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Award-winning journalism from the only newspaper dedicated to further education and skills FEWEEK.CO.UK | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2015 | EDITION 141 DAY 2015 PRODUCED BY tVoo tchaetiior ncaolm vmaluunei ttyo athned itnod tivhied uUaKl, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH free with this issue Skills — shall Growth funding Apprentice we go Dutch? delay reaction loans alarm Page 3 Page 4 Page 8 XX ‘I DIDN’T K N O W’ xx Former North Hertfordshire College principal denies knowledge of success rates manipulation @paulofford forensic investigation initiated by the new [email protected] principal suggests otherwise.” The practice of boosting success rates Former North Hertfordshire College by not claiming funding for failing (NHC) principal Fintan Donohue has learners was condemned in a 2009 letter denied any “knowledge of wrongdoing” to colleges by Geoff Russell, then-chief after it was discovered that success rates executive of the Learning and Skills were artificially boosted while he was in Council, and a report commissioned by charge. a group of colleges just over three years Current NHC principal Matt Hamnett ago warned of “widespread” success rates launched an investigation into learner manipulation among FE colleges. The information management shortly after report, by Tenon Education Training starting in the post three months ago and Skills Limited, was leaked to FE and he said it had uncovered “a series of Week at the time and identified one such issues”. It found, he said, that details of method as ‘buy one get one free’, which failing learners were omitted from ILR it described as: “Where the college has returns as far back as 2008, with the effect declining success rates and has chosen to of inflating classroom-based success rates stop offering the learning aim, potentially by around 4 percentage points to 90.5 per it could lose many learners. One solution cent last academic year. to this is to continue to run the ‘declining There is no suggestion NHC would have success rate’ learning aim as a non-funded been overpaid because it meant the college qualification, while choosing a similar would have not been funded for some learning aim (inspected under a different learners, but the practice would have inspection code)”. given it an unfair success rates advantage But despite the warnings at the time, over colleges who declared all learners. Mr Donohue, now chief executive of the However Mr Donohue, who was Gazelle Group of Colleges, said: “I had principal and chief executive of the college every reason to be confident in the senior from 2005 until the end of August 2012 team responsible for data management. Data Credibility Award in 2013 by Icca when he stood down as principal but I do, of course, regret anything that Education Training and Skills, which stayed on as chief executive for another casts doubt on the quality of any aspect counts two of the Tenon report authors year, told FE Week: “I have no knowledge of performance of the college over that among its senior staff in Scott Winter of the alleged wrongdoing in respect of period.” and Vici Cadwallader-Webb. “Audit data inflation when I was principal of The college was even granted an reports including the green flag voluntary NHC. I have no reason to believe the Education Training and Skills Green Flag Continues page 3 a safe pair of hands. New Health and Safety qualifications for employment from NCFE. 2 @FEWEEK FE WEEK MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2015 NEWS FE WEEK News in brief Edition 141 Learners’ week launches PRODUCTIVITY ‘IN DANGER’ FE WEEK team Adult learning across England will be celebrated during the annual Adult Learners’ FROM 3M APPRENTICESHIP AIM Week, which launches today (Monday). Editor: Chris Henwood The celebrations will be marked with @rebeccaKcooney Head designer: Nicky Phillips will focus ideas and resources on skills, but national and regional awards ceremonies, [email protected] if it’s the only target that matters, I think a parliamentary reception learning taster Designer: Rob Galt The government target to create 3m that’s really concerning.” events and the official Festival of Learning. Sub editor: Paul Offord apprenticeship starts could pose “a real The Niace survey found 72 per cent of For details about the event, which is Reporters: Freddie Whittaker danger” to national productivity, National those in the lowest socioeconomic groups organised the National Institute of Adult Rebecca Cooney Institute of Adult Continuing Education were not learning and nearly half (49 per Continuing Education, visit alw.org.uk or search for Adult Learners’ Week on Billy Camden (Niace) boss David Hughes has warned. cent) had not participated in the past three Facebook. Mr Hughes made the comments following years. Photographer: Ellis O’Brien the release of the Niace annual participation The study of 5,000 adults also revealed FE charter granted Financials: Helen Neilly survey, which showed although the number twice as many of those who left education at A Royal Charter has been granted to the Victoria Boyle of adults learning in the past three years 21 or later were learning, compared to those Institution for Further Education (IFE) Sales manager: Hannah Smith rose slightly, from 38 per cent to 41 per cent, who left school at 16 (52 per cent versus 26 by the Queen, the Privy Council has Sales executive: Jasmin Fergus-Aghamiri the lowest paid are still least likely to be per cent). announced. learning. “This reinforces and confirms my Administration: Frances Ogefere Dell The IFE, set up in 2013 by Lord Lingfield Mr Hughes told FE Week the survey apprehension that the skills system just to pave the way for a new chartered findings “reinforce the need to persuade isn’t working for too many people,” said Mr membership organisation for FE providers, Contributors: Mick Fletcher more people back into learning because if Hughes. will be devoted to developing the potential, Amy Lalla we’re going to really hit [Chancellor George] “If you’re successful in learning up to the reputation and standing of the sector. David Maguire Osborne’s ambition of being a productive age of 21 you get into a higher level job with Its mission will be to bring together the nation we need to raise the overall skills training, so people in high socio-economic best training providers across the sector Malcolm Trobe level of the workforce or it just won’t groups do quite well out of the system.” and collectively to promote, recognise and David Hughes happen”. Conversely, he said, those who left school celebrate their professionalism and success. Managing director: Shane Mann And, he said, government’s focus on with few qualifications were likely to find Visit feweek.co.uk for more. protecting the apprenticeship budget while themselves in low paying jobs without First education questions And tweet us your thoughts @feweek or cutting the Adult Skills Budget “reinforces training. with the #feweek The first education oral questions of this this rather than countering it”. The survey also found that the number of Parliament will be held in the House of “The 5.2m people in low pay get very, very unemployed people taking part in learning Contact the editor Commons today (June 15). little support from government at all — the had dropped from 41 per cent to 35 per cent. Please inform the FE Week editor of any Education Secretary Nicky Morgan and apprenticeship programme won’t do for Mr Hughes said: “As money gets tighter errors or issues of concern regarding this her ministerial team are expected to take publication. much of them because often they will need there is a risk, with the apprenticeship focus, questions from MPs across the political divide literacy and numeracy training before they other things get squeezed out, and what these from 2.30pm. Email [email protected] with can get anywhere near an apprenticeship,” figures show is you’ve got to do more to get Oral questions give opposition and Error/Concern in the subject line. he said. to the people who haven’t done much or any government MPs a chance to get quick Please include the page number and story headline, and explain what the problem is. “There’s a real danger the 3m learning for many years if you really want to answers, as opposed to written questions, to apprenticeship target gets in the way of get to the heart of the productivity issue — which responses take longer. doing the right things to address the issue. and the fairness issue.” The session can be watched live on subscribe “It’s great that we’ve got an ambitious Parliament TV, and FE Week will be live- See page 17 for an expert piece on the Niace target around apprenticeships because that survey by Mr Hughes tweeting at twitter.com/feweek. For an annual subscription to FE Week for just £75 visit www.feweek.co.uk and click on UTCs team to ‘work with’ Boles on programme ‘subscribe’ at the top of the page. www.feweek.co.uk @rebeccaKcooney ADVERTISE WITH US as successful as it can possibly be before we [email protected] launch ourselves into the process of opening If you are interested in placing a product or The organisation behind Lord Baker’s more institutions like this.” job advert in a future edition please click on the ‘advertise’ link at the top of the page on university technical colleges (UTCs) has said Including Black Country and Hackney, feweek.co.uk or contact: it will be “working with” Skills Minister Nick there are currently 30 UTCs. A further 20 are E: [email protected] Boles as he looks into the performance of the due to open by 2017. T: 020 81234 778 project as it comes under growing criticism. A Baker Dearing spokesperson said: “We Officials at the Baker Dearing Trust look welcomed the Minister’s strong reiteration Disclaimer set for difficult questions from Mr Boles with of the government’s commitment to UTCs at 11 and 16, and with “insufficient” careers UTCs suffering much-publicised recruitment during the debate. advice available “it is not surprising that FE Week is owned and published by Lsect Ltd. The views expressed within the publication are those of the authors issues. “UTCs are a new responsibility for the recruitment has been challenging for some”. named, and are not necessarily those of FE Week, Lsect Ltd or Among those to have struggled to recruit Minister and, in the coming weeks, we will “Therefore, the Minister is absolutely any of its employees. While we try to ensure that the information we provide is correct, mistakes do occur and we cannot have been Walsall’s inadequate-rated Black be working with him and his team to ensure right to say that the programme needs to be guarantee the accuracy of our material. Country UTC and Hackney UTC — both of he is fully briefed on the technical education reviewed,” she said. The design of the printed newspaper and of the website is copyright of Lsect Ltd and material from the newspaper which are set for closure at the end of the pathway offered by UTCs.” Lynne Sedgmore, 157 Group executive should not be reproduced without prior permission. If you academic year. Mr Boles’s pledge to examine UTCs, which director, said: “We are delighted the minister wish to reproduce an article from either the printed paper or the website, both the article’s author and FE Week must be Mr Boles pledged to “look at the offer specialist vocational training alongside has listened to advice from the 157 Group, referenced (to not do so would be an infringement on copyright). programme” to consider whether it was core academic subjects for 14 to 19-year-olds, supported by UCU and other sector bodies, to Lsect Ltd is not responsible for the content of any external internet sites linked to. “as successful as it can possibly be” before has been welcomed by college groups. review the UTC programme before expanding Please address any complaints to the editor. We are fully opening any more UTCs as questions were Association of Colleges deputy chief any further. committed to the Press Complaints Commission’s Code of Practice. If you have a complaint which cannot be resolved by asked in Parliament in the wake of the executive Gill Clipson (pictured)said: “While we all want to make sure that high the editor, write to the Press Complaints Commission, Halton decision to close the Black Country “In order for UTCs, or indeed any quality vocational programmes are available House, 22—23 Holborn, London EC1N 2JD UTC. new institutions, to be successful to all young people, it is clearly the case that And while Mr Boles said the in recruiting a significant number new institutions, including UTCs, are not Learning & Skills Events, government was “firmly committed” of students there needs to be a always the best answer.” Consultancy and Training Ltd to the UTCs programme, he said: consistent demand across all the A Department for Education spokesperson 161-165 Greenwich High Road “I think it is very important now necessary age groups.” said: “As is normal practice, we will continue London SE10 8JA at the start of a Parliament that we She added that since the UK to look at the performance of the UTC T: 020 8123 4778 E: [email protected] look at this programme and we ask education system was “fairly programme and how we can make sure they ourselves is this programme fixed” around transition work most effectively.” FEWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 141 MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2015 3 NEWS Is England set to go Dutch on skills system? @rebeccaKcooney of delivering the right outcome for them and a UK Netherlands [email protected] A QUARTER clear channel to have an input into the design 2014 2014 of qualifications.” Super colleges and beefed-up sector skills of Dutch companies Around 55 per cent of young people take councils could be on the horizon — if Skills youth youth are registered to deliver a vocational pathway in the Netherlands unemployment unemployment Minister Nick Boles’s hopes of emulating the intermediate because, he said, the route was “highly rate rate Dutch vocational system come to fruition. according according -level flexible”. During a special debate tabled in to eurostat: to eurostat: “It can be school-based or work-based — so Westminster Hall on Tuesday (May 9) to mark 16.1 10.1 vocational if you’ve got an economic crisis and those VQ day, Mr Boles told MPs that in the UK “we % % training employers can’t afford to enable young people