans to remove of 12,000 qualifications at level 3 and turn of 2020, along with the launch of a schools are “much more concerned students have a clearer choice of the funding for more than 5,000 legacy below. second stage. about an issue that involves a very qualifications on offer, and ensure they qualifications at level three and below But Tom Bewick, chief executive of But the DfE has now told FE Week it high number of students – and get the skills they need to progress.” has been launched by the Department the Federation of Awarding Bodies, said will not be forthcoming until at least that is the future of applied general But Bewick warned: “We know for Education. his members will have few concerns the spring. qualifications”. from past experience, that some really Those at risk are courses that are with a “genuine housekeeping exercise” The department wants to make “Removing funding for unpopular adverse effects can arise where a currently not being studied by any that removes qualifications that A-levels, T-levels and apprenticeships qualifications is one thing, but top-down exercise in Whitehall leads learners, or have cohorts of fewer than are “obviously no longer needed by the “gold standard” option for young removing funding for popular and to learners being cut off from valuable 100 and are coming to the end of their learners and employers”. people after they take their GCSEs from highly effective qualifications like and relevant opportunities in their three-year operation. “The vocational training marketplace 2020-21. AGQs is quite another, and we will local communities. More than 200 BTECs are on the list. evolves all the time, so there are bound It will only continue to fund continue to make the case for these “There are hundreds of niche The plan is to switch their funding off to be obsolete qualifications on the alternative qualifications at level 3 and qualifications playing a vital role in the qualifications with low enrolments by August 2021. register that will discontinue in future,” below – such as applied generals, BTECs future,” Kewin added. or that serve those with special Reviewing and removing funding he added. and Tech Levels – that do not overlap A spokesperson for Pearson, the educational needs that could be axed for qualifications with few or no The DfE claimed that this week’s with them and are “high quality, are organisation that offers BTECs, said: by this exercise if government does not enrolments used to be an annual task announcement is part of the necessary, have a clear purpose, and “It’s important that the 16-to-19 phase proceed with some caution.” undertaken by the Skills Funding government’s two-stage review that lead to good outcomes”. continues to offer young people a The deadline for submissions to Agency, but the last full review of this aims to crack down on “poor-quality James Kewin, deputy chief range of options to support access the consultation relating to the 5,000 sort was conducted in 2015. post-16 qualifications”, which has been executive at the Sixth Form Colleges for a diverse cohort of learners qualifications is March 27. Visit https:// Education secretary Gavin quietly delayed. Association, said he agrees that funding with differing starting points and bit.ly/2SKGKYP to see the full list.

18 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 @FEWEEK EDITION 307 FEWEEK.CO.UK Profile

