Table Of Content

FE FE Week Week nnneeewwwsss ~~~ aaannnaaalllyyysssiiisss ~~~ jjjooobbbsss ~~~ fffuuunnn Bradford College takes to the Podium Monday 07 May 2012 See pages 12 & 13 www.feweek.co.uk Adult Learners’ Week FE Week takes a look at what’s in store in Adult Learners’ Week 2012 Page 4 Peter Pledger FE Week interviews the chief Paul Porter, boxing development offi cer, Mally MacIver, boxing coach and Saira Tabasum, student and boxer from Bradford College picked up gold at the black tie ceremony executive of South London Business Page 5 Colleges call for FE loans to be delayed FE loans survey FE Week Exclusive “As well as avoiding another A further 89 per cent of respond- ment of Business, Innovation and NHS-style PR disaster, pausing ents said the public was not very Skills (BIS) added: “Introducing Nick Summers now will allow some of the record aware of the proposed system. loans will that thousands of people 69% say @SummersNicholas numbers of unemployed people Debbie Ward, director of plan- can access learning at a time when access education.” ning and funding at MidKent grant funding is being prioritised delay or The majority of professionals in The survey, which asked prin- College, said: “Very poor commu- on those who need it most.” scrap FE the FE sector support delaying or cipals, vice principals and MIS nication, nobody outside FE has FE Week will host a roundtable scrapping the introduction of FE managers what changes they any idea, and very few within FE debate on May 9 to discuss the sec- loans loans, according to a survey of would like to make to the proposed understand and are fully aware of tor’s concerns about FE loans. Lsect members. FE loans system, found that 69 per the issues and implications.” Speakers include Andrew King, Nearly 70 per cent of respond- cent wanted it delayed or scrapped. Julian Gravatt, assistant chief lead for FE Loans at BIS, Gordon ents, who represent more than Toni Pearce, vice president (FE) executive of AoC, added: “The sur- Marsden, shadow minister for fur- 150 different FE colleges, said the at the NUS, said: “Those working vey shows that college staff have ther education, skills and regional Page 10 & 11 government should prolong the in the sector are deeply worried signifi cant concerns about public growth and Miss Pearce. implementation of the scheme or their colleges have simply not been awareness of the policy and how it Maxine Room, principal of Lew- Join the #FEDebate abandon it completely. given the opportunity to prepare will be communicated. isham College and Peter Pledger, The survey, designed with the for the havoc this loans scheme “There are also lots of con- chairman of the Confederation of Association of Colleges (AoC), would wreak. cerns about the impact on access Apprenticeship Training Agen- National Union of Students (NUS), “The grassroots pressure to students, engineering students and cies (ATAs) and chief executive of University and College Union shelve these plans, coming from students with learning diffi culties South London Business, have also (UCU) and Unison, adds to grow- those who know the needs of their and disabilities. confi rmed their attendance. ing concerns about the impact of students best, is growing apace. “It is clear that more informa- The Lsect survey follows a joint the scheme both on learners and “The government must stop tion is needed about the fi ner detail call for the delay in FE loans by the providers. digging a hole for itself on this one of how this policy will operate AoC, NUS, UCU and Unison. Sally Hunt, general secretary of and go back to the drawing board to allow colleges to effectively The group has written to min- the UCU, said: “The government if a disaster for adult learners is to prepare.” isters arguing that the sector is has got itself in enough trouble be averted.” However, the government says not prepared for the changes and Learn how to get involved with FE by not listening to the experts in Respondents were also asked to it is “working closely with the consequences of the system. Week’s monthly Twitter debate recent months. score, on a scale of 1 to 10, whether sector” to make sure it is prepared They also suggest a “pause” in Page 16 “It now needs to listen to the col- they thought people were aware of for the introduction of the loans, the introduction of FE loans until lective voices from across further the FE loans scheme. which will be for those aged 24 and there has been a full impact assess- inside... education that make it clear that More than half (55 per cent) said over, studying at Level 3 and above ment and consultation with the the sector