always beat ourselves over the head” about to train with them and offer apprenticeship how to get a vocational system more like places, then those students can be routed back Germany’s. Netherlands has ROC through school training,” he said. 55 But, he said, the German system was “the 42 % van amsertdam According Eurostat, the European product of a deep economic, educational and Commission data body, the Dutch youth has more than social culture that is somewhat different from unemployment rate was 10.1 per cent at the end ROCs of Dutch youngsters 35,000 ours”. of 2014 — lower than the UK’s 16.1 per cent. “The Dutch economy is more similar to our (super colleges) take a Before the creation of the ROCs, the vocational own in culture and approach than the German Netherlands, like the UK, had many smaller one,” he said. Sources: IPPR and UKCES pathway learners colleges, which from 1996 were gradually “It is smaller, but it has what we would see merged to give the 42 of today. as—I am not sure that the Dutch would accept pathway, a five year general education 17 knowledge centres, similar to the UK’s However, Mr Casey was cautious about this—Anglo-Saxon features. pathway, or a six year pre-university pathway, sector skills councils but with larger remits backing Mr Boles’s suggestion to re-create the “They seem to have a better system of clear although most schools allow pupils to move — including designing qualifications and Dutch system in the UK and said there would routes through education to high, degree-level from one pathway to another. recruiting employers. have to be “some serious feasibility studies”. qualifications.” Post-16 vocational training mostly takes However, austerity has meant the “Whether that’s transferable to the UK I’m In the Netherlands, vocational education place within 42 state-funded super colleges, government is planning to create a single not sure,” he said. comes under the Ministry of Education, Regional Education and Training Centres national body, the Foundation for Cooperation “They’re on different scales — the Culture and Science — all except agricultural (ROCs), with up to 35,000 learners, and offering on VET and Industry, which will be supported Netherlands is, compared to us, a relatively education, which represents a large part of more than 350 vocational courses. by eight sectoral bodies to take over from the small country in terms of landmass but also the Dutch economy and is overseen by the According to the Institute for Public Policy knowledge centres. population. Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Research, 25 per cent of Dutch companies also Paul Casey, competition lead for the UK “There’s always a concern in terms of Innovation. operate as employer providers. Commission on Employment and Skills, said transferring a skills policy from one country From the age of 12, pupils choose between Currently, employer representation comes the vocational system in the Netherlands was to the other — because there may well be three pathways — a four year pre-vocational through a national, sector-based group of “seen as highly effective by employers in terms similarities, but there will be differences too.” Continued from front LET’S WORK TOGETHER ON 16 TO 19S partnerships that involve schools, councils, employers and colleges, with everyone having audit provided me with every confidence in FE LEADERS TELL LOCAL COUNCILS the same clear goal — to enable all young the quality of data management,” added Mr people to develop the skills they will need for Donohue. He was succeeded as principal and employment.” then chief executive by former deputy principal Stewart Segal, AELP chief executive, said: Signe Sutherland as the duo, among others, @fcdwhittaker rated overall government policy for 16 to “The majority of apprenticeship opportunities launched Gazelle. She retired and was replaced [email protected] 19-year-olds as requiring improvement, are brokered by providers working with by Mr Hamnett, but could not be reached for while 95 per cent said the government’s employer contacts and local authorities can comment by FE Week. Sector leaders have said they are keen to decision to modify its influence over schools support this process by tracking young people Mr Hamnett, who declined to comment work with local authorities on improving 16 and FE colleges had “restricted” councils’ who are Neet. on whether use of ‘buy one get one free’ had to 19 participation and careers advice after capacity to deliver on their statutory duties. “Our members and local provider networks been discovered, said his findings influenced a survey revealed councils were struggling David Corke, skills policy director at work with local councils and it’s those his decision to pull NHC out of Gazelle, as with their duties in the face of government the AoC, said colleges could “identify with connections that are really important for the exclusively revealed by FE Week last month, to cuts. the impact of funding cuts” and said they skills system to be effective for young people. “draw a line between our past and our future”. The Association of Colleges (AoC), 157 worked closely with councils on ensuring Many councils often forget that training He said: “I instigated a comprehensive piece Group and Association of Employment there were places for all young people who provision is delivered by a large range of of work to confirm the extent of these issues, and Learning Providers (AELP) called needed them. providers, including private providers, and properly address them and ensure that we for partnership working after a Local He added: “The LGA survey also reveals improving on this situation would make a have the platform we need to realise our high Government Association (LGA) survey of that councils believe that devolution positive impact.” aspirations for the institution.” 87 member councils revealed concerns over of funding and powers would improve David Simmonds (pictured), chair of the An Ofsted spokesperson would not say their ability to meet statutory duties to outcomes for young people, reducing the Local Government Association’s children whether the NHC findings had invalidated improve participation. numbers not in education, employment or and young people board, warned cuts without its last inspection result, in 2010, of ‘good’ It comes after councils were criticised by training (NEET), and we would be interested reform risked “undoing all of our collective overall with ‘outstanding’ leadership and Parliament’s public accounts committee to discuss this with them.” good work, putting thousands of promising management. She said: “The 2010 report is five last year after a National Audit Office report Dr Lynne Sedgmore, 157 Group executive futures at risk”. years old and reflects evidence available at the showed disparities between local authority director, said it was “too early to say” what He added: “It is important that we have the time. Ofsted’s focus is on what can be known areas in terms of the tracking of those effect the reforms of the past few years powers, levers and funding to fulfil our legal and how we can take this into account in considered not in education, employment or would have on 16 to 19 participation, duties to young people.” relation to the next inspection of this college.” training (Neet). but said she “concerned that the But the Department for Education A Skills Funding Agency spokesperson said The LGA survey showed that 91 per cent academic school curriculum, defended its record on Neets, claiming it had reviewed the NHC findings and “sought of councils had reduced their expenditure incentivised competition rather there were 64,000 fewer 16 to 18-year- assurance from the corporation to ensure the on services supporting 16 to 18 participation than collaboration and a post-16 olds considered Neet than in 2010. situation would not arise again”, but it was since 2010, with one-in-five of those able to focus only on higher-level skills He said: “We are investing £7bn to “not planning to take any further action”. quantify the reduction claiming expenditure may have unintended consequences fund a place for every 16 to 18-year-old The Education Funding Agency declined in that area had decreased by between 50 and for many young people”. in England who wants one.” to comment. Nobody from Icca was available 69 per cent. She added: “The key to local See page 12 for an expert for comment. It also revealed that 75 per cent of councils success is to develop strong article from Amy Lalla Editor’s comment page 8 4 @FEWEEK FE WEEK MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2015 Apprentice recruitment halted over funding delay @fcdwhittaker READER REACTIONS FROM FEWEEK.CO.UK “Although this over-delivery of [email protected] apprenticeships affects a small number of colleges and other providers, it is important After a start like this who is going to take the The Government should stop playing around Providers hit with an unexpected and that they are paid for the work they have government priority areas seriously? I don’t with numbers and show some real support “agonising wait” to find out if they will be done.” believe the new taskforce has actually met for their fine words. paid for apprenticeships and traineeships Dr Lynne Sedgmore, 157 Group executive yet but tracking progress against the targets Kevin Gent they have already started have halted further director, said: “We appreciate that much without ringfenced and increased funding to recruitment and are even contemplating job those who are delivering in these areas can Ridiculous. How can the Government pledge is unclear in the realm of public finances cuts. only lead to abject failure. 3m additional apprenticeships and then at the moment, but the need to grow The Skills Funding Agency (SFA), as Adrian Bouckley refuse to fund the delivery of these?! apprenticeships is not one of those things. exclusively revealed on feweek.co.uk, said it Jason Pepper “Colleges and providers who have was delaying the outcome of growth requests My fear is providers will not have the cash delivered on the clear priority for growth from providers who have over-delivered on in their contracts to start 16-year-olds on Don’t blame the agency for this. This is a now face yet another agonising wait at a apprenticeships the first week in July, simple reaction to a Chancellor’s decision their contracts until after the budget on July time when their financial position is already will this push more to sixth form or do we which was not consulted upon. My message 8. difficult. just take them and not be paid for the first is to stay calm and it will all unfold The uncertainty over whether providers “If the apprenticeship growth target is to month? positively over the next few days and weeks. will be paid — even for government- be met, it has to be accompanied by a durable Debbie Tagoe Peter Marples prioritised 16 to 19 apprenticeships — has funding settlement which leaves those forced providers to turn away learners while feweek.co.uk website that his firm had been in this Parliament. delivering the provision in no doubt that it some could be forced to lay off staff. forced to suspend its traineeships intake And sector bodies have warned that will be properly funded. That must happen Mike Gore, director of Blue Apple as “we cannot afford to take the risk of providers should not be left “short-changed” soon.” Training, a provider with more than delivering a programme that may not be by non-payment following delivery. An SFA spokesperson said it was £800,000-worth of SFA subcontracting, funded”. David Corke, director of education and awaiting the outcome of the budget before told FE Week he could be forced to cut jobs It comes after Chancellor George skills policy for the Association of Colleges communicating about growth requests to because of uncertainty about the future in Osborne’s announcement that he wanted to (AoC), said the 3m apprenticeships target “ensure that in-year funding is considered connection with the delay. see in-year savings of £450m each from the was “ambitious”, and that a in line with government’s wider financial He said: “We are in the process of trying to Department for Business, Innovation and “common-sense” approach from position”. agree with our lead contractors for next year Skills and the Department for Education the SFA was needed if it is to be She added: “So far, in the 2014 to 2015 but because everything is on hold we don’t — although Skills Minister Nick Boles met. funding year, we have fully funded credible know what we will get, so it doesn’t allow us told MPs that the £900m of cuts would He said: “I hope the SFA growth requests at performance points to plan for the future, which has an impact of not all fall on the sector. and other agencies will take one and two, recycling £50m funds into security of staff jobs.” However, concerns have been raised a common sense approach to apprenticeships and traineeships. And Chris Baker, of Crackerjack Training, about the impact of potential curbs to make sure colleges and other “Colleges and providers are responsible a lead provider with a current SFA allocation growth funding on the government’s providers are not short- for managing their funding allocation or of almost £1.5m, said in a comment on 3m apprenticeships target changed. contract value.” Angela people in relation to apprenticeships, because or training (Neet) and small and medium- as much as we want to deliver this service, we sized employers (SMEs) see the benefits of have costs to cover and cannot be left overly apprenticeships. We’ve also worked hard Middleton exposed financially. to achieve a grade two in our recent Ofsted inspection thus making us eligible to obtain traineeship funding, but despite this, we are Progress in now effectively in limbo. Chief executive and founder of It’s completely understandable that cuts apprenticeship MiddletonMurray independent need to be made, and the new government learning provider is under obvious pressure to do so. Upon his starts for our election, Prime Minister David Cameron’s first promise was to create 3m new Why the government should guarantee specialist area of apprenticeships, and I don’t believe he will funding for apprenticeships and traineeships backtrack on this promise. 