Introducing... EMMA HARDY Shadow Further Education and Higher Education Minister

JESS STAUFENBERG between teachers who “loved her” has survived party [email protected] and those for whom she was “too factionalism and opinionated”. These days, during powerful voices in a turbulent time for her party, the Momentum. We’re Jess Staufenberg meets the shadow 40-year-old has to navigate a similarly having a cup of tea minister for further education – careful course without alienating at her office in 1 once a teacher – whose father and anyone too much. While weighing her Parliament Street, grandfather were both sacked for words so as to not come across as too and Hardy is sitting unionising partisan, the former primary school attentively opposite me, teacher lets her stories and feelings her phone on the table When shadow minister for further tumble out with surprising openness, with a picture of one education Emma Hardy was in sixth of her two daughters form college she was told by her under the screen formidable history teacher, Mrs Mauer, cover. Hardy voted for “You’re a radical Emma, and people are “I would describe Andy Burnham in the going to read about you in the future.” leadership election The young Hardy was making the myself as won by Jeremy Corbyn, case for a nationalised health service and is now supporting to the class. “I didn’t win. But I did Team Labour” Keir Starmer for the convert the most people. We won the leadership (rather than argument!” she adds with a guffaw, the more Corbynite At home in Newbold aged 6 playfully referencing the Labour It’s a habit that has most likely Rebecca Long-Bailey) leadership’s stoic response to its endeared her to shadow education and Rayner for deputy. catastrophic defeat in the December secretary, Angela Rayner, and which “I would describe myself as Team who gave her principles to believe in, general election. Mrs Mauer’s words landed her the further and higher Labour. But I’ve also always said but who never demanded loyalty to a stuck with Hardy. “No pressure, then, I education brief on January 7. Hardy whoever is democratically elected particular party. Instead, she has been headteacher at Hardy’s own school. thought.” calls her approach “Team Labour.” as leader is leader.” Hardy rejects the taught through stories. “My granddad “That’s probably why I also ended At parents’ evenings, the young “I don’t get involved in all of idea that most Labour MPs belong in used to tell us how he’d have to line up being a bit left-wing. On Friday Hardy steered her mum and dad that,” she says when I ask how she one camp or another. “If you actually up for work each day. Because he was afternoons, he used to take all of the sat down and tried to say who was nearly six feet tall, he’d often get work, school for singing, and we did Bob definitely pro- or anti-Corbyn, you’d but other people didn’t.” Dylan, The Beatles and protest songs.” only be able to identify a few. Most Among the places he worked was But Hardy’s biggest smile is people just get on with it.” Tetley’s tea, though after he told the reserved for her 92-year-old nanny. While regarded as a young radical company’s joint-founder Joseph Tetley “She was a single mother with five among her classmates, Hardy says the that he was going to set up a union not children in a council house. She used Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) sees for long. “He lost his job,” says Hardy, to tell me about families moving in her as “predictable”, a fact which has dark eyebrows raised. with no furniture, and say ‘they’re served her well. “The way I see it, the Her own father worked for WH forgetting their roots’. She was always Labour Party is bigger than all of us. Smith, though he was sacked after passionate about not forgetting When Jeremy is gone and I’ve gone being the only employee to carry out a where you came from.” and Keir is gone, it will still be here. If scheduled strike. “Dad always told me, Her nanny is her firm supporter. you believe that, then the factionalism if you’re going to go on strike, make “She’s got a picture of me in the doesn’t matter.” sure you’re not the only one who does house and if anyone comes around, Hardy’s appeal to overarching values it!” Hardy laughs. she says ‘that’s who I support’!” rather than internal politics may Her father then enrolled at a further Hardy’s laugh is infectious, and I hoot Celebrating after winning the Kingston upon Hull have its roots in her childhood. She education college and went on to train as she goes on to describe her nan as West & Hessle seat in the 2019 General Election was surrounded by influential people as a teacher, eventually becoming “old-school trolling” less convinced FEWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 307 @FEWEEK FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 19 Profile

“You as an individual have a legal right to learn”

At home aged 11

family members. “She cuts out articles deeply praises for “encouraging and wasn’t expecting me to win”, she says. train home and Karl saying, ‘Wait – The government has promised to from the Mirror and sends them saying developing” her. “I remember one of the interview you need to stay for another drink to enshrine workers’ rights in a new ‘have you seen what your lot have done Soon her stance on testing put her questions: ‘If you’re on the doorstep celebrate!’.” employment bill, and Hardy wants now?’” at odds with the school leadership, and and someone says ‘Labour can’t afford When I ask how being an MP an amendment. “It would be that you Hardy describes her 13-year-old she left to join the NUT as an organiser. its policies’, how would you reply?” compares with teaching Hardy as an individual have a legal right to self feeling “quite sick” at the 1992 Later she was in touch with the then reaches for her timetable. The hours learn, and you can ask your employer Conservative win, and by the age MP for Hull West and Hessle, Alan look similar: 8am starts and 8pm for time out so you can do that. It of 17 she was a Labour member – Johnson. A few years later, Johnson finishes. Even with recess next week, makes sense. We need to upskill the though still too young to vote in the made the surprise announcement “We need she’s working Monday, Tuesday and country.” 1997 election in which Labour won a he would not be standing in the 2017 to upskill Wednesday. “You’re used to working Hardy may not be as recognisable landslide. election, and Hardy decided to go for really hard as a teacher. I’ve never as some of her contemporaries – Jess Meanwhile, she was doing her the candidacy. Her interview was at the country” done a 9 to 5, ever. The difference with Phillips, for instance – but ideas like A-levels. After switching subjects Labour HQ at Southside in London. this job is you create your own work this have got her noticed in the halls halfway through, it took her three “I was so nervous. [Then NUT – you can get involved as little or as of Westminster, if not in the echo years rather than two to get them, and general secretary] Kevin Courtney You can imagine the teacher in Hardy much as you want.” chambers of Twitter. As I leave, Hardy she almost didn’t make it to Liverpool saw me beforehand and gave me a big tackling such tricky moments with Hardy has laid out her key foci shows me a handwritten note from the University. Once there, she didn’t get hug and wished me luck,” says Hardy. aplomb. After the interview, she was for FE already – mainly increased outgoing Speaker of the House, John involved in student politics, and the She was up against six other hopefuls, taken for a pint by Karl Turner, MP for funding and smoothing issues with Bercow. same held true at Leeds University, some of them – Sam Tarry, now MP for Kingston upon Hull East. It was in the the apprenticeship levy. But one of It reads: “You made a terrific impact where she studied for her PGCE. It Ilford South, and senior Corbyn aide pub that she got the phone call to tell her notions is particularly striking. in the 2017 Parliament and are a star in was only as a primary school teacher David Prescott – with rather more her she’d been selected. “I was shocked. “I’m playing with the idea of a ‘right to the future.” that she joined the NUT, which she experience than she had. “The press I remember saying I needed to get the learn’," she says. Hear, hear. 20 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 @FEWEEK EDITION 307 FEWEEK.CO.UK News Provider advertises £30k reward in return for their 'achieved learners'