is simply not prepared the sector was not very aware or in the 2013/14 academic year. sector. for, and does not want, FE loans. prepared (1-4) for FE loans. A spokesperson for the Depart- See page 10 and 11 for more. This digital edition is not for onward distribution or reproduction. To discuss the FE Week multiple subscription service please contact James Francis on 020 8123 4891 2 FE Week M onday 07 M ay www.feweek.co.uk Future still Bright for sub-contractor Nick Summers ers to deliver practical sessions and everything hospitality, a few days later. else. The SFA told FE Week: “Due to the nature of FE @SummersNicholas “We did it all and delivered it all.” these particular circumstances, the Agency has The SFA began an investigation into NTQUK been working with Bright Assessing Training The head of a sub-contractor has spoken out in February “after receiving credible informa- and other sub-contractors of NTQUK to reas- Week about the practice used by NTQUK, a training tion suggesting signifi cant irregularities” in sign their contracts to other lead providers to provider whose contract has been terminated evidence submitted to the SFA to support fund- ensure continuity of training for learners and by the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) following ing claims. employers and to minimise the disruption they irregularities in learner data. Mrs Charles-Jones says she was emailed by may experience.” Krissy Charles-Jones, chief executive of NTQUK in the same month requesting they Since losing the contract with NTQUK Bright Assessing, has revealed how almost 60 speak “urgently.” Bright Assessing has had an additional 140 learners were left without a qualifi cation after She called them back and was told by learners complete, with 77 per cent fi nding jobs NTQUK said they had been refused funding by NTQUK that they could no longer fund the once they leave the course. FE Week is a new newspaper dedicated to the SFA. learners. NTQUK had their contract terminated by the reporting on news, analysis, jobs and fun “They took the risk on me and they took a “I said ‘what do you mean, is there a problem SFA in March. in the FE sector. risk on my business, and that’s what annoyed with them? Have I caused the problem or have I Following an unsuccessful dispute resolu- me,” Mrs Charles-Jones told FE Week in an sent you the wrong forms?’ She said ‘I’m really tion panel, the company has now asked to go to So tell us what you think at exclusive interview. sorry, but we haven’t had our growth agreed by arbitration. www.surveymonkey.com/s/feweek “They took my business and put it on the the SFA’.” Allan Bate, the chairman of NTQUK, has line.” Martin Cawley, contracts manager at said that if arbitration fails, the company, And tweet us your thoughts @feweek or Mrs Charles-Jones says she signed a pilot NTQUK, has confi rmed the decision to sign which employs roughly 100 people, could be with the hashtag #feweek contract with NTQUK, worth £100,000, after the contract was “pending the outcome of the forced to close. meeting the necessary due diligence require- growth request.” FE Week has seen a letter sent by Geoff Managing Editor: Nick Linford ments in December last year. Mrs Charles-Jones then called the SFA South Russell, chief executive of the SFA, to NTQUK Deputy Editor: Nick Reinis Three weeks into the contract, Mrs Charles- East regional director, who said it wasn’t the addressing these concerns. News Reporter: Nick Summers Jones says she was then emailed by NTQUK, agency’s responsibility to deal with subcon- It reads: “Whilst the Agency is sympathetic Designer: Daniel Duke who said it was unlikely they would be able to tracting disputes. to the position employees of NTQUK fi nd Sales Director: Gemma Ryder issue any more contracts after the pilot. When asked about subcontracting responsi- themselves in, the responsibility for ensuring Senior Sales: James Francis “She said ‘just to let you know we’re having bilities, the SFA told FE Week: “Lead providers NTQUK meets its obligations to its employees Operations: Shane Mann a major contractual review and therefore after are accountable for managing relationships rests solely with NTQUK and any suggestion Financials: Nahed Chowdhury this pilot we can’t guarantee what numbers you with their sub-contractors. that the failure to pay staff is due to the incom- Analyst: Tashanna Egbochue can do’,” said Krissy Charles-Jones. “This includes undertaking all necessary due petence of Agency staff is entirely refuted. Features: Janet Murray (freelance) The Bright Assessing CEO says she then diligence, and ensuring the quality of