16 to 18-year-olds What seems to have happened is that while the cuts are being worked out, funding for The Skills Funding Agency’s delay in inform them of the delay. will stall apprenticeships and traineeships has been announcing whether requests to fund While it was nice to receive an individual grouped together with all other funding growth in provision sent shockwaves call and the representative I spoke to was very within the education system and rather than through the sector. Angela Middleton understanding of the concerns felt by myself Stuart Segal, chief executive of the going ahead with growth on those protected explains how the delay will affect and other training providers, there was very Association of Employment and Learning categories, everything has been held up while apprenticeship numbers. little explanation as to why this has happened, Providers (AELP), has said that he was cuts in those other areas are being calculated. or of the steps that will be taken to rectify the “disappointed” by these developments and I myself am confident that the funding for T his week’s announcement that funding situation for those whose growth requests are stressed that the delay would cause problems the traineeships and apprenticeships is ‘safe’ for quarter three growth requests will outstanding. for both prospective apprentices and and will ultimately be awarded to providers be delayed has understandably caused MiddletonMurray as a training provider, employers, who have made a commitment to such as MiddletonMurray. frustration and fear among providers like many others, has grown capacity steadily a programme, the terms of which have now However, being made to wait for the gearing themselves up to deliver more in order to deliver in line with government suddenly been changed. government to make cuts in other areas apprenticeships and traineeships. priorities and this involves taking a sensible We at MiddletonMurray are making means that the progress in apprenticeship The Chancellor announced that risk as a commercial business that growth schools and colleges aware of the opportunity starts for our specialist area of 16 to 18-year- the government will save £0.5bn from in funding will be forthcoming so long as the of apprenticeships, and are effectively olds will stall, young people who were excited FE, but there are still plans to protect stated criteria are met. building the desire of young people to go into to be going into jobs through apprenticeships apprenticeships. The announcement throws us into the world of work through an apprenticeship, will be disappointed, and SMEs will wonder The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) contacted uncertainty and makes us pull back on the often preceded by a traineeship. why having made the decision to give youth a organisations on Monday [June 8] that business development we do with employers Like many, we work tirelessly to help chance, they are now being told to wait. Let’s provide traineeships and apprenticeships to and the encouragement we offer to young young people not in education employment hope this isn’t for too long. IT TAKES YOU HARROW CELEBRATING SUCCESS THROUGH THE TECHBAC TEAM CHALLENGE To prepare young people for the world of work, It Takes TechBac. To develop a winning party political campaign, It Takes Harrow College. City & Guilds would like to say huge congratulations to learners at Harrow College who have won the first ever TechBac Team Challenge. Learners from the London-based college impressed the judges at national news agency Thomson Reuters with their party political campaign We Are One. The TechBac Team Challenge was developed as part of the City & Guilds TechBac to help young people develop the wider business and enterprise skills needed to stand out from the crowd. This year, entrants were asked to create a new political party ahead of the 2015 general election. THE CHALLENGE WAS CREATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MYKINDACROWD. DISCOVER WHY IT TAKES TECHBAC AT TECHBAC.COM 6 @FEWEEK FE WEEK MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2015 MPs pitch for chair posts on FE committees @fcdwhittaker [email protected] BIS COMMITTEE CHAIR — CONTENDERS SPEAK TO FE WEEK Nominations have closed, and the race to chair two of Parliament’s most influential select committees is almost over. Labour MPs Adrian Bailey, Iain Wright DR ROBERTA ADRIAN IAIN and Roberta Blackman-Woods have been of- BLACKMAN- ficially nominated for election to the role of BAILEY MP WRIGHT MP WOODS MP chair of the business, innovation and skills (BIS) committee. West Bromwich West MP Mr Bailey chaired the BIS committee for the past five years and hopes to continue his tenure, but Mr Wright, MP for Hartlepool, and a former Certainly at our first meeting with the minister if I think skills is a vital thing to address issues I have previously been a member of the education Apprenticeships Minister under Gordon I were chair the in-year cuts is one of the areas of of Britain’s competitiveness and productivity. select committee, the innovation and skills select Brown, has the backing of former education questioning we would look at. I don’t think there is sufficient co-ordination committee, the science and technology select committee members Ian Mearns, Alex Cun- The role of FE in the delivery of the between education and business policy. committee and the BIS select committee and ningham and Bill Esterton. apprenticeship programme is not fully I’d like the select committees to undertake so have a strong understanding of the select Dr Blackman-Woods, the MP for the City understood and not given the priority of funding more joint working to discuss education and committee system. of Durham, is backed by former Shadow Ed- it should get. business policy. I can see more scope for the I have previously been a shadow minister ucation Minister Rushanara Ali and former Britain spends vast sums of education but we BIS and education select committees to work in the Cabinet Office and in the Department of Shadow Skills Minister Gordon Marsden. still have a skills gap and constant complaints together on key issues. Business, Innovation and Skills, and am currently Meanwhile Conservatives Neil Carmi- from employers about the lack of work readiness. The other thing I’d be keen to chat about a shadow minister in the Communities and Local chael, Tim Loughton and Caroline Nokes Business engagement is crucial to changing this. is the financial squeeze on FE colleges in the Government team. are in the running for the chair of the educa- I want to assess the effectiveness of the current Parliament. BIS is not a protected I have a strong understanding of economic tion committee. current apprenticeship programme. I would seek department and I think the financial pressure development at the local authority level and Graham Stuart, who chaired the educa- to work with the education select committee to on colleges will be appalling, especially when beyond, which I feel will also be valuable tion committee from 2010 to 2015, is not identify what changes to our pre-16 education they are very often the great drivers of skills experience for serving as the select committee standing for re-election, leaving it to former could reform this approach. provision and linkages between education and chair. members Mr Carmichael, the MP for Stroud, Select committees are increasingly recognised business. I have also built strong relationships with key and Ms Nokes, who represents Romsey as having a vital role in good government and the I’d want the BIS select committee to look at stakeholders which I would hope to utilise to good and Southampton North, to take on former BIS select committee in particular as providing this and scrutinise and challenge government effect as chair, including with the Federation of Education Minister Tim Loughton, the MP the evidence to help government help business in very closely over the next few years. Small Businesses, and UK Trade and Investment, for East Worthing and Shoreham. reaching these goals. the Confederation of British Industry and the An election will be held in the House of British Chambers of Commerce. Commons on Wednesday (June 17) from 10am with an announcement expected the same day. EDUCATION COMMITTEE CHAIR — CONTENDERS SPEAK TO FE WEEK The political make-up of both committees is yet to be announced and will be decided *Tim Loughton contribution from education committee website through negotiations between the political parties. The parties will then hold internal elec- TIM NEIL tions to decide who takes their shares of CAROLINE LOUGHTON CARMICHAEL seats. NOKES MP In the last Parliament, the two committees MP MP each had five Conservative members, five Labour members and one Liberal Democrat member. Of the previous membership of the BIS committee, Scottish Labour MPs Ann In 18 years in Parliament I have served on the One of the things I’m really keen on doing is some It has been a privilege to serve as an advisory McKechin, William Bain and Katy Clark environmental audit and home affairs select work on productivity and I think the education governor at Eastleigh College, enabling me lost their seats in the election, as did Liberal committees and as children’s minister appeared system is an important part of that issue. I think to work alongside an organisation delivering Democrat Mike Crockart, while Conserva- in front of education, home affairs, justice and it might be worth considering a joint inquiry with excellent vocational opportunities to so many tive Brian Binley stood down. lords committees on numerous occasions. I have the BIS committee on this. young people from my constituency. Labour MP Paul Blomfield and Conserva- experience from both sides of the committee I am certainly aware of the concerns over FE This experience has given me an insight into tives Caroline Dinenage, Rebecca Harris, desk. funding and would want to look at the direction the challenges facing the sector, including Robin Walker and Nadhim Zahawi remain The previous select committee covered a lot of of travel. funding, raising the prestige of vocational in Parliament, but Ms Dinenage, Mr Walker ground keeping up scrutiny of the government’s I would be interested in seeing how FE qualifications, and how best to make sure and Ms Harris will not seek election to com- extensive and fast moving school reforms. We colleges can play a bigger role in delivering young people make the best choices for mittees having received government jobs. must continue to shine that spotlight across all training by working with businesses. I think that them. None of these are easy to tackle, but Of the last education committee’s mem- the new structures in particular to make sure all would be a kind of alternative to simply relying on the Education Select Committee has a unique bership, all but former Liberal Democrat our children are benefitting and the taxpayer is just public expenditure. role scrutinising where government policy is Bradford East MP David Ward were re- getting value for money. I wrote for Conservative Home a few years ago succeeding, and where it is not. elected to Parliament in May, including Are the changes to GCSEs and A-levels recommending that the Department for Business, My time on the committee has enabled Labour MPs Pat Glass and Siobhan McDon- working for everyone and is the pupil premium Innovation and Skills be scrapped. me to explore wider issues in the sector, agh and Conservatives Dominic Raab and really being focussed on those most in need to We really need a more linear approach to alongside the work I already did with Craig Whittaker, although Mr Raab has a help them compete on a level playing field? education policy right from the start to university organisations like the YMCA. I hope my government job. I believe I have the experience and and beyond to those who go back into it. experience and enthusiasm will stand me in Internal party elections of committee commitment to give the strength of leadership good stead in the select committee elections members are expected to take several weeks the select committee needs in all these areas. and my commitment to the FE sector will not once the chairs have been elected. go away. DELIVERED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH The world of further education will be celebrated at The Festival, set in the beautiful grounds of Wellington the Sunday Times Festival of Education later this College, Berkshire, offers an eclectic mix of keynote month with a dedicated strand organised by the speeches, interactive workshops, debates and free Association of Colleges. CPD sessions designed for senior leaders, managers, lecturers, teachers and students, along with an array It will highlight the exemplary work of further of activities for all ages. Festival goers can take the education colleges and examine how they help young opportunity to hear from a large number of speakers, people learn vocational skills and gain qualifications including Rt. Hon. Nicky Morgan, Sir Ken Robinson, that businesses need. Sir Michael Wilshaw and Carol Dweck. FE STRAND SESSIONS INCLUDE: DAY ONE DAY TWO THURSDAY, JUNE 17 FRIDAY, JUNE 18 10:00 – 10:40 Teaching in Further Education 10:00 – 10:40 Fit for Work, Fit for Life Chaired by Kim Clifford, Principal, Chaired by: Richard Atkins, President, Cirencester College Association of Colleges 11:30 – 12:10 Social Action: Gaining skills for work, 11:30 – 12:10 Changing the face of FE through action for community benefit Chaired by: Martin Doel OBE, Chief Chaired by Dame Julia Cleverdon DCVO, Executive, Association of Colleges CBE, Step Up To Serve 14:00 – 14:40 Skills competition: Raising the standards of 14:00 – 14:40 The vision for entrepreneurial colleges learning and teaching Chaired by: Gill Clipson, Deputy Chief Chaired by: Carole Stott MBE, Chair of AoC Executive, Association of Colleges and Find a Future 16:10 – 16:45 How to successfully deliver English and 14:50 – 15:30 The value of Vocational Skills and maths to 16-18 year-olds Experiential Careers Advice Chaired by: Nick Linford, Author, The Chaired by: Carole Stott MBE, Chair of AoC Complete Guide to Funding Apprenticeships and Find a Future and former Editor of FE Week FE Week readers receive an exclusive 15% OFF tickets. TO BOOK GO TO: festivalofeducation.com/FE and use code: STFOE1515FE BROUGHT TO YOU BY Supported by the sector’s favourite newspaper. Proud to be an official media partner of the Festival of Education. 