BILLY CAMDEN traineeships subcontract?” completed their courses, act as the [email protected] It states that the group has a prime, and subcontract the provision “current 88 per cent achievement to the charity in order to claim rate (due to exceed 92 per cent when funding. Exclusive outstanding results arrive)” in English “We have exceeded our MCV as a second or foreign language (ESOL) (maximum contract value) and so are A training provider is offering a and functional skills courses. seeking to subcontract for further reward of just under £30,000 for They are primarily made up of learners already on our system,” the simply adding their data on achieved black, Asian and minority ethnic adult email states. learners to a government funding women based in east London “with the claim. data ready to upload”. There are also Taking up the emailed offer of a traineeship cohorts aged 16 to 18 and “Where poor “cohort of achieved learners” from 19 to 23. City Gateway, a charity that has The total value of the learners is subcontracting trained disadvantaged young people £143,000 – but Education and Skills in the London for eight years, would Funding data shows City Gateway only practice is be a clear breach of the funding rules has £46,000 in allocations to use for according to an auditor. 2019/20. evident to us It also does not have any direct contracts to deliver courses with the we will act “We have Greater London Authority, which had decisively” the capital’s AEB devolved to it in exceeded our September 2019. MCV and so The provider dropped from a grade It adds that the prime would two to a grade three in October 2017, receive a 20 per cent management are seeking to with Ofsted claiming: “Trustees, fee, totalling £10,600 for the AEB leaders and managers have not provision, £13,000 for the 16 to 18 subcontract for taken sufficient action to remedy traineeships, and £5,000 for 19 to 23 weaknesses identified traineeships. further learners at the previous ESFA funding rules state that it inspection.” is “vital” that all directly funded already on City Gateway organisations must “properly wants a different monitor and control all our system” provider to take subcontracted delivery”. on the learners And the GLA’s funding The email, sent to providers with who have already rules state: “You must direct access to funding, asks if they manage and monitor all are “interested in the potential to of your delivery increase your adult education budget subcontractors to Funding and Performance Management Rules for Grant-funded Providers (AEB) achievement rates by funding a cohort of achieved learners – available immediately for an 96AEB.7.5 or allegations of fraud. Eileen Milner The email sent by City Gateway to providers with direct access to funding Monitoring