training “In fact, the audited accounts of the company Recruitment: Chardelle Mason called NTQUK, who reassured her that the cur- provided.” to the year ending July 2010 showed that the Contributors: Michael Haworth rent learners were “absolutely fi ne”. However, the regional director did offer to Directors paid themselves dividends and salary Paul Stopford Bright Assessing continued to deliver the help Bright Assessing fi nd a new lead provider. amounting to almost £800,000 (including all Toni Pearce training between December and February. The SFA partnered Bright Assessing with Directors’ remunerations but not including “re- FE Week mini-mascot Mrs Charles-Jones said: “We paid to deliver Remit, a training provider which delivers ap- tirement benefi ts”) which appears to have left the training, arranged with all these employ- prenticeships in IT, automotive and food and the company in a diffi cult fi nancial position.” For an annual subscription to FE Week for just £75 visit www.feweek.co.uk and click on ‘subscribe’ at the top of the page. The £240m SFA giveaway FE Week news in brief If you are interested in placing a product Register launched or job advert in a future edition please click Nick Summers table Trust (UCT) to Lloyds TSB Development on the ‘advertise’ link at the top of the page Capital (LDC) for £40 million last October, now The Careers Profession Alliance (CPA) has @SummersNicholas on www.feweek.co.uk or contact: has a total allocation worth more than £130 launched the fi rst ‘National Register of Career E: [email protected] million with the SFA. Development Professionals’. T: 020 8123 4891 The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) has allocated The updated spreadsheet also shows that Skills minister John Hayes says he wants 50 M: 0783 7769 411 providers an extra £240 million since the start ESG (Skills) Limited, a supplier of welfare to per cent of careers professionals to be on the of the academic year, new data has shown. work and vocational skills services, has had new register by April 2015, which sets standards An updated spreadsheet for 2011/12, the largest fall in funding allocation since Au- of professional practice for giving information, FE Week FE published by the SFA last week, shows that gust 2011., The company is shown to have had advice and guidance. Ruth Spellman OBE, chair Week nnneeewwwsss ~~~ aaannnaaalllyyysssiiisss ~~~ jjjooobbbsss ~~~ fffuuunnn allocations have risen to more than £4 billion 78 per cent of their allocation clawed back by of the CPA, said: “With a free marketplace open- Bradford College takes to the PodiumSee pages 12 & 13 Mowndwawy. f0e7w Meeaky. c2o0.1u2k combined. the SFA through 16-18 apprenticeships, down ing up in career development it is essential that Adult Learners’ Week The extra funding has been distrib- almost £4 million, and also through the ASB, anyone seeking careers services can be assured uted mostly through the Adult Skills Budget which was reduced by nearly £2 million. they are dealing with someone who is profes- PFstEoe rWet eieenk Ar tad kuPelts l Laee laodronkge arets ’w rWheaet’ksP 2ian0g1 e2 4 (ASB), which has risen by seven per cent to South Nottingham College, now the sixth sionally qualifi ed and meets high standards.” £2,604,934,311, up from £2,441,138,450. largest provider in the UK following a merger CPaul Poorter,l bolxineg devgelopmeent osffi cer , Mcallya MacIlver,l bo xinfg cooach rand S aiFra TabEasum, stuldenot anda boxenr froms Brad fotrd Coolleg e pbickede up a godld awaerd atl thae blacyk tie ceeremdony FeFxEe EcWuet eilkvoe i noatfe Snrvoiusetwh s sL tuohnerd covhni eeBfu yPsaingees 5s The new fi gures show that the funding for 16- with Castle College Nottingham, received the SFA subcontracting Ne1giaANU(itpthbrletTtslL@FeoUmnhhhhce5ndobyrashnsacar0cgNTS“eeeeSovuiCae tsspettinEna eI s vacec nhviidocFsUsceUu ltg,npovsomrtlieace ekcoidaeEolwn C,d)tpe tnmnfmhcmtri y nro atWfas e aioailUtmsahmlves e ncoSnijuceoiryHwetnimlemo,srooetin tcsn g orrm eidscteuUosrui7y r .o v te nnrentecetnaii ett0nn nbanrUeeonstma hchelttei etrb dysftetph py ridosnoi enaessi, F,oos ri nk e r sma:dfo ihi odtsmfingd tsniNEern.m grb“ snsufh n om.eCge psC oo T oc o puntEe ttcp isepeolomontoaeouorhfenpciolnelorflrnnolk, gd y ttelolroht ox lSl t eaedal nsteta hi e atrlufpentghm slgcodh ue eegotelcuyisggrtoore e adsdt.ecef lesuododehvelot ssr ts a ecnsr elsirUewrxe s iiupn occl(mte,lto ovenssrpeA trnrahrinoe ssn neonttaeostepfeyri aeogpshyhug arrmouptasitomii C o aat rl(rnthn daobcttfsasNvnheon)rthhegter fl ,nhntywFd ieei eU aeeohnoncode t -Ed t-ofS oerr r f l )-, fNnnacmwFcaitgfwstsdaibstttoonfhhhhhhtcieitcnieuoEooHupv