8 @FEWEEK FE WEEK MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2015 fe week COMMENT Ignorance is no defence Fintan Donohue says he did not know of any “wrongdoing” in respect of “data inflation” at North Hertfordshire College during his time in charge there. It seems a classic case of ‘if he was aware then he did wrong and if he didn’t know then he wasn’t doing his job properly.’ Neither of these scenarios offer Mr Donohue any positivity, but taking him at his word we must believe the lesser of two evils — that as principal and chief executive he failed to spot, and therefore act to halt, long-term and serious cheating in relation to success rates. The same two scenarios extend to Mr Donohue’s successor at the college, Signe Sutherland, who Burnham backlash over apprentice loans worries would also have been in charge while this data manipulation was @fcdwhittaker He tweeted: “Coalition tried in and minimum wage is a much more sustainable taking place. [email protected] apprenticeship numbers went down. No option that does not saddle young learners appetite for it.” with the worry of repaying huge loans at the It’s an issue that will rock the Labour leadership contender Andy Burnham He later added: “AB [Andy Burnham] start of their careers. sector for some time and who knows sparked an alarmed response on Twitter after would be better off coming up with ideas how “Currently apprentices and their families how it might affect Mr Donohue’s his comments on apprenticeship loans led to to get more employers involved — that’s the are also prevented from accessing benefits Gazelle project, although it’s a safe fears he was considering proposals to bring problem right now.” available to others, including child benefit and back a failed FE policy. Mr Burnham’s office did not respond to child tax credit, care to learn grants, interest bet that it will not be of benefit. Former Business Secretary Dr Vince Cable requests to comment and give details of his free overdrafts and discounted travel cards. The only person to emerge with revealed to FE Week exclusively in December proposals. “NUS has been campaigning for a any credit is new principal Matt 2013 that apprentice FE tuition loans would be However, Sky reporter Sophy Ridge told serious debate to happen over the state of Hamnett, who has been open with scrapped after just 404 applications in around FE Week the MP for Leigh had been referring support for apprentices, one that will lead seven months. to maintenance loans rather than tuition fee to a commitment to removing the financial his findings and sought to draw a However, last week Mr Burnham, one of loans. barriers which currently exist.” line in the sand for the college. five Labour MPs hoping to become the next It led the National Union of Students But David Hughes, chief executive of party leader, told Sky News: “In our school (NUS) to call for a higher minimum wage for the National Institute of Adult Continuing system we focus too much on the academic but apprentices to avoid the need for maintenance Education (Niace), said he supported such don’t give all children realistic prospects for loans. an extension of loans, although he echoed Mr Chris Henwood when they leave. Joe Vinson, NUS vice president for FE, Vinson’s concerns about the lack of a “decent [email protected] “I’m talking of extending the loan scheme said he wanted a “serious debate” over the wage” for some apprentices. that students currently get to apprentices.” minimum wage for apprentices, which is He said: “For too many young people Top growth Among those to respond to the comments currently £2.73 per hour but will rise to £3.30 this means that they cannot afford to do an request delay tweets via Twitter was Shane Chowen, head of policy an hour from October. apprenticeship because housing and living and public affairs at the National Institute of He said: “Raising the minimum wage for costs are prohibitive, unless they can continue Adult Continuing Education. apprentices to fall in line with the national to live at home.” @BestAssessor Sudden delay in funding does comments poetry corner nothing to allay growing concerns over government commitment to #apprenticeship targets Don’t cut allocations to meet savings Colleges ‘come of age’ at time of need FE Canvas of the Future target, pleads sector for change They paint our future landscape @agladheight The mismatch betwwen the financial years The danger for FE in these times is to look in shades of grey and blue — So this is how the government intends of government and colleges has bedevilled inwards and stop engaging with industry and the mediocre ones. to fund extra apprenticeships places... financial planning for FE ever since I started those outside of education. Dimming the shimmering of potential, by not paying for them? in the sector in 1966, irrespective of who was For when we get through these times (and dulling the brightness of new hued skies. in power. we will get through these times) I personally Forgetting — or never knowing — The ‘in-year’ cuts now being demanded are believe it is those who collaborate and are @AELPUK Who we are — yet another example of this mismatch, which engaged in developing vibrant networks who @David_Cameron’s 3m @ From whence we came. further militate against sound planning, will thrive. Apprenticeships goal stumbles at very and will result in short-term savings where Robert West We, the colourful FE ones first hurdle the long-term impact cannot be properly paint lucent new horizons. measured. The SFA allocations for 2015/16 Prime Minister’s apprenticeships Our dripping brushes blazing @gill_cox (Aug-July) have already factored in an ‘troubleshooter’ taskforce officially cacophonies of brightly coloured hope. Even apprenticeships look set for cuts anticipated cut in government funding for unveiled Expanding possibilities beyond now 2016/17 (April-March) which is why there We welcome the initiative on the canvass of the known. have been such drastic cuts already. apprenticeships, but there are other Remembering who we serve — @Capella_Systems I’m only pleased that I am no longer a skills priorities as well Why we came and Bad timing for apprentice providers college governor and having to try to make @NOCN1 Why we will remain. sensible decisions in such a climate. trying to deliver growth in this By Dr Lynne Sedgmore Mike Farmer funding year Send your FE and skills poems to [email protected] FEWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 141 MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2015 9 Dear Dr Sue Email [email protected] with your questions. Dr Sue will hand out a £100 Amazon gift card for her favourite question How do you handle your new principal’s demands? Is the managing director refusing to budge? Dr Sue Pember, the former head of FE and skills investment at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), who was awarded an OBE for services to the sector in WHAT’S IN A NAME? 2000, puts her extensive sector knowledge to good use for FE Week. On the third Monday of every month she answers your questions, backed by the experience of almost a decade as principal of Canterbury College, in addition to time served in further senior civil service posts at the Department for Education and Employment, Department for My college wants to change its name and as the Education and Skills, and Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. clerk I have been asked to advise the board on what Email [email protected] to ask her your question. the criteria should be. What advice might I give? This is a sensitive issue and the Secretary of State has to make the FUNDING GOAL POSTS KEEP MOVING final decision and will turn down names if they are thought to be unsuitable. Useful guidance which sets out the process to be followed has been How can governors govern and set an annual budget when published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. they don’t know their funding allocation and the goal posts The guidance states that a corporation name should not be confusing keep moving? or misleading and as such should not wrongly suggest regional or national pre-eminence, or imply that a college serves a wider or different area than is the case. I know that some governors are having doubts about continuing as governors when they feel it is virtually impossible to conduct their duty of setting a timely budget so that actions required to balance the books can be planned and implemented in a proficient manner — but I would urge them to reconsider. We are in really difficult times. This is when senior teams really need their governors’ support internally and representation externally. Although there may be more austerity cuts, I still have the conviction that the argument for investing in learning and developing basic and enhanced skills will come through. In these difficult times, colleges need to regroup and remodel their offer so they can meet futures challenges. They need strong governance to support and help steer them through this period of instability. WHAT AM I PREVENTING? What is Prevent and what is a governor’s role? Colleges have a duty to safeguard their students. Prevent is about safeguarding students to keep them secure from being exploited by extremists and it is now covered in the Home Office guidance. The Education Training Foundation (ETF) has some very timely and good information on this matter and they also Therefore it is very important for the board to consult widely and set out the role of governors. The Prevent duty is not about listen to people’s views. Do not underestimate the difficulty — there suppressing students from having political and religious views needs to be a real burning reason to change and it is very hard to get a but about keeping them safe. new name established. As set out in the new Association of Colleges Good Governance I know of several colleges who used to have ‘Technical’ in their Code, governors must enhance their safeguarding policy and name and even 30 years on from the name change they are still known adopt the Prevent duty and actively engage with other partners, locally as “the Tech”. Mind you, with the ways things are going they including the police and Department for Business, Innovation might want to revert and add ‘Higher’ while they are at it. and Skills regional Higher and Further Education Prevent co- For me the real test is — would you want that name on your or ordinators to carry out the Prevent duty. child’s CV? 10 @FEWEEK FE WEEK MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2015 profile As a principal, you have the executive bit where you make decisions, but it’s a bit like being Prince Charles — you’re wheeled out to events PICTURE OF A PRINCIPAL PERFORMER @rebeccaKcooney And Forbes, now aged 60, says, it’s stood he says. As a single parent of four mixed-race [email protected] him in good stead as a principal. Forbes’s father, Oswald, was the first children in the 1940s, Dorothy struggled to “There’s quite a lot of performance with Jamaican GP in England having come over in cope, but, Forbes says, with unabashed pride, S itting at a meeting table in his wood- this job,” he tells me. 1943 to complete his medical training as part she was “magnificent”. panelled principal’s office, Andy Forbes “You spend so much time going to events of the war effort. But Oswald met Dorothy, “Honestly, I’ve asked her many times how strikes a comedy pose with lips pouted and representing the college, being on stage Forbes’s mother, and never went back. she did it and she just says you had to get on and eyebrows raised as he says to the FE Week with students — so the ability to say a few “It’s interesting mixture, because in with it,” he says. photographer: “You can see where the being words, and look suitably dignified, friendly some ways my father was not part of the “She was of that war generation where you in the drama club comes in, can’t you?” and important all at the same time, that’s a big establishment,” Forbes reflects. were used to getting on with things, rationing “Delete it!” begs Forbes through his part of it.” “We were outsiders but because of his and all sorts. chuckles — “you can’t print that”. And it wasn’t something he’d realised in a success professionally we had the resources “She said there were times when she felt To my everlasting regret (and I suspect, former role as vice principal for curriculum at to get a relatively privileged experience — he like giving up, but she couldn’t face the Forbes’s relief) the photographer obliges Blackpool and the Fylde College. paid for us to go to private prep school. thought of us going into care, so she forced before I can intervene and the College of “As a vice principal it’s much more “I found the whole school photo recently, herself to keep going. Haringey, Enfield and North East London hands on — as a principal, yes, you have the there were 700 boys, there was one Indian boy “We thought of her as mummy, but (Conel) principal escapes future photographic executive bit where you make decisions, and me and 698 white boys and I didn’t feel astonishingly, she turned out to have a degree embarrassment. but it’s a bit like being Prince Charles,” he any sense of not being part of it but I look back in economics, and she started working as a “Believe it or not, I was quite shy, really explains. and just think how unusual that was. social worker part time and then full time as introverted as a teenager,” he tells me. “You’re wheeled out to events because you “I look back and think it must have been we got older and had quite a substantial 20- “I didn’t enjoy school at all until I joined the represent the college. It’s a semi-diplomatic quite something and you’re not aware of it as year career in social work.” drama society, in around about year nine. role.” a child.” And, he says, the experience was in some “Why I joined the thing I don’t know, Education was central in Forbes’s The family life was turned upside down ways good for the family as it prompted the but something made me do it, and I started household growing up in Stourbridge, near when Forbes was 10, when the “larger than four boys to learn to look after themselves. meeting a lot more people and coming out of Birmingham. life” Oswald left. “It sounds dreadful now but when I went to myself, really enjoyed the final bit of school “As with many immigrant households, “He did the dirty on my mum and ran off university I was quite unusual in that I could and sixth form.” education was seen as the way forward,” with his practice nurse,” says Forbes. iron my own shirts and cook a bit — it was