ensure that high-quality delivery is rule changes was launched last 97. You must manage and monitor all of your delivery subcontractors to ensure taking place that meets our funding week. It states that “entering into that high-quality delivery is taking place that meets our funding rules. rules.” subcontracting arrangements for An experienced individual learner financial gain” are not acceptable. 98. You must carry out a regular and substantial programme of quality-assurance record auditor, who did not wish to be ESFA chief executive Eileen Milner checks on the education and training provided by delivery subcontractors, named, told FE Week that they have sent a sector-wide letter on October including visits at short notice and face-to-face interviews with staff and “stripped all the money out for this 3 which said: “I am asking that you learners. The programme must: sort of thing in the past at audit”. review your current subcontracting The GLA said any subcontracting activity and satisfy yourself that it is 98.1 include whether the learners exist and are eligible; and arrangement would have to meet their purposeful, appropriate, and provides guidelines and be approved by the added value to learners. We must 98.2 involve direct observation of initial guidance, assessment, and authority. be confident that you are managing delivery of learning programmes. City Gateway did not respond to and overseeing it in line with our multiple requests for comment. requirements.” 99. The findings of your assurance checks must be consistent with your The revelation comes amid a fresh It went on to warn: “I want to expectations and the delivery subcontractor’s records. crackdown on subcontracting by the make it clear that where poor government. subcontracting practice is evident to GLA Adult Education Budget funding rules 2019-20 A consultation on radical us we will act decisively.” Second-level subcontracting

100. You must not agree the use of any delivery subcontractor where this would require you to subcontract education and training to a second level. All of your delivery subcontractors must be contracted directly by you.

Requesting subcontracting arrangements

101. Prior to the commencement of your grant, you must submit your subcontracting plan for the delivery year to us. You may not subcontract without our prior written approval.

102. You must also update and reconcile your subcontracting plan if your subcontracting arrangements change during the year. You may not make changes to your subcontracting plan without our prior written approval.

Distributing income between you and your delivery subcontractors

103. Your governing body or board of directors must review your delivery subcontracting funding retention and charges po licy. Your accounting officer must sign the policy.

104. You must publish your delivery subcontracting funding retention and charges policy on your website before entering into any subcontracting agreements for each funding year.

17

JO FRIDAY, FRIDAY 14, 2020 @FEWEEK JO FRIDAY, FRIDAY 14, 2020 EDITION 307 BS BS

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Vice Principal Funding and Performance HEAD OF ICT AND ESTATES LEARNING TECHNOLOGIST – STRATFORD UPON AVON COLLEGE Salary: Up to £75k per annum Salary up to £28,787 per annum Competitive negotiable salary

We are seeking a highly motivated and supporting students to become independent Herefordshire, Ludlow & North Shropshire College is a high achieving We will provide you with: enthusiastic Learning Technologist. This post learners. college with excellent student outcomes, good Ofsted ratings since • First class career opportunities is based at Stratford upon Avon College In this post you will be part of a team that 2006 (Herefordshire & Ludlow College), strong financial performance • A competitive salary and high quality, defined benefit pension but will also require work and collaboration develops and promotes effective practice in and superb facilities.We service 12,000 students across 8 locations across Solihull College & University the integration of technology, both within across Herefordshire and Shropshire. scheme • A great working environment Campuses. and outside of College. You will provide We are ambitious, constantly striving to ensure the success of every advice and support to staff and students on • A personalised staff development programme single student. Our approach seeks the best from all staff and students, At Barnsley College we encourage all of our students and staff to dream big and we are proud The successful applicant will help to drive a range of basic and more specialist software and we are committed to supportive team work, openness and integrity. You will be responsible for a broad range of services including IT to say that studying at Barnsley College helps to inspire our learners and transforms their the development of Learning Technology for teaching and assessment, including the An outstanding career opportunity has arisen for an experienced Infrastructure, Networks, Applications, Telecommunications, Facilities lives. across the College, helping to develop and VLE, Virtual & Augmented Reality, Social Management, Contracted-out services and help desk support, as well manager to lead our ICT and Estates teams as we continue our promote our Digital Learning Strategy and Networking and other educational tools and as opportunities for involvement in cross college initiatives and strategy We are seeking a new Vice Principal for Funding and Performance to join our senior ambitious investment programme to improve our buildings and ICT supporting staff and students in the use resources. You will also be involved in the leadership team and to make a significant contribution to the achievement of college priorities. infrastructure, taking advantage of latest IT technologies. of technology for learning, teaching and implementation and administration of cross- Visit our website at www.hlcollege.ac.uk In this role you will provide strategic leadership to MIS and funding with a particular emphasis This position is based at our Hereford Campus. assessment. Strong communication and team College platforms. email [email protected] on high quality, accessible and user-friendly information systems and processes whilst working skills are essential as the successful Applicants should have experience of These ambitions will only be realised with the right management or telephone (01432) 365429 for a job description and application pack. ensuring the college is proactively managing the relationship between funding and learner applicant will provide support for students implementing and administering learning of our resources. outcomes. In addition, the post holder will provide line management to our new Director of IT. and for staff from all curriculum and business technologies, strong communication For an informal discussion please feel free to ring Ed Gwillim, Director If you are: support departments. The role will include and interpersonal skills. A Degree level of Finance on 01432 365302 We have retained the services of FE Associates to support us with this important appointment. • Experienced in managing a multi-site IT Infrastructure taking the lead on small projects linked to qualification, teaching qualification and/or Interested parties are advised to have an initial discussion with our lead consultant, Matt • Determined and able to deliver an exciting diverse mix of concurrent particular departments and wider projects significant digital learning experience would Closing date: Friday 6th March 2020 Atkinson, ahead of the closing date and prior to submitting an application. This can be projects across College. In addition to this the be an advantage. Interview dates: Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th March 2020 arranged by emailing [email protected] • A highly motivated and effective manager successful applicant will play a pivotal role in • Passionate about customer care Closing date: Noon on Friday 28 February 2020 • A team player with good people skills Interview date: To be confirmed To apply, please visit: https://www.solihull.ac.uk/jobs/ • Able to control multi-million-pound budgets Closing date: Sunday 23rd February 2020 then we would welcome your application For more information and a candidate pack visit www.fea.co.uk/bc-vpfp/