rra go “TT““RMeoeeenc eatwd,tmAuua eandgTT iy rhesSlhltote haFs vrdnovoll hle geies asebsn-hhweewddnest neEs,aeris o n cepg hce ,wti eews rNdte s ogin aso lw hteotertvy aoblhltPie uns hggoenhlsorlUtsddeneakisluarcla ehol rrr s oecatedbae uot seedaolStcvgaohea vv ea e s ngoly.ewew ackP efkaoh,rpd”tlseeesro n serssskanpo o cscsnRstpahc yr ultt ts ifptw a.re ,rentashoa,noseooaptam t i n si,ldocih wr h io lowmavr r mtfeand ndteevsshoeiow aant tliohohncesmc: oa o fi ,tusevrekgt oid.wp haeelcisis“mdt ”hfm dnenarefpcl(pei r l,esoTauaodv5p eitoey htiaeetle csute1nns5nh patelr or wee opi l monw. tyena oagagernsrmtyrtodp lmile,o l,lytw fsseed eyeusst fn eaeasheoppskF s so re d i 1srotainangtsdwuoer ianlee Ehn t0ht w crdpwy dp os cna urd hago,spegah saner et eelsa o pcnso ewrM trw htteponefenro bkirorryfhar otropamrere6nhtptakeaooeIpi oc pti is)9cantrSe gelrd(pa s i enm ehoo beoFrsndset i pr p. r-os teeh rsae. 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Fytonst.el vErFasoeP ddyEareD wbg a eitet hPe1 0baF g&Eae 11t16e 1ut£tih89po e,TTa n5t sp7hhost6p, eeaa ,H r9rlS eta0tIFon 9rToAt gtaf fiTre lc sot sreophtmasfr ebi eh n£etaaha5incdn4seaes, g 0afdhA a3lLeescg7mteot,ed3to ni r,5rsc ic 7 h hsoyy.eo,afe nuw sat phrbsr. eey8tc h7 ise napeit-vvey teerehdn ace reap c nneaotr lem l focxrepcotrnaama--t, ltbrfaoheyrrceTN g 1e FSh9eeiEvF wespetA Cehc dir,oano tilmcl-nhllyeeecee ngCgr aseteeore st al rc,oal seoue li£clngnpo2eed g9ci£ v o,a4lt0aehft,40idr e2oF9g i,an6u3ren, 8 sr3ot 4tto8eu h.9atxta el ttlolrroo f Sa Ec£ Faa£2dAlt46uli,, o6F3can17alEl72t oi i,,cn28oco89canl99rt l .ieeforagnosem es . TltcihoshenThe teih rSnneakgd cp i ttlouholfsbre slFt nih cuweeanxi tmtdtih oiso nnuang,nb t whA cao.hggnigectnrrheca gdycae t(ittSneaF givAl sar) ela uwglleii s slotlue fbbr £e -b1 pe0uf0o,b0r-0e0 ny, which delivers training for the hotel and ca- The data also shows that Elmfi eld Training, or more, requires all lead providers to submit tering Industries, was given an extra £7,810,400 which delivers apprenticeships at Morrisons, a declaration of sub-contractors form to their Learning & Skills Events, Consultancy and Training Ltd through the ASB and an additional £1,766,509 now has an allocation for 2011/12 worth more relationship manager by May 8. 161-165 Greenwich High Road for apprentices aged 16 to 18. Elsewhere Ufi than £41 million. The SFA website reads: “As well as demon- London SE10 8JA Limited received additional in-year funds of While its funds for 16 to 18 apprentices has strating the diversity and breadth of the supply T: 020 8123 4778 £8,476,405, up seven per cent from their initial been reduced by £2 million to £10 million, its chain, the purpose of giving this national E: [email protected] 2011/12 allocation. provision for adult learners has risen by £5.75 overview is to assist lead providers we directly The fi rm, which was sold by the Ufi Chari- million to £31,101,000. contract with their due diligence checks.” This digital edition is not for onward distribution or reproduction. To discuss the FE Week multiple subscription service please contact James Francis on 020 8123 4891 www.feweek.co.uk Mond ay 07 M ay FE Week 3 Report fi nds ‘process failures’ at the Skills Funding Agency Nick Reinis or uploaded the revised data fi le as around This was reported by a “former SFA contin- two” and that all changes must now be approved 45 staff had access to the site used to feed the gent worker” in a letter to John Hayes, minister by a GSS statistician. @fenickr updates to the external web manager.” for further education, skills and lifelong learn- The Agency has also “tightened” existing It also tells of a “reorganisation of the FE ing, and copied to the National Statistician, procedure to ensure full records are kept of any An investigation into secret changes to a Choices data team” from April 2011, which which was received on 21 February 2012. It was changes or revisions, so that an “audit trail” government website has unearthed “process placed them under the auspices of the Data Ser- also communicated to FE Week. exists. A longer term plan includes improved failures” and an inability to pinpoint who made vice. Transition and incorporation on to Data The report adds: “The Agency added a notice documentation of process, and improved test- the unauthorised adjustments to data. Service protocols is still in progress. to their website alerting users to a potential ing of code and data to allow “more time, more The views are made in a breach report, pub- The report says: “A number of process problem on 21 February 2012. While investigat- automated testing, and adequate