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Award-winning journalism from the only newspaper dedicated to further education and skills FEWEEK.CO.UK | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2015 | EDITION 141 DAY 2015 PRODUCED BY tVoo tchaetiior ncaolm vmaluunei ttyo athned itnod tivhied uUaKl, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH free with this issue Skills — shall Growth funding Apprentice we go Dutch? delay reaction loans alarm Page 3 Page 4 Page 8 XX ‘I DIDN’T K N O W’ xx Former North Hertfordshire College principal denies knowledge of success rates manipulation @paulofford forensic investigation initiated by the new [email protected] principal suggests otherwise.” The practice of boosting success rates Former North Hertfordshire College by not claiming funding for failing (NHC) principal Fintan Donohue has learners was condemned in a 2009 letter denied any “knowledge of wrongdoing” to colleges by Geoff Russell, then-chief after it was discovered that success rates executive of the Learning and Skills were artificially boosted while he was in Council, and a report commissioned by charge. a group of colleges just over three years Current NHC principal Matt Hamnett ago warned of “widespread” success rates launched an investigation into learner manipulation among FE colleges. The information management shortly after report, by Tenon Education Training starting in the post three months ago and Skills Limited, was leaked to FE and he said it had uncovered “a series of Week at the time and identified one such issues”. It found, he said, that details of method as ‘buy one get one free’, which failing learners were omitted from ILR it described as: “Where the college has returns as far back as 2008, with the effect declining success rates and has chosen to of inflating classroom-based success rates stop offering the learning aim, potentially by around 4 percentage points to 90.5 per it could lose many learners. One solution cent last academic year. to this is to continue to run the ‘declining There is no suggestion NHC would have success rate’ learning aim as a non-funded been overpaid because it meant the college qualification, while choosing a similar would have not been funded for some learning aim (inspected under a different learners, but the practice would have inspection code)”. given it an unfair success rates advantage But despite the warnings at the time, over colleges who declared all learners. Mr Donohue, now chief executive of the However Mr Donohue, who was Gazelle Group of Colleges, said: “I had principal and chief executive of the college every reason to be confident in the senior from 2005 until the end of August 2012 team responsible for data management. Data Credibility Award in 2013 by Icca when he stood down as principal but I do, of course, regret anything that Education Training and Skills, which stayed on as chief executive for another casts doubt on the quality of any aspect counts two of the Tenon report authors year, told FE Week: “I have no knowledge of performance of the college over that among its senior staff in Scott Winter of the alleged wrongdoing in respect of period.” and Vici Cadwallader-Webb. “Audit data inflation when I was principal of The college was even granted an reports including the green flag voluntary NHC. I have no reason to believe the Education Training and Skills Green Flag Continues page 3 a safe pair of hands. New Health and Safety qualifications for employment from NCFE. 2 @FEWEEK FE WEEK MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2015 NEWS FE WEEK News in brief Edition 141 Learners’ week launches PRODUCTIVITY ‘IN DANGER’ FE WEEK team Adult learning across England will be celebrated during the annual Adult Learners’ FROM 3M APPRENTICESHIP AIM Week, which launches today (Monday). Editor: Chris Henwood The celebrations will be marked with @rebeccaKcooney Head designer: Nicky Phillips will focus ideas and resources on skills, but national and regional awards ceremonies, [email protected] if it’s the only target that matters, I think a parliamentary reception learning taster Designer: Rob Galt The government target to create 3m that’s really concerning.” events and the official Festival of Learning. Sub editor: Paul Offord apprenticeship starts could pose “a real The Niace survey found 72 per cent of For details about the event, which is Reporters: Freddie Whittaker danger” to national productivity, National those in the lowest socioeconomic groups organised the National Institute of Adult Rebecca Cooney Institute of Adult Continuing Education were not learning and nearly half (49 per Continuing Education, visit alw.org.uk or search for Adult Learners’ Week on Billy Camden (Niace) boss David Hughes has warned. cent) had not participated in the past three Facebook. Mr Hughes made the comments following years. Photographer: Ellis O’Brien the release of the Niace annual participation The study of 5,000 adults also revealed FE charter granted Financials: Helen Neilly survey, which showed although the number twice as many of those who left education at A Royal Charter has been granted to the Victoria Boyle of adults learning in the past three years 21 or later were learning, compared to those Institution for Further Education (IFE) Sales manager: Hannah Smith rose slightly, from 38 per cent to 41 per cent, who left school at 16 (52 per cent versus 26 by the Queen, the Privy Council has Sales executive: Jasmin Fergus-Aghamiri the lowest paid are still least likely to be per cent). announced. learning. “This reinforces and confirms my Administration: Frances Ogefere Dell The IFE, set up in 2013 by Lord Lingfield Mr Hughes told FE Week the survey apprehension that the skills system just to pave the way for a new chartered findings “reinforce the need to persuade isn’t working for too many people,” said Mr membership organisation for FE providers, Contributors: Mick Fletcher more people back into learning because if Hughes. will be devoted to developing the potential, Amy Lalla we’re going to really hit [Chancellor George] “If you’re successful in learning up to the reputation and standing of the sector. David Maguire Osborne’s ambition of being a productive age of 21 you get into a higher level job with Its mission will be to bring together the nation we need to raise the overall skills training, so people in high socio-economic best training providers across the sector Malcolm Trobe level of the workforce or it just won’t groups do quite well out of the system.” and collectively to promote, recognise and David Hughes happen”. Conversely, he said, those who left school celebrate their professionalism and success. Managing director: Shane Mann And, he said, government’s focus on with few qualifications were likely to find Visit feweek.co.uk for more. protecting the apprenticeship budget while themselves in low paying jobs without First education questions And tweet us your thoughts @feweek or cutting the Adult Skills Budget “reinforces training. with the #feweek The first education oral questions of this this rather than countering it”. The survey also found that the number of Parliament will be held in the House of “The 5.2m people in low pay get very, very unemployed people taking part in learning Contact the editor Commons today (June 15). little support from government at all — the had dropped from 41 per cent to 35 per cent. Please inform the FE Week editor of any Education Secretary Nicky Morgan and apprenticeship programme won’t do for Mr Hughes said: “As money gets tighter errors or issues of concern regarding this her ministerial team are expected to take publication. much of them because often they will need there is a risk, with the apprenticeship focus, questions from MPs across the political divide literacy and numeracy training before they other things get squeezed out, and what these from 2.30pm. Email [email protected] with can get anywhere near an apprenticeship,” figures show is you’ve got to do more to get Oral questions give opposition and Error/Concern in the subject line. he said. to the people who haven’t done much or any government MPs a chance to get quick Please include the page number and story headline, and explain what the problem is. “There’s a real danger the 3m learning for many years if you really want to answers, as opposed to written questions, to apprenticeship target gets in the way of get to the heart of the productivity issue — which responses take longer. doing the right things to address the issue. and the fairness issue.” The session can be watched live on subscribe “It’s great that we’ve got an ambitious Parliament TV, and FE Week will be live- See page 17 for an expert piece on the Niace target around apprenticeships because that survey by Mr Hughes tweeting at twitter.com/feweek. For an annual subscription to FE Week for just £75 visit www.feweek.co.uk and click on UTCs team to ‘work with’ Boles on programme ‘subscribe’ at the top of the page. www.feweek.co.uk @rebeccaKcooney ADVERTISE WITH US as successful as it can possibly be before we [email protected] launch ourselves into the process of opening If you are interested in placing a product or The organisation behind Lord Baker’s more institutions like this.” job advert in a future edition please click on the ‘advertise’ link at the top of the page on university technical colleges (UTCs) has said Including Black Country and Hackney, feweek.co.uk or contact: it will be “working with” Skills Minister Nick there are currently 30 UTCs. A further 20 are E: [email protected] Boles as he looks into the performance of the due to open by 2017. T: 020 81234 778 project as it comes under growing criticism. A Baker Dearing spokesperson said: “We Officials at the Baker Dearing Trust look welcomed the Minister’s strong reiteration Disclaimer set for difficult questions from Mr Boles with of the government’s commitment to UTCs at 11 and 16, and with “insufficient” careers UTCs suffering much-publicised recruitment during the debate. advice available “it is not surprising that FE Week is owned and published by Lsect Ltd. The views expressed within the publication are those of the authors issues. “UTCs are a new responsibility for the recruitment has been challenging for some”. named, and are not necessarily those of FE Week, Lsect Ltd or Among those to have struggled to recruit Minister and, in the coming weeks, we will “Therefore, the Minister is absolutely any of its employees. While we try to ensure that the information we provide is correct, mistakes do occur and we cannot have been Walsall’s inadequate-rated Black be working with him and his team to ensure right to say that the programme needs to be guarantee the accuracy of our material. Country UTC and Hackney UTC — both of he is fully briefed on the technical education reviewed,” she said. The design of the printed newspaper and of the website is copyright of Lsect Ltd and material from the newspaper which are set for closure at the end of the pathway offered by UTCs.” Lynne Sedgmore, 157 Group executive should not be reproduced without prior permission. If you academic year. Mr Boles’s pledge to examine UTCs, which director, said: “We are delighted the minister wish to reproduce an article from either the printed paper or the website, both the article’s author and FE Week must be Mr Boles pledged to “look at the offer specialist vocational training alongside has listened to advice from the 157 Group, referenced (to not do so would be an infringement on copyright). programme” to consider whether it was core academic subjects for 14 to 19-year-olds, supported by UCU and other sector bodies, to Lsect Ltd is not responsible for the content of any external internet sites linked to. “as successful as it can possibly be” before has been welcomed by college groups. review the UTC programme before expanding Please address any complaints to the editor. We are fully opening any more UTCs as questions were Association of Colleges deputy chief any further. committed to the Press Complaints Commission’s Code of Practice. If you have a complaint which cannot be resolved by asked in Parliament in the wake of the executive Gill Clipson (pictured)said: “While we all want to make sure that high the editor, write to the Press Complaints Commission, Halton decision to close the Black Country “In order for UTCs, or indeed any quality vocational programmes are available House, 22—23 Holborn, London EC1N 2JD UTC. new institutions, to be successful to all young people, it is clearly the case that And while Mr Boles said the in recruiting a significant number new institutions, including UTCs, are not Learning & Skills Events, government was “firmly committed” of students there needs to be a always the best answer.” Consultancy and Training Ltd to the UTCs programme, he said: consistent demand across all the A Department for Education spokesperson 161-165 Greenwich High Road “I think it is very important now necessary age groups.” said: “As is normal practice, we will continue London SE10 8JA at the start of a Parliament that we She added that since the UK to look at the performance of the UTC T: 020 8123 4778 E: [email protected] look at this programme and we ask education system was “fairly programme and how we can make sure they ourselves is this programme fixed” around transition work most effectively.” FEWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 141 MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2015 3 NEWS Is England set to go Dutch on skills system? @rebeccaKcooney of delivering the right outcome for them and a UK Netherlands [email protected] A QUARTER clear channel to have an input into the design 2014 2014 of qualifications.” Super colleges and beefed-up sector skills of Dutch companies Around 55 per cent of young people take councils could be on the horizon — if Skills youth youth are registered to deliver a vocational pathway in the Netherlands unemployment unemployment Minister Nick Boles’s hopes of emulating the intermediate because, he said, the route was “highly rate rate Dutch vocational system come to fruition. according according -level flexible”. During a special debate tabled in to eurostat: to eurostat: “It can be school-based or work-based — so Westminster Hall on Tuesday (May 9) to mark 16.1 10.1 vocational if you’ve got an economic crisis and those VQ day, Mr Boles told MPs that in the UK “we % % training employers can’t afford to enable young people always beat ourselves over the