ExEcutivE DirEctor of PM training P Assistant Director of Apprenticeships art of competitive salary and benefits and Employer Based Training Based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire Salary: up to £55,000 per annum PM Training is an award-winning social enterprise, and Staffordshire’s largest independent provider of apprenticeships for young people. Each year we work with over 2,500 learners, to help them begin successful careers. City of Bristol College is seeking to appoint an Professional, Creative and Leisure and employer employer contributions of 15.5 % and many other enthusiastic and proactive Assistant Director of based Trade Union qualifications. benefits. Apprenticeships and Employer Based Training. the role: Someone who has the technical knowledge and The post-holder will support the Vice Principal We are one of the City’s largest employers, based at We’re looking to recruit an Executive Director to lead our business through the next proven experience of managing the operational Curriculum and Quality in the delivery of all four different sites across the City. We offer a wide phase of its growth; delivering more services and supporting more young people. elements of delivering apprenticeships and relevant targets, in line with the agreed curriculum range of courses from entry to degree level and employer based training. The role will also cover our plan. You will take lead accountability for the cater for learners of all ages and backgrounds. We As part of , you will also contribute to the wider group, which subcontracting arrangements and our Trade Union implementation of a quality improvement strategy strive for student achievement through providing the comprises Aspire Housing and our Realise charity. You will play a key role in helping training provision. for apprenticeships and employer-based training best possible student experience, professional staff Are you our nexT us to collectively revitalise communities, by providing homes, training, employment across FE and HE provision across their remit. and outstanding resources. Our success in this isn’t and support. You will be accountable to the Vice Principal, possible without the commitment, dedication and Curriculum and Quality for the implementation of You will provide college-wide leadership on collaboration of every member of staff. a curriculum delivery strategy for apprenticeships curriculum and quality matters for apprenticeships You are: and our College employer-based training; chiefly and CoBC employer-based learning and training in If you feel you can demonstrate the dedication, skills An ambitious, innovative and strategic leader, who will energise our training business delivered through workplace assessment and partnership with the Assistant Director for Quality and passion required for this role, we look forward to ExEcutivE to deliver exceptional outcomes for our learners, customers and business partners. learning, but also through classroom-based learning. and Standards, and Assistant Principal FE&HE. receiving your application. More about us: You will work closely with the Vice Principal This is a significant leadership and management post Our new state of the art construction centre is due to Finance and Professional Services and the College’s as such you will be expected to build and maintain open in 2021. It will offer training in construction skills DirEctor? www.pmtraining.org.uk and www.youtube.com/user/theaspiregroup1 business development team in fostering a culture excellent working relationships with stakeholders, at to around 850 learners over the first three years, We want a diverse workforce and welcome applications from all suitably qualified of high quality customer service, flexibility and all levels, internally and externally, as well as other through Higher Apprenticeships and more traditional or experienced people. responsiveness, in line with the College’s growth members of College staff and students. learning routes, providing much-needed skilled strategy for employer-based provision. workers for the city and wider region. The centre will For more about the role and to apply: City of Bristol College offers a generous holiday provide a brand-new, 2500m2 training facility at the You will line manage the Heads of Department of entitlement of 30 holiday days (plus bank holidays South Bristol Skills Academy site. Go to: www.aspirehousing.co.uk/careers Engineering, Motor Vehicle, Construction, Business, and 8 closure days), membership to the LGPS with Closing date: Sunday, 23rd February 2020 First stage interviews: Friday, 28th February 2020 Closing date: 1 March 2020 To arrange a confidential informal discussion with our Group Chief Executive please Interview date: 17 March 2020 contact Charlotte Davies on 01782 854801 or email [email protected] To apply and for the job description, please visit www.cityofbristol.ac.uk/jobs Part of FEWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 307 @FEWEEK FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 21 News