ring-fenced lished by UK Statistics Authority into the FE failures have been identifi ed relating to a lack ing the reported change, further changes that resources” between website and data projects. Choices website, which is managed by the Data of data backup procedures, failure to follow the had been made to the data came to light. These The Authority’s report also says although Service; part of the Skills Funding Agency. required version control procedures, sign-off were a revision to the treatment of zero values, permanent staff within the Agency are aware As revealed by FE Week in March, an investi- procedures which did not require statistician correction of a coding error relating to ques- of the Code of Practice, not all “contingent gation by the Agency found nearly 2,700 changes approval, and resourcing, including dependence tions 6 and 7, and the exclusion of data relating workers” are. A refresh of this knowledge is were made to “unique values” in the Learner on contingent workers and high levels of staff to large employers who train their own staff. planned. Satisfaction indicator of the site, without public turnover during the reorganisation. “These changes should also have been an- An Agency statement read: “As soon as the knowledge, after it went live on January 26. “All these issues are limited to the FE Choices nounced at the same time as the changes were Agency received reliable intelligence that a This affected 442 providers, with 62 provid- system and processes, and do not extend to implemented, and information made available problem had occurred, they took immediate ac- ers unaffected. However, while the Authority’s other SFA statistical outputs.” about the nature of the changes.” tion by uploading position statements on the FE report lifts the lid on how it occurred, it was The report also highlights that the Agency be- In response, the Agency has implemented Choices webpage and began a thorough inves- unable to identify who made the changes. came aware of “further changes” to FE Choices measures that it says will stop a reoccurrence tigation. Once the Agency had conducted their The Authority’s report says: “The SFA have during their investigation. of this incident in the future. investigation, they communicated fi ndings (on examined available email and other electronic After the FE Choices data was published, These include improving existing “change FE Choices) and began implementing processes, records, and interviewed staff, but are unable to data in the Learner Satisfaction indicator was control process to restrict the number of people which we are confi dent will aim to prevent any identify who made or authorised these changes, subsequently corrected on February 6. able to upload web changes to the feeder site to reoccurrence of this singular incident.” HR Director of Morrisons to step down next month Nick Summers @SummersNicholas The group HR and communications director NEWLY at Morrisons has announced he will leave the supermarket retailer at the end of June. Norman Pickavance, who has been ques- FUNDED tioned by the BIS Select Committee over the apprenticeship programme at Morrisons, will QUALIFICATION leave “to pursue opportunities” elsewhere. permarket would have continued the training Dalton Philips, the chief executive of Morri- attributed to each apprenticeship had they not sons, said: “Norman has been pivotal in making received government funding. Morrisons an award winning employer. “We would have done it anyway,” Mr Picka- “He has transformed our HR function and vance said. NCFE L3 Certificate in End of Life Care has been a great advocate for developing people “We do not receive any money from the gov- from all backgrounds across the business. ernment purse for the training that we provide. We would like to make you aware that the SFA have agreed to “We wish him well for his future.” “All the training that we deliver is at Mor- temporarily fund this extremely important qualification Mr Pickavance will continue his work as risons’ cost, and so it should be.” a non-executive director at Create, a social He added: “We use the government money enterprise which helps support homeless and through a third-party provider, because we are Learning aim ref: 50101171 disadvantaged people back into work. not experts in accrediting people and we are not 141 GLH Gary Stott, deputy chair of Create, has con- experts in national standards.” Indicative course duration: 16 weeks fi rmed Mr Pickavance will be receiving “no sal- Mr Pickavance was questioned further dur- ary or remuneration” for the on-going position, ing the BBC One Panorama programme “The Quote ‘FE Week’ to purchase these NCFE-endorsed student learning which includes being chair of the board. Great Apprentice Scandal”. materials at a special price of £55 per pack for FE week readers “I think that Norman has a tremendous The show revealed that 40 per cent of the (publish price £68 per pack) on orders received before 31 May career history and a passion to see people’s lives company’s workforce was on an apprenticeship transformed through the experience of work,” last year, with more than two thirds aged 25 or What’s more, for customers using our resources, we will train your Mr Stott said. I am sure he will be using the next above. few months to work with a number of different “Forty per cent of people are trying to get staff to deliver this qualification free of charge. organisations that are close to his heart and a basic qualifi cation,” Mr Pickavance told the share his passion.” BBC. Need a partner to deliver this programme on your behalf? We’d be FE Week revealed in March how Elmfi eld “People who don’t leave school with a qualifi - delighted to talk to you about using our own team of experienced Training, a private training provider which cation often feel they don’t have access and don’t assessors and verifiers to help meet the considerable demand for delivers apprenticeships at Morrisons, donated see the skilled jobs or managerial position as this and other fundable qualifications. £200,000 to Create. Mr Pickavance was then something they can aspire to.” questioned alongside Ged Sydall, chief execu- He later added: “Actually when you look at For more information, call us on 01904 550110 or email tive of Elmfi eld Training, during an evidence the results that are being delivered through [email protected] session held by the BIS Select Committee for this programme, with a private provider, we’re their inquiry into apprenticeships. doing something that is actually exemplary in www.tribalgroup.com Ministers asked Mr Pickavance if the su- terms of the qualifi cations people get.” This digital edition is not for onward distribution or reproduction. To discuss the FE Week multiple subscription service please contact James Francis on 020 8123 4891 4 FE Week M onday 07 M ay www.feweek.co.uk FE Week investigates Looking ahead to Adult Learners’ Week Nick Reinis tional learners who have changed their lives. largest issue we’ve got. The focus on ap- learning is not just for Christmas, so to speak. “It’s about recognising the real wider prenticeships is a good thing, but they are “Most go on to do more learning or achieve @fenickr benefi ts of adult learning. It’s not just about expensive. more in life, whether it’s work or helping to skills or work or leisure or pleasure, it’s about “There are three areas under pressure; em- mentor, or getting involved in their commu- As tag lines go, the one being championed as all of these things.” ployers, the government and the individual. nity. the essence of Adult Learners’ Week, which He added: “What we try to do is showcase It does cost more to do widening participation He added: “When you have over one million begins on Saturday, will take some beating. people who can provide that. It’s one thing to really well.” who are NEET, you worry about them making It reads: “There has never been a more talk about it, but another for a learner to say a difference to their lives. important time to celebrate and promote the ‘this is my story’ and we want people to be “It’s a generation of young people who “When you have over benefi ts of learning - encouraging adults to empowered by these people to see that they may be one, two or three years not in work or discover the positive impact learning can can do it too. training, and not being hopeful and optimis- one million who are have on their lives, their families and their “We just don’t celebrate enough in this tic.” community.” country. We have the degree awarding cer- But the Week is not just about events on a NEET, you worry The Week, spearheaded by the National emonies, but we don’t really have anything national scale, it is also about localised activi- Institute of Adult Continuing Education for students leaving school.” ties, as Mr Hughes explains. about them making a (NIACE) is the UK’s largest annual festival of The following day, NIACE will hold its “Another big part is that we have thousands learning, incorporating thousands of events National Policy Conference, in conjunction of events across the country so people can difference to their lives” and award ceremonies, with the aim of pro- with The Open University, which will explore drop in and have a go locally at