Award-winning journalism from the only newspaper dedicated to further education and skills FEWEEK.CO.UK | MONDAY, JUNE 8, 2015 | EDITION 140 PA Wire/Press Association Images GCSE resits YES, chaos YOU Page 3 Bailey’s BIS Chancellor targets £900m competition in cuts — and Page 5 points the finger at FE, again Recognise this regulator? Page 2 Page 11 Chancellor George Osborne Six-month euro funding delay ‘could have been avoided’ @paulofford enterprise partnerships (Leps) should play in She added: “When train franchises switch to give all 39 Leps a “direct role” in dishing [email protected] ESF funding decisions will not have shortened between different companies, the government out ESF cash, but his letter to them said the the delay — and could even be the cause. makes sure there’s no interruption in service. European Commission had barred this. Sector leaders have lashed out at the UK Indeed, Dr Lynne Sedgmore, 157 Group We need to understand what’s gone wrong Alex Pratt, chair of Buckinghamshire government and European Commission over a executive director, blamed the funding gap on here.” Thames Valley Lep and former Lep Network possible six-month funding gap for European “what appears to be a failure to achieve joined- Among providers where the gap is said chair, said the funding gap “does not come as Social Fund (ESF) contracts that they claimed up thinking between Westminster and Brussels to be behind staff cuts was Sheffield-based a surprise”, but “it is likely to have a massive “could have been avoided” — averting around the role of Leps”. Intraining, part of the NCG group. impact for the sector”. widespread job losses. Stewart Segal, chief executive of the Its managing director, Linda Dean, told FE The European Commission declined to The SFA confirmed for the first time on Association of Employment and Learning Week: “As our European-funded contracts comment, but an SFA spokesperson said: “Our Wednesday (June 3) that while current 2007 Providers, said “many training providers” had end in July, and there is a clear gap until timetable for ESF contracts is driven by the to 2013 contracts would close on July 31, it already cut costs in anticipation of the ESF new tenders will be awarded, we regret this European Commission’s timetable for their anticipated that “the earliest” procurement funding gap. means we have 110 staff whose roles have been programmes.” rounds for 2014 to 2020 contracts would “launch “The disruption caused by these delays affected and will be leaving the organisation.” The Department for Work and Pensions in July, with contracts issued in November”. could have been avoided if providers had been It comes after FE Week revealed in March declined to comment on whether there would However, FE Week understands this is likely involved in the development of programmes that then-Minister for Communities and Local be a funding gap for its ESF contracts. to mean that large numbers of providers will that will clearly need to involve Leps,” he said. Government European Programmes, Lord An Intraining spokesperson said that not receive the first payments until January at A spokesperson for the Association of Ahmad, had told Leps that only the London Lep “consultation is ongoing” over up to 330 the earliest. Colleges (AoC) said the funding gap “could lead would be allowed to “take decisions” over ESF possible job losses unrelated to the ESF issue in A stand-off between the government to colleges having to close programmes and funding. addition to the aforementioned 120. and Euro bureaucrats over what role local make redundancies”. The government had previously planned Editor’s comment page 8 2 @FEWEEK FE WEEK MONDAY, JUNE 8, 2015 Edition 140 NEWS FE WEEK News in brief College’s school plan DON’T CUT ALLOCATIONS TO MEET Croydon College has re-submitted an FE WEEK team application to open its own free school. SAVINGS TARGET, PLEADS SECTOR The college’s initial proposal to open a Editor: Chris Henwood 900-learner secondary school plus sixth form Head designer: Nicky Phillips @fcdwhittaker those allocations and although they might was rejected in March by the Department [email protected] not be contractual it would be a real issue if for Education, which said the plan needed Designer: Rob Galt they were changed at this stage.” “more detail”. Sub editor: Paul Offord The government has been warned against Mr Osborne’s announcement on Thursday If successful, the school, New Croydon Reporters: Freddie Whittaker looking to FE allocations to help meet (June 4) came just four months SFA boss Academy, will open in September 2017. Croydon principal Francis Wadsworth Rebecca Cooney Chancellor George Osborne’s aim of a Peter Lauener revealed providers were £900m in-year cut by the Department for already facing cuts of up to 24 per cent. The said: “The school is genuinely needed and is Billy Camden such an exciting prospect.” Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and cut is based on a 17 per cent cut to the adult Photographer: Ellis O’Brien She said she was “hopeful” the new the Department for Education (DfE). skills budget, compounded by the protection plan, unveiled two months ago, would be Financials: Helen Neilly Each is staring down the barrel of £450m of apprenticeships funding. approved by the Department for Education. Victoria Boyle cuts this financial year — with FE budgets Martin Doel, chief executive of the specifically earmarked for savings. Association of Colleges, said: “Colleges Sales manager: Hannah Smith WorldSkills Team UK But neither has detailed how it might hit are working exceptionally hard to educate Sales executive: Jasmin Fergus-Aghamiri The competitors who will represent the UK its underspend target from the Chancellor, young people and adults and to meet at this year’s WorldSkills competition in São Administration: Frances Ogefere Dell which formed part of a package of measures government’s objectives, including ensuring Paulo, Brazil have been announced. aimed at reducing the public deficit by everyone reaches a good level of maths To secure a spot on the team the £4.5bn. and English, there are sufficient number Contributors: John Hyde youngsters were put through a gruelling However, a BIS spokesperson said it of traineeships and apprenticeships and four days of head-to-head competitions. Ann Hodgson would be “asking the SFA for advice on how providing higher technical and professional Between August 11 and 16, the 34 young Andrew Harden savings can best be achieved in line with education. But if Ministers want this to men and seven young women will battle Stephen Evans ministers’ priorities around apprenticeships continue they need to stop cutting college it out across 38 skills to be crowned world and priority FE participation funding”. funding.” champions. Managing director: Shane Mann Sixth Form Colleges Association A BIS spokesperson said: “A significant See feweek.co.uk for a list of every deputy chief executive James Kewin and proportion of the savings will be found member of the WorldSkills Team UK. And tweet us your thoughts @feweek or Association of Employment and Learning through surrendering underspends, making VQ Day award winners with the #feweek Providers chief executive Stewart Segal both efficiencies and reducing lower value spend. The 2015 VQ Day award winners will be warned the government against slashing “We will be asking SFA for advice on how Contact the editor announced tomorrow (June 9). SFA and Education Funding Agency savings can best be achieved in line with Please inform the FE Week editor of any The awards due to be handed over during allocations in-year. ministers priorities around apprenticeships errors or issues of concern regarding this a ceremony at the Mermaid Theatre, publication. Mr Kewin said the cuts were “troubling”, and priority FE participation funding, and Blackfriars, London, are for teacher of the and called for urgent detail of where the whilst safeguarding the resilience of the year, employer of the year, and learner of the Email [email protected] with axe will fall, adding: “Colleges have already sector.” Error/Concern in the subject line. year. received their funding allocations for A DfE spokesperson said: “These Please include the page number and story The eighth annual VQ Day itself, which headline, and explain what the problem is. 2015/16 and have budgeted accordingly. To savings will come from a variety of is a national celebration of vocational impose a cut to student funding at this late measures including expected departmental qualifications overseen by the Edge stage would be extremely reckless.” underspends in demand-led budgets, Foundation, will be on Wednesday (June 10). subscribe Mr Segal told said: “Providers will have efficiencies and some small budgetary Visit feweek.co.uk for a list of VQ Day made planning assumptions off the back of reductions.” events taking place across the country. For an annual subscription to FE Week for just £75 visit www.feweek.co.uk and click on ‘subscribe’ at the top of the page. www.feweek.co.uk Taskforce under fire for ‘earn or learn’ name @rebeccaKcooney Learn which is the main feature of any good although their lasting impact was blunted by ADVERTISE WITH US [email protected] work-based learning programme.” the Whitehall machine,” he said. If you are interested in placing a product or Prime Minister David Cameron’s new Former principal policy officer for the He warned there was a “risk” that in trying job advert in a future edition please click on the ‘advertise’ link at the top of the page on troubleshooter taskforce that aims to ensure National Institute of Adult Continuing to meet the 3m apprenticeship target the feweek.co.uk or contact: young people are “earning or learning” has Education Alastair Thomson agreed.