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Could free travel drive the sector to public transport services. right, good financial control to new heights? Providing access to this free by executive management of charge is only a partial and prudent governance Fantastic initiative, great solution. When the first should be rewarded. Bail outs article and free travel is not service bus in to college simply send the message Reply of the week only a game changer for leaves their village at 9:40am that whatever happens and colleges, but will save parents and the last service bus whatever a college does funds and students in challenging back leaves at 3:10 pm the will arrive to keep it afloat. economic times hundreds of free travel wouldn’t help Tough to say and the effects DfE lobby Treasury with findings pounds a year. too much, especially when upon our learners horrible to that FE can’t survive ‘as is’ without the journey time is about an contemplate, we need some Jo Maher hour! insolvencies and shutdowns ‘relaxing the financial pressure’ to encourage the others. This is an excellent article, Len Tildsley in rural areas travel is a real Graham Ripley Well some of us have been shouting challenge. In the South West, College leaders brand use of this from the rooftops to a succession the cost of student travel is bailout funds ‘staggering’ If FE establishments were of Ministers who always declared how sometimes referred to as ‘tax funded adequately in the first “passionate” they were about FE whilst on choice’. Free travel for 16- “A @educationgovuk place, there would be no need 18 year olds could be a real summary of restructuring for re-structuring funds at all. they presided over year on year budget driver for social mobility, help fund spend shows in total By systematic under funding cuts which have seen the degradation ‘level up’ opportunity and close to £450 million had of the sector over the last 10 of the physical and digital infrastructure mean talent is not limited by been spent on bailouts by years, the government has postcode. the end of the last academic pushed the majority of FE and the depletion and demoralisation year and @ESFAgov providers into some sort of of workforce capacity and confidence. John Laramy accounts reveal more than financial distress. It shouldn’t The hypocrisy is breathtaking and yet £100 million in loans have take a mathematician to work Free travel, although a also been written-off” - wow out that 10 years of year on unsurprising sadly. significant benefit to those truly eye watering numbers... year increasing costs, versus in towns and cities, falls zero increase in funding Bob Harrison short for rural colleges and Simon Ashworth would cause problems. their students who suffer from generally poor access Chris Todd is absolutely Jon Ninnes 22 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 @FEWEEK EDITION 307 FEWEEK.CO.UK Experts Sharon Blyfield The levy: change should be Senior Manager - Business evolutionary – not revolutionary Partner, People and Culture, Coca-Cola European Partners