head” about to train with them and offer apprenticeship how to get a vocational system more like places, then those students can be routed back Germany’s. Netherlands has ROC through school training,” he said. 55 But, he said, the German system was “the 42 % van amsertdam According Eurostat, the European product of a deep economic, educational and Commission data body, the Dutch youth has more than social culture that is somewhat different from unemployment rate was 10.1 per cent at the end ROCs of Dutch youngsters 35,000 ours”. of 2014 — lower than the UK’s 16.1 per cent. “The Dutch economy is more similar to our (super colleges) take a Before the creation of the ROCs, the vocational own in culture and approach than the German Netherlands, like the UK, had many smaller one,” he said. Sources: IPPR and UKCES pathway learners colleges, which from 1996 were gradually “It is smaller, but it has what we would see merged to give the 42 of today. as—I am not sure that the Dutch would accept pathway, a five year general education 17 knowledge centres, similar to the UK’s However, Mr Casey was cautious about this—Anglo-Saxon features. pathway, or a six year pre-university pathway, sector skills councils but with larger remits backing Mr Boles’s suggestion to re-create the “They seem to have a better system of clear although most schools allow pupils to move — including designing qualifications and Dutch system in the UK and said there would routes through education to high, degree-level from one pathway to another. recruiting employers. have to be “some serious feasibility studies”. qualifications.” Post-16 vocational training mostly takes However, austerity has meant the “Whether that’s transferable to the UK I’m In the Netherlands, vocational education place within 42 state-funded super colleges, government is planning to create a single not sure,” he said. comes under the Ministry of Education, Regional Education and Training Centres national body, the Foundation for Cooperation “They’re on different scales — the Culture and Science — all except agricultural (ROCs), with up to 35,000 learners, and offering on VET and Industry, which will be supported Netherlands is, compared to us, a relatively education, which represents a large part of more than 350 vocational courses. by eight sectoral bodies to take over from the small country in terms of landmass but also the Dutch economy and is overseen by the According to the Institute for Public Policy knowledge centres. population. Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Research, 25 per cent of Dutch companies also Paul Casey, competition lead for the UK “There’s always a concern in terms of Innovation. operate as employer providers. Commission on Employment and Skills, said transferring a skills policy from one country From the age of 12, pupils choose between Currently, employer representation comes the vocational system in the Netherlands was to the other — because there may well be three pathways — a four year pre-vocational through a national, sector-based group of “seen as highly effective by employers in terms similarities, but there will be differences too.” Continued from front LET’S WORK TOGETHER ON 16 TO 19S partnerships that involve schools, councils, employers and colleges, with everyone having audit provided me with every confidence in FE LEADERS TELL LOCAL COUNCILS the same clear goal — to enable all young the quality of data management,” added Mr people to develop the skills they will need for Donohue. He was succeeded as principal and employment.” then chief executive by former deputy principal Stewart Segal, AELP chief executive, said: Signe Sutherland as the duo, among others, @fcdwhittaker rated overall government policy for 16 to “The majority of apprenticeship opportunities launched Gazelle. She retired and was replaced [email protected] 19-year-olds as requiring improvement, are brokered by providers working with by Mr Hamnett, but could not be reached for while 95 per cent said the government’s employer contacts and local authorities can comment by FE Week. Sector leaders have said they are keen to decision to modify its influence over schools support this process by tracking young people Mr Hamnett, who declined to comment work with local authorities on improving 16 and FE colleges had “restricted” councils’ who are Neet. on whether use of ‘buy one get one free’ had to 19 participation and careers advice after capacity to deliver on their statutory duties. “Our members and local provider networks been discovered, said his findings influenced a survey revealed councils were struggling David Corke, skills policy director at work with local councils and it’s those his decision to pull NHC out of Gazelle, as with their duties in the face of government the AoC, said colleges could “identify with connections that are really important for the exclusively revealed by FE Week last month, to cuts. the impact of funding cuts” and said they skills system to be effective for young people. “draw a line between our past and our future”. The Association of Colleges (AoC), 157 worked closely with councils on ensuring Many councils often forget that training He said: “I instigated a comprehensive piece Group and Association of Employment there were places for all young people who provision is delivered by a large range of of work to confirm the extent of these issues, and Learning Providers (AELP) called needed them. providers, including private providers, and properly address them and ensure that we for partnership working after a Local He added: “The LGA survey also reveals improving on this situation would make a have the platform we need to realise our high Government Association (LGA) survey of that councils believe that devolution positive impact.” aspirations for the institution.” 87 member councils revealed concerns over of funding and powers would improve David Simmonds (pictured), chair of the An Ofsted spokesperson would not say their ability to meet statutory duties to outcomes for young people, reducing the Local Government Association’s children whether the NHC findings had invalidated improve participation. numbers not in education, employment or and young people board, warned cuts without its last inspection result, in 2010, of ‘good’ It comes after councils were criticised by training (NEET), and we would be interested reform risked “undoing all of our collective overall with ‘outstanding’ leadership and Parliament’s public accounts committee to discuss this with them.” good work, putting thousands of promising management. She said: “The 2010 report is five last year after a National Audit Office report Dr Lynne Sedgmore, 157 Group executive futures at risk”. years old and reflects evidence available at the showed disparities between local authority director, said it was “too early to say” what He added: “It is important that we have the time. Ofsted’s focus is on what can be known areas in terms of the tracking of those effect the reforms of the past few years powers, levers and funding to fulfil our legal and how we can take this into account in considered not in education, employment or would have on 16 to 19 participation, duties to young people.” relation to the next inspection of this college.” training (Neet). but said she “concerned that the But the Department for Education A Skills Funding Agency spokesperson said The LGA survey showed that 91 per cent academic school curriculum, defended its record on Neets, claiming it had reviewed the NHC findings and “sought of councils had reduced their expenditure incentivised competition rather there were 64,000 fewer 16 to 18-year- assurance from the corporation to ensure the on services supporting 16 to 18 participation than collaboration and a post-16 olds considered Neet than in 2010. situation would not arise again”, but it was since 2010, with one-in-five of those able to focus only on higher-level skills He said: “We are investing £7bn to “not planning to take any further action”. quantify the reduction claiming expenditure may have unintended consequences fund a place for every 16 to 18-year-old The Education Funding Agency declined in that area had decreased by between 50 and for many young people”. in England who wants one.” to comment. Nobody from Icca was available 69 per cent. She added: “The key to local See page 12 for an expert for comment. It also revealed that 75 per cent of councils success is to develop strong article from Amy Lalla Editor’s comment page 8 4 @FEWEEK FE WEEK MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2015 Apprentice recruitment halted over funding delay @fcdwhittaker READER REACTIONS FROM FEWEEK.CO.UK “Although this over-delivery of [email protected] apprenticeships affects a small number of colleges and other providers, it is important After a start like this who is going to take the The Government should stop playing around Providers hit with an unexpected and that they are paid for the work they have government priority areas seriously? I don’t with numbers and show some real support “agonising wait” to find out if they will be done.” believe the new taskforce has actually met for their fine words. paid for apprenticeships and traineeships Dr Lynne Sedgmore, 157 Group executive yet but tracking progress against the targets Kevin Gent they have already started have halted further director, said: “We appreciate that much without ringfenced and increased funding to recruitment and are even contemplating job those who are delivering in these areas can Ridiculous. How can the Government pledge is unclear in the realm of public finances cuts. only lead to abject failure. 3m additional apprenticeships and then at the moment, but the need to grow The Skills Funding Agency (SFA), as Adrian Bouckley refuse to fund the delivery of these?! apprenticeships is not one of those things. exclusively revealed on feweek.co.uk, said it Jason Pepper “Colleges and providers who have was delaying the outcome of growth requests My fear is providers will not have the cash delivered on the clear priority for growth from providers who have over-delivered on in their contracts to start 16-year-olds on Don’t blame the agency for this. This is a now face yet another agonising wait at a apprenticeships the first week in July, simple reaction to a Chancellor’s decision their contracts until after the budget on July time when their financial position is already will this push more to sixth form or do we which was not consulted upon. My message 8. difficult. just take them and not be paid for the first is to stay calm and it will all unfold The uncertainty over whether providers “If the apprenticeship growth target is to month? positively over the next few days and weeks. will be paid — even for government- be met, it has to be accompanied by a durable Debbie Tagoe Peter Marples prioritised 16 to 19 apprenticeships — has funding settlement which leaves those forced providers to turn away learners while feweek.co.uk website that his firm had been in this Parliament. delivering the provision in no doubt that it some could be forced to lay off staff. forced to suspend its traineeships intake And sector bodies have warned that will be properly funded. That must happen Mike Gore, director of Blue Apple as “we cannot afford to take the risk of providers should not be left “short-changed” soon.” Training, a provider with more than delivering a programme that may not be by non-payment following delivery. An SFA spokesperson said it was £800,000-worth of SFA subcontracting, funded”. David Corke, director of education and awaiting the outcome of the budget before told FE Week he could be forced to cut jobs It comes after Chancellor George skills policy for the Association of Colleges communicating about growth requests to because of uncertainty about the future in Osborne’s announcement that he wanted to (AoC), said the 3m apprenticeships target “ensure that in-year funding is considered connection with the delay. see in-year savings of £450m each from the was “ambitious”, and that a in line with government’s wider financial He said: “We are in the process of trying to Department for Business, Innovation and “common-sense” approach from position”. agree with our lead contractors for next year Skills and the Department for Education the SFA was needed if it is to be She added: “So far, in the 2014 to 2015 but because everything is on hold we don’t — although Skills Minister Nick Boles met. funding year, we have fully funded credible know what we will get, so it doesn’t allow us told MPs that the £900m of cuts would He said: “I hope the SFA growth requests at performance points to plan for the future, which has an impact of not all fall on the sector. and other agencies will take one and two, recycling £50m funds into security of staff jobs.” However, concerns have been raised a common sense approach to apprenticeships and traineeships. And Chris Baker, of Crackerjack Training, about the impact of potential curbs to make sure colleges and other “Colleges and providers are responsible a lead provider with a current SFA allocation growth funding on the government’s providers are not short- for managing their funding allocation or of almost £1.5m, said in a comment on 3m apprenticeships target changed. contract value.” Angela people in relation to apprenticeships, because or training (Neet) and small and medium- as much as we want to deliver this service, we sized employers (SMEs) see the benefits of have costs to cover and cannot be left overly apprenticeships. We’ve also worked hard Middleton exposed financially. to achieve a grade two in our recent Ofsted inspection thus making us eligible to obtain traineeship funding, but despite this, we are Progress in now effectively in limbo. Chief executive and founder of It’s completely understandable that cuts apprenticeship MiddletonMurray independent need to be made, and the new government learning provider is under obvious pressure to do so. Upon his starts for our election, Prime Minister David Cameron’s first promise was to create 3m new Why the government should guarantee specialist area of apprenticeships, and I don’t believe he will funding for apprenticeships and traineeships backtrack on this promise. 