As an employer of apprentices and them, and all are offered the do with the funding. range of levels. to its promises that skills will feature that has made full use of the levy, I opportunity to go on and do a degree This week, 15 big-name employers Degree apprenticeships are very strongly in the March Budget. have sometimes found it difficult to apprenticeship in engineering, from the public and private sectors, attractive to us and without the At the same time, apprentices understand why more levy-paying supply-chain management or both in manufacturing and services, student debt attached, they have aged 16 to 18 should not be treated businesses haven’t taken advantage of business management. Every day, we signed and published a statement to become an inclusive means of differently from other young people of the levy reforms, says Sharon Blyfield witness the transformation that an this effect. We have made clear that progression for many people who the same age group in the education apprenticeship can bring to someone’s any changes should be evolutionary have been put off by the traditional system; they should be funded Towards the end of last summer, life while giving us the skilled higher education routes. Therefore separately out of the DfE 16-18 budget, the number of registrations on the workforce we need. we must find a way of keeping them regardless of where they work, or apprenticeship service suddenly This explains why we don’t want to “Apprenticeships while making the overall programme the apprenticeship programme they jumped to nearly 20,000, which see the government start introducing must provide sustainable. choose to undertake. represents the vast majority of controls on how we spend our levy, For those of us who are using up Currently, there is too much employers within the levy’s scope. while recognising that the demands unconstrained our levy entitlement, the levy transfer bureaucracy within the apprenticeship Perhaps it has just been a question on the programme’s overall budget isn’t really an option, and in any system. For instance, there needs to of time for businesses to realise how are now throwing up some significant entry points into case, non-levy-paying SMEs are now be a higher level of trust between levy widely apprenticeships can be used challenges. being moved on to the digital service, payers and the government to deliver across the workforce. Talking to our training-provider employment” where they can access funding. But effective off-the-job training. One At Coca-Cola European Partners partners and AELP, it has become the imminent levy overspend means suggestion would be for an upfront (CCEP), we have, with our engineering increasingly apparent that there was a rather than revolutionary. A top that this funding is limited, which is a plan, Ofsted inspections and live apprenticeships, what people would group of large levy-paying employers, priority is that apprenticeships must major concern for us, when so many reporting from apprentices to replace traditionally associate with the including several household brands, provide unconstrained entry points of these businesses form our supply much of the form filling. programme, but we also recruit young who were concerned that the into employment, which will vary from chains. We would welcome steady progress people into merchandising, field government’s levy review might employer to employer, and job to job. Our group is therefore happy to on these fronts to obviate the need sales and business administration. lead to significant changes. Our For many businesses, level 2 is vital; support the call for a standalone for significant reform of the levy and Continued development for all our consolidated view is to leave the levy however, for other employers, it could non-levy budget of £1.5 billion and we build on the successful foundations apprentices is a major benefit to us alone in terms of what employers can be any other level up to level 7, or at a hope that the government will live up achieved thus far. Simon ashworth It's time to take on the Chief operating officer, subcontracting profiteers Association of Employment and Learning Providers

Subcontractors account for more from subcontracting. They make it unable to obtain funding. In the case What matters, surely, is that properly the subcontractor appropriately, while the than 10 per cent of ESFA funding. They clear, though, that they “do not expect of AEB, a move to full procurement checked subcontractors might be based third prime provider took a management need overseeing properly, says Simon funding retained to exceed 20 per which rewarded prime providers miles from their primes while learners fee and had no oversight. This highlights Ashworth cent”, and have linked this to two points and subcontractors that actually might be on their doorstep. the importance of considering the role previously raised by the Association of deliver would also reduce the need for The ESFA also acknowledged that the prime provider has in the process It was good to see the ESFA’s Peter Employment and Learning Providers subcontracting. that when working with national (rather than looking at subcontractors Mucklow in edition 306 of FE Week (AELP). Firstly, if more than 20 per employers, a distance arrangement for in isolation). But political pressure will confirming government recognition cent of the funding is retained, it raises “To date, subcontracting “is beneficial”. The focus probably require Ofsted to inspect a that subcontracting plays an important questions about the capacity of the on geographical restrictions is more selection of the larger subcontractors as role and that there will be not be a subcontractor to deliver. Secondly, can Ofsted has about ‘out of area’ funding, particularly part of their risk-based approach. complete ban on it. good quality can be achieved when the expectations and justification The ESFA certainly don’t like managing Some interesting numbers were funding is so reduced? not inspected of grant funding being spent on agent models, and within the sector published as part of the ESFA’s Apprenticeship subcontracting subcontracting in other far-flung areas there are still examples of providers that consultation: 674 prime providers has already been reformed with subcontractors of the country. The test is whether operate as managing agents in all but subcontract provision to 2,288 the removal of whole programme directly” provision is supporting the local name – subcontracting out comparably subcontractors. The total value of subcontracting. And the opening up community or being used to generate large portions of their allocations. The subcontracted provision is £484.5m – of the Apprenticeship Service to non- The proposals around geographical additional income. ESFA is now proposing a phased transition or 10.6 per cent of total ESFA funding. levy employers will allow hundreds restrictions are attracting the most To date, Ofsted has chosen not to from all providers to a subcontracting These are big numbers, so it’s no of providers on the main Register of questions from providers. The “no inspect subcontractors directly, and limit of just 10 per cent of their total ESFA wonder the regulators are keen to Apprenticeship Training Providers more than one hour away from the they recently gave me an example of post-16 income in 2023-24. ensure appropriate oversight, quality (RoATP) to access funding directly, prime contractor by car” pledge begs why: a subcontractor that worked with Again, this will be a real challenge for and robustness of provision. without a non-levy contract. a question: if a prime provider is three prime providers, where two-thirds parts of the sector that have for too long Unfortunately, the ESFA has yet This will impact on those undertaking the minimum checks as of the provision was good and a third relied on subcontracting. Ultimately if again missed a trick – by failing to subcontracting relationships – study required by the funding rules, then poor. The underpinning rationale was the funding isn’t being used, let’s get it implement a cap on fees and charges programmes, traineeships, adult distance should make no difference in that two of the prime providers had full reallocated to providers who can spend it which could address ‘profiteering’ education – which have hitherto been terms of oversight of the relationship. and suitable oversight and supported directly.

24 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 @FEWEEK EDITION 307 FEWEEK.CO.UK Bulletin

Claire Foster Alex Warner

Principal and chief executive, Principal, South Central Boston College Institute of Technology at Bletchley Park

Start date Spring 2020 Start date March 2020

Previous job Previous job Vice principal of curriculum and higher education, Director of technology faculty, Activate Learning Grimsby Institute Interesting fact Interesting fact A former sponsored athlete, he has completed over She owns and runs a successful café bar, a family business Movers & 15 marathons on Lincolnshire’s coast Shakers Wendy Reid Ben Frier

Acting chief executive, Vice Principal, Haywards Health Education England Your weekly guide to who’s Heath College new and who’s leaving

Start date April 2020 Start date April 2020

Previous job Previous job Executive medical director and director of education Boarding housemaster, Brighton College and quality, Health Education England Interesting fact Interesting fact He was an extra in the Terrence Mallick film Thin Red Line She is learning to speak Italian

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Spot the difference FE Week Solutions Sudoku challenge To WIN an FE Week mug

How to play: Fill in all blank squares making sure that each Spot five differences. First correct entry wins an FE Week mug. Turn the paper around to check if row, column and 3 by 3 box contains the numbers 1 to 9 Email your name and picture of your completed spot the difference to: [email protected]. your answers match - but no cheating!

Difficulty: 1 3 4 5 6 Easy Easy Difficulty:

4 5 7

2 6 8 7 1 7 5 8 3 6 9 2 4

7 6 3 4 2 1 9 5 7 8 6

8 9 3 8 9 6 4 2 7 1 5 3

1 8 5 6 9 6 4 5 7 8 3 1 2

6 3 2 8 5 1 8 2 4 3 6 9 7

4 1 9 3 2 3 7 9 6 1 5 4 8

7 9 6 2 4 2 3 6 1 9 8 7 5

1 8 9

6 2 3 8 7 8 1 3 5 2 4 6 9

7 9 6 5 9 7 8 4 2 3 1 6 9 2 4 2 8 7 1

Difficulty: 7 1 Medium Medium Difficulty:

8 7 6 2 4

9 4 2 6 1 9 7 5 8 3 4 2

9 2 4 3 5 3 7 4 1 2 8 9 6

4 7 6 5 8 2 4 6 9 3 1 7 5

6 1 2 9 4 9 3 2 8 1 5 6 7

4 2 7 8 2 5 6 9 4 1 3

2 4 3 5 1 5 6 3 7 4 9 2 8

3 5 1 7 2 7 8 1 4 5 6 3 9

6 5 8 2

8 6 9 4 3 4 5 9 2 6 7 8 1

5 9 8 9 6 1 8 3 7 2 5 4 9 1 4 7 3 3 7

Solutions: See right Last Edition’s winner: Mo Dixon