16 to 18-year-olds What seems to have happened is that while the cuts are being worked out, funding for The Skills Funding Agency’s delay in inform them of the delay. will stall apprenticeships and traineeships has been announcing whether requests to fund While it was nice to receive an individual grouped together with all other funding growth in provision sent shockwaves call and the representative I spoke to was very within the education system and rather than through the sector. Angela Middleton understanding of the concerns felt by myself Stuart Segal, chief executive of the going ahead with growth on those protected explains how the delay will affect and other training providers, there was very Association of Employment and Learning categories, everything has been held up while apprenticeship numbers. little explanation as to why this has happened, Providers (AELP), has said that he was cuts in those other areas are being calculated. or of the steps that will be taken to rectify the “disappointed” by these developments and I myself am confident that the funding for T his week’s announcement that funding situation for those whose growth requests are stressed that the delay would cause problems the traineeships and apprenticeships is ‘safe’ for quarter three growth requests will outstanding. for both prospective apprentices and and will ultimately be awarded to providers be delayed has understandably caused MiddletonMurray as a training provider, employers, who have made a commitment to such as MiddletonMurray. frustration and fear among providers like many others, has grown capacity steadily a programme, the terms of which have now However, being made to wait for the gearing themselves up to deliver more in order to deliver in line with government suddenly been changed. government to make cuts in other areas apprenticeships and traineeships. priorities and this involves taking a sensible We at MiddletonMurray are making means that the progress in apprenticeship The Chancellor announced that risk as a commercial business that growth schools and colleges aware of the opportunity starts for our specialist area of 16 to 18-year- the government will save £0.5bn from in funding will be forthcoming so long as the of apprenticeships, and are effectively olds will stall, young people who were excited FE, but there are still plans to protect stated criteria are met. building the desire of young people to go into to be going into jobs through apprenticeships apprenticeships. The announcement throws us into the world of work through an apprenticeship, will be disappointed, and SMEs will wonder The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) contacted uncertainty and makes us pull back on the often preceded by a traineeship. why having made the decision to give youth a organisations on Monday [June 8] that business development we do with employers Like many, we work tirelessly to help chance, they are now being told to wait. Let’s provide traineeships and apprenticeships to and the encouragement we offer to young young people not in education employment hope this isn’t for too long. IT TAKES YOU HARROW CELEBRATING SUCCESS THROUGH THE TECHBAC TEAM CHALLENGE To prepare young people for the world of work, It Takes TechBac. To develop a winning party political campaign, It Takes Harrow College. City & Guilds would like to say huge congratulations to learners at Harrow College who have won the first ever TechBac Team Challenge. Learners from the London-based college impressed the judges at national news agency Thomson Reuters with their party political campaign We Are One. The TechBac Team Challenge was developed as part of the City & Guilds TechBac to help young people develop the wider business and enterprise skills needed to stand out from the crowd. This year, entrants were asked to create a new political party ahead of the 2015 general election. THE CHALLENGE WAS CREATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MYKINDACROWD. DISCOVER WHY IT TAKES TECHBAC AT TECHBAC.COM 6 @FEWEEK FE WEEK MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2015 MPs pitch for chair posts on FE committees @fcdwhittaker [email protected] BIS COMMITTEE CHAIR — CONTENDERS SPEAK TO FE WEEK Nominations have closed, and the race to chair two of Parliament’s most influential select committees is almost over. Labour MPs Adrian Bailey, Iain Wright DR ROBERTA ADRIAN IAIN and Roberta Blackman-Woods have been of- BLACKMAN- ficially nominated for election to the role of BAILEY MP WRIGHT MP WOODS MP chair of the business, innovation and skills (BIS) committee. West Bromwich West MP Mr Bailey chaired the BIS committee for the past five years and hopes to continue his tenure, but Mr Wright, MP for Hartlepool, and a former Certainly at our first meeting with the minister if I think skills is a vital thing to address issues I have previously been a member of the education Apprenticeships Minister under Gordon I were chair the in-year cuts is one of the areas of of Britain’s competitiveness and productivity. select committee, the innovation and skills select Brown, has the backing of former education questioning we would look at. I don’t think there is sufficient co-ordination committee, the science and technology select committee members Ian Mearns, Alex Cun- The role of FE in the delivery of the between education and business policy. committee and the BIS select committee and ningham and Bill Esterton. apprenticeship programme is not fully I’d like the select committees to undertake so have a strong understanding of the select Dr Blackman-Woods, the MP for the City understood and not given the priority of funding more joint working to discuss education and committee system. of Durham, is backed by former Shadow Ed- it should get. business policy. I can see more scope for the I have previously been a shadow minister ucation Minister Rushanara Ali and former Britain spends vast sums of education but we BIS and education select committees to work in the Cabinet Office and in the Department of Shadow Skills Minister Gordon Marsden. still have a skills gap and constant complaints together on key issues. Business, Innovation and Skills, and am currently Meanwhile Conservatives Neil Carmi- from employers about the lack of work readiness. The other thing I’d be keen to chat about a shadow minister in the Communities and Local chael, Tim Loughton and Caroline Nokes Business engagement is crucial to changing this. is the financial squeeze on FE colleges in the Government team. are in the running for the chair of the educa- I want to assess the effectiveness of the current Parliament. BIS is not a protected I have a strong understanding of economic tion committee. current apprenticeship programme. I would seek department and I think the financial pressure development at the local authority level and Graham Stuart, who chaired the educa- to work with the education select committee to on colleges will be appalling, especially when beyond, which I feel will also be valuable tion committee from 2010 to 2015, is not identify what changes to our pre-16 education they are very often the great drivers of skills experience for serving as the select committee standing for re-election, leaving it to former could reform this approach. provision and linkages between education and chair. members Mr Carmichael, the MP for Stroud, Select committees are increasingly recognised business. I have also built strong relationships with key and Ms Nokes, who represents Romsey as having a vital role in good government and the I’d want the BIS select committee to look at stakeholders which I would hope to utilise to good and Southampton North, to take on former BIS select committee in particular as providing this and scrutinise and challenge government effect as chair, including with the Federation of Education Minister Tim Loughton, the MP the evidence to help government help business in very closely over the next few years. Small Businesses, and UK Trade and Investment, for East Worthing and Shoreham. reaching these goals. the Confederation of British Industry and the An election will be held in the House of British Chambers of Commerce. Commons on Wednesday (June 17) from 10am with an announcement expected the same day. EDUCATION COMMITTEE CHAIR — CONTENDERS SPEAK TO FE WEEK The political make-up of both committees is yet to be announced and will be decided *Tim Loughton contribution from education committee website through negotiations between the political parties. The parties will then hold internal elec- TIM NEIL tions to decide who takes their shares of CAROLINE LOUGHTON CARMICHAEL seats. NOKES MP In the last Parliament, the two committees MP MP each had five Conservative members, five Labour members and one Liberal Democrat member. Of the previous membership of the BIS committee, Scottish Labour MPs Ann In 18 years in Parliament I have served on the One of the things I’m really keen on doing is some It has been a privilege to serve as an advisory McKechin, William Bain and Katy Clark environmental audit and home affairs select work on productivity and I think the education governor at Eastleigh College, enabling me lost their seats in the election, as did Liberal committees and as children’s minister appeared system is an important part of that issue. I think to work alongside an organisation delivering Democrat Mike Crockart, while Conserva- in front of education, home affairs, justice and it might be worth considering a joint inquiry with excellent vocational opportunities to so many tive Brian Binley stood down. lords committees on numerous occasions. I have the BIS committee on this. young people from my constituency. Labour MP Paul Blomfield and Conserva- experience from both sides of the committee I am certainly aware of the concerns over FE This experience has given me an insight into tives Caroline Dinenage, Rebecca Harris, desk. funding and would want to look at the direction the challenges facing the sector, including Robin Walker and Nadhim Zahawi remain The previous select committee covered a lot of of travel. funding, raising the prestige of vocational in Parliament, but Ms Dinenage, Mr Walker ground keeping up scrutiny of the government’s I would be interested in seeing how FE qualifications, and how best to make sure and Ms Harris will not seek election to com- extensive and fast moving school reforms. We colleges can play a bigger role in delivering young people make the best choices for mittees having received government jobs. must continue to shine that spotlight across all training by working with businesses. I think that them. None of these are easy to tackle, but Of the last education committee’s mem- the new structures in particular to make sure all would be a kind of alternative to simply relying on the Education Select Committee has a unique bership, all but former Liberal Democrat our children are benefitting and the taxpayer is just public expenditure. role scrutinising where government policy is Bradford East MP David Ward were re- getting value for money. I wrote for Conservative Home a few years ago succeeding, and where it is not. elected to Parliament in May, including Are the changes to GCSEs and A-levels recommending that the Department for Business, My time on the committee has enabled Labour MPs Pat Glass and Siobhan McDon- working for everyone and is the pupil premium Innovation and Skills be scrapped. me to explore wider issues in the sector, agh and Conservatives Dominic Raab and really being focussed on those most in need to We really need a more linear approach to alongside the work I already did with Craig Whittaker, although Mr Raab has a help them compete on a level playing field? education policy right from the start to university organisations like the YMCA. I hope my government job. I believe I have the experience and and beyond to those who go back into it. experience and enthusiasm will stand me in Internal party elections of committee commitment to give the strength of leadership good stead in the select committee elections members are expected to take several weeks the select committee needs in all these areas. and my commitment to the FE sector will not once the chairs have been elected. go away. DELIVERED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH The world of further education will be celebrated at The Festival, set in the beautiful grounds of Wellington the Sunday Times Festival of Education later this College, Berkshire, offers an eclectic mix of keynote month with a dedicated strand organised by the speeches, interactive workshops, debates and free Association of Colleges. CPD sessions designed for senior leaders, managers, lecturers, teachers and students, along with an array It will highlight the exemplary work of further of activities for all ages. Festival goers can take the education colleges and examine how they help young opportunity to hear from a large number of speakers, people learn vocational skills and gain qualifications including Rt. Hon. Nicky Morgan, Sir Ken Robinson, that businesses need. Sir Michael Wilshaw and Carol Dweck. FE STRAND SESSIONS INCLUDE: DAY ONE DAY TWO THURSDAY, JUNE 17 FRIDAY, JUNE 18 10:00 – 10:40 Teaching in Further Education 10:00 – 10:40 Fit for Work, Fit for Life Chaired by Kim Clifford, Principal, Chaired by: Richard Atkins, President, Cirencester College Association of Colleges 11:30 – 12:10 Social Action: Gaining skills for work, 11:30 – 12:10 Changing the face of FE through action for community benefit Chaired by: Martin Doel OBE, Chief Chaired by Dame Julia Cleverdon DCVO, Executive, Association of Colleges CBE, Step Up To Serve 14:00 – 14:40 Skills competition: Raising the standards of 14:00 – 14:40 The vision for entrepreneurial colleges learning and teaching Chaired by: Gill Clipson, Deputy Chief Chaired by: Carole Stott MBE, Chair of AoC Executive, Association of Colleges and Find a Future 16:10 – 16:45 How to successfully deliver English and 14:50 – 15:30 The value of Vocational Skills and maths to 16-18 year-olds Experiential Careers Advice Chaired by: Nick Linford, Author, The Chaired by: Carole Stott MBE, Chair of AoC Complete Guide to Funding Apprenticeships and Find a Future and former Editor of FE Week FE Week readers receive an exclusive 15% OFF tickets. TO BOOK GO TO: festivalofeducation.com/FE and use code: STFOE1515FE BROUGHT TO YOU BY Supported by the sector’s favourite newspaper. Proud to be an official media partner of the Festival of Education. 8 @FEWEEK FE WEEK MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2015 fe week COMMENT Ignorance is no defence Fintan Donohue says he did not know of any “wrongdoing” in respect of “data inflation” at North Hertfordshire College during his time in charge there. It seems a classic case of ‘if he was aware then he did wrong and if he didn’t know then he wasn’t doing his job properly.’ Neither of these scenarios offer Mr Donohue any positivity, but taking him at his word we must believe the lesser of two evils — that as principal and chief executive he failed to spot, and therefore act to halt, long-term and serious cheating in relation to success rates. The same two scenarios extend to Mr Donohue’s successor at the college, Signe Sutherland, who Burnham backlash over apprentice loans worries would also have been in charge while this data manipulation was @fcdwhittaker He tweeted: “Coalition tried in and minimum wage is a much more sustainable taking place. [email protected] apprenticeship numbers went down. No option that does not saddle young learners appetite for it.” with the worry of repaying huge loans at the It’s an issue that will rock the Labour leadership contender Andy Burnham He later added: “AB [Andy Burnham] start of their careers. sector for some time and who knows sparked an alarmed response on Twitter after would be better off coming up with ideas how “Currently apprentices and their families how it might affect Mr Donohue’s his comments on apprenticeship loans led to to get more employers involved — that’s the are also prevented from accessing benefits Gazelle project, although it’s a safe fears he was considering proposals to bring problem right now.” available to others, including child benefit and back a failed FE policy. Mr Burnham’s office did not respond to child tax credit, care to learn grants, interest bet that it will not be of benefit. Former Business Secretary Dr Vince Cable requests to comment and give details of his free overdrafts and discounted travel cards. The only person to emerge with revealed to FE Week exclusively in December proposals. “NUS has been campaigning for a any credit is new principal Matt 2013 that apprentice FE tuition loans would be However, Sky reporter Sophy Ridge told serious debate to happen over the state of Hamnett, who has been open with scrapped after just 404 applications in around FE Week the MP for Leigh had been referring support for apprentices, one that will lead seven months. to maintenance loans rather than tuition fee to a commitment to removing the financial his findings and sought to draw a However, last week Mr Burnham, one of loans. barriers which currently exist.” line in the sand for the college. five Labour MPs hoping to become the next It led the National Union of Students But David Hughes, chief executive of party leader, told Sky News: “In our school (NUS) to call for a higher minimum wage for the National Institute of Adult Continuing system we focus too much on the academic but apprentices to avoid the need for maintenance Education (Niace), said he supported such don’t give all children realistic prospects for loans. an extension of loans, although he echoed Mr Chris Henwood when they leave. Joe Vinson, NUS vice president for FE, Vinson’s concerns about the lack of a “decent [email protected] “I’m talking of extending the loan scheme said he wanted a “serious debate” over the wage” for some apprentices. that students currently get to apprentices.” minimum wage for apprentices, which is He said: “For too many young people Top growth Among those to respond to the comments currently £2.73 per hour but will rise to £3.30 this means that they cannot afford to do an request delay tweets via Twitter was Shane Chowen, head of policy an hour from October. apprenticeship because housing and living and public affairs at the National Institute of He said: “Raising the minimum wage for costs are prohibitive, unless they can continue Adult Continuing Education. apprentices to fall in line with the national to live at home.” @BestAssessor Sudden delay in funding does comments poetry corner nothing to allay growing concerns over government commitment to #apprenticeship targets Don’t cut allocations to meet savings Colleges ‘come of age’ at time of need FE Canvas of the Future target, pleads sector for change They paint our future landscape @agladheight The mismatch betwwen the financial years The danger for FE in these times is to look in shades of grey and blue — So this is how the government intends of government and colleges has bedevilled inwards and stop engaging with industry and the mediocre ones. to fund extra apprenticeships places... financial planning for FE ever since I started those outside of education. Dimming the shimmering of potential, by not paying for them? in the sector in 1966, irrespective of who was For when we get through these times (and dulling the brightness of new hued skies. in power. we will get through these times) I personally Forgetting — or never knowing — The ‘in-year’ cuts now being demanded are believe it is those who collaborate and are @AELPUK Who we are — yet another example of this mismatch, which engaged in developing vibrant networks who @David_Cameron’s 3m @ From whence we came. further militate against sound planning, will thrive. Apprenticeships goal stumbles at very and will result in short-term savings where Robert West We, the colourful FE ones first hurdle the long-term impact cannot be properly paint lucent new horizons. measured. The SFA allocations for 2015/16 Prime Minister’s apprenticeships Our dripping brushes blazing @gill_cox (Aug-July) have already factored in an ‘troubleshooter’ taskforce officially cacophonies of brightly coloured hope. Even apprenticeships look set for cuts anticipated cut in government funding for unveiled Expanding possibilities beyond now 2016/17 (April-March) which is why there We welcome the initiative on the canvass of the known. have been such drastic cuts already. apprenticeships, but there are other Remembering who we serve — @Capella_Systems I’m only pleased that I am no longer a skills priorities as well Why we came and Bad timing for apprentice providers college governor and having to try to make @NOCN1 Why we will remain. sensible decisions in such a climate. trying to deliver growth in this By Dr Lynne Sedgmore Mike Farmer funding year Send your FE and skills poems to [email protected] FEWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 141 MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2015 9 Dear Dr Sue Email [email protected] with your questions. Dr Sue will hand out a £100 Amazon gift card for her favourite question How do you handle your new principal’s demands? Is the managing director refusing to budge? Dr Sue Pember, the former head of FE and skills investment at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), who was awarded an OBE for services to the sector in WHAT’S IN A NAME? 2000, puts her extensive sector knowledge to good use for FE Week. On the third Monday of every month she answers your questions, backed by the experience of almost a decade as principal of Canterbury College, in addition to time served in further senior civil service posts at the Department for Education and Employment, Department for My college wants to change its name and as the Education and Skills, and Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. clerk I have been asked to advise the board on what Email [email protected] to ask her your question. the criteria should be. What advice might I give? This is a sensitive issue and the Secretary of State has to make the FUNDING GOAL POSTS KEEP MOVING final decision and will turn down names if they are thought to be unsuitable. Useful guidance which sets out the process to be followed has been How can governors govern and set an annual budget when published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. they don’t know their funding allocation and the goal posts The guidance states that a corporation name should not be confusing keep moving? or misleading and as such should not wrongly suggest regional or national pre-eminence, or imply that a college serves a wider or different area than is the case. I know that some governors are having doubts about continuing as governors when they feel it is virtually impossible to conduct their duty of setting a timely budget so that actions required to balance the books can be planned and implemented in a proficient manner — but I would urge them to reconsider. We are in really difficult times. This is when senior teams really need their governors’ support internally and representation externally. Although there may be more austerity cuts, I still have the conviction that the argument for investing in learning and developing basic and enhanced skills will come through. In these difficult times, colleges need to regroup and remodel their offer so they can meet futures challenges. They need strong governance to support and help steer them through this period of instability. WHAT AM I PREVENTING? What is Prevent and what is a governor’s role? Colleges have a duty to safeguard their students. Prevent is about safeguarding students to keep them secure from being exploited by extremists and it is now covered in the Home Office guidance. The Education Training Foundation (ETF) has some very timely and good information on this matter and they also Therefore it is very important for the board to consult widely and set out the role of governors. The Prevent duty is not about listen to people’s views. Do not underestimate the difficulty — there suppressing students from having political and religious views needs to be a real burning reason to change and it is very hard to get a but about keeping them safe. new name established. As set out in the new Association of Colleges Good Governance I know of several colleges who used to have ‘Technical’ in their Code, governors must enhance their safeguarding policy and name and even 30 years on from the name change they are still known adopt the Prevent duty and actively engage with other partners, locally as “the Tech”. Mind you, with the ways things are going they including the police and Department for Business, Innovation might want to revert and add ‘Higher’ while they are at it. and Skills regional Higher and Further Education Prevent co- For me the real test is — would you want that name on your or ordinators to carry out the Prevent duty. child’s CV? 10 @FEWEEK FE WEEK MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2015 profile As a principal, you have the executive bit where you make decisions, but it’s a bit like being Prince Charles — you’re wheeled out to events PICTURE OF A PRINCIPAL PERFORMER @rebeccaKcooney And Forbes, now aged 60, says, it’s stood he says. As a single parent of four mixed-race [email protected] him in good stead as a principal. Forbes’s father, Oswald, was the first children in the 1940s, Dorothy struggled to “There’s quite a lot of performance with Jamaican GP in England having come over in cope, but, Forbes says, with unabashed pride, S itting at a meeting table in his wood- this job,” he tells me. 1943 to complete his medical training as part she was “magnificent”. panelled principal’s office, Andy Forbes “You spend so much time going to events of the war effort. But Oswald met Dorothy, “Honestly, I’ve asked her many times how strikes a comedy pose with lips pouted and representing the college, being on stage Forbes’s mother, and never went back. she did it and she just says you had to get on and eyebrows raised as he says to the FE Week with students — so the ability to say a few “It’s interesting mixture, because in with it,” he says. photographer: “You can see where the being words, and look suitably dignified, friendly some ways my father was not part of the “She was of that war generation where you in the drama club comes in, can’t you?” and important all at the same time, that’s a big establishment,” Forbes reflects. were used to getting on with things, rationing “Delete it!” begs Forbes through his part of it.” “We were outsiders but because of his and all sorts. chuckles — “you can’t print that”. And it wasn’t something he’d realised in a success professionally we had the resources “She said there were times when she felt To my everlasting regret (and I suspect, former role as vice principal for curriculum at to get a relatively privileged experience — he like giving up, but she couldn’t face the Forbes’s relief) the photographer obliges Blackpool and the Fylde College. paid for us to go to private prep school. thought of us going into care, so she forced before I can intervene and the College of “As a vice principal it’s much more “I found the whole school photo recently, herself to keep going. Haringey, Enfield and North East London hands on — as a principal, yes, you have the there were 700 boys, there was one Indian boy “We thought of her as mummy, but (Conel) principal escapes future photographic executive bit where you make decisions, and me and 698 white boys and I didn’t feel astonishingly, she turned out to have a degree embarrassment. but it’s a bit like being Prince Charles,” he any sense of not being part of it but I look back in economics, and she started working as a “Believe it or not, I was quite shy, really explains. and just think how unusual that was. social worker part time and then full time as introverted as a teenager,” he tells me. “You’re wheeled out to events because you “I look back and think it must have been we got older and had quite a substantial 20- “I didn’t enjoy school at all until I joined the represent the college. It’s a semi-diplomatic quite something and you’re not aware of it as year career in social work.” drama society, in around about year nine. role.” a child.” And, he says, the experience was in some “Why I joined the thing I don’t know, Education was central in Forbes’s The family life was turned upside down ways good for the family as it prompted the but something made me do it, and I started household growing up in Stourbridge, near when Forbes was 10, when the “larger than four boys to learn to look after themselves. meeting a lot more people and coming out of Birmingham. life” Oswald left. “It sounds dreadful now but when I went to myself, really enjoyed the final bit of school “As with many immigrant households, “He did the dirty on my mum and ran off university I was quite unusual in that I could and sixth form.” education was seen as the way forward,” with his practice nurse,” says Forbes. iron my own shirts and cook a bit — it was

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