adult learn- moting “every type” of learning. the current and emerging challenges and ing. With just days to go until the beginning of approaches to widening participation in adult “Around 100,000 people have previously tak- the Week, David Hughes, the chief executive education. The Week will continue on Wednesday with en part in these types of events during ALW of NIACE, told FE Week that the Week has Mr Hughes said: “We’re holding a confer- a Parliamentary Reception. and that’s really important to the Week.” many elements, with the fi rst event, held on ence on widening participation which is one Mr Hughes said: “We have a parliamentary For more information on Adult Learners’ Monday, the Adult Learners’ Week National of the big issues for us. We have John Hayes reception with the all-party group for further Week, visit www.alw.org.uk Award Ceremony. coming to speak and also employers and education and skills, where we’ve invited for- Alternatively, follow NIACE on Twitter and He said: “It’s about celebrating what adult learners and people from the community.” mer award winners to come back and speak. join in by tweeting about your Adult Learn- learning can do for people and about excep- He added: “Widening participation is the It’s great, because it helps to show that adult ers’ Week activity by using #ALW12 Try French We are What we Holiday Italian A Digital Day Out Help your child Creative workshop Watercolours - Wear: Kathakali taster with English Mixed Ability 10am to 12pm 9.30am to 11.30am 1.30pm to 4.45pm 1.30pm to 3pm 9am to 4pm 10am to noon 9.30am to 12.30pm Woodley Hill House Scunthorpe London Newcastle-upon-Tyne Portsmouth London Ashby Link Adult Bideford Bracknell and Victoria and Albert Heaton Adult Highbury College Thomas Calton Community Arts Centre Wokingham College Museum Education Centre Centre Learning Centre 50th Anniversary of Family Learning Day Bring a Friend to Coffee Morning Creative Writing Drawing and Beginners Web Dacorum Campus College (iPad Session) Painting Taster Building: Create 2pm to 5pm 10.30am to 12.30pm Your Own Webpage Noon to 2pm 9am to 2pm 9.30am to 11.30am 10am to 11.30am London Torquay 10am to noon Hemel Hempstead Cambridge House Filton - South Telford Torquay Adult Wetherby Centre West Herts College Gloucestershire and Sutton Hill & Community Leeds City College Manchester Stroud College Community Centre Learning City Library, Elliot House ‘Pop-up’ shop at the Singing Flash Mob! Confidence Building Care, Health & Early 10 things the Wood Workshop Coffee morning with Sovereign Centre Workshops Years Employers Fair Internet can help Open Age 1pm to 4pm you with 10am to 12.30pm 9am to 5pm 10.30am to 11.30am 10am to 2pm 10.30am to 12.30pm (Everyday) Brighton 10.30am to noon London E-mail: julie. Totton Cambridge The Camden College London Knightstone Campus watson@brighton- Totton College Cambridge Regional Peterborough North Kensington Weston College hove.gov.uk College Central Library Library This digital edition is not for onward distribution or reproduction. To discuss the FE Week multiple subscription service please contact James Francis on 020 8123 4891 www.feweek.co.uk Mond ay 07 M ay FE Week 5 FE Week profile Peter Pledger ~ his story Nick Summers “When we turned up there the Israelis knew who we were and what we were coming for, and @SummersNicholas while I’m not taking sides in the dispute, they couldn’t have been more horrible,” he explains. “Wherever we got into a taxi, they used to just The Chairman of slash the tires. One of the people we were going to meet was even shot - not killed - but shot the Confederation of before we met them.” Peter recalls, then aged 21, being bundled out Apprenticeship Training of the back of a building and switching cars in a bid to meet his political equivalent from Birzeit Agencies talks to FE Week University. “Our line was that we weren’t taking sides For a man who has risen through trade in the dispute, what we wanted to do was help unions, government quangos and the other students to learn and to grow,” he says. skills sector for more than three decades, Peter After a short spell date stamping post at Pledger gives off an incredible sense of calm Camden Council, Peter was elected as a shop and modesty. “The game plan has always been steward for the National and Local Government to avoid bankruptcy,” he says simply. “As long as Officers Association (NALGO), a trade union I can do that I’m happy.” which would later merge to become Unison. As chairman of the Confederation of Peter was then quickly snapped up by the TUC, Apprenticeship Training Agencies (COATA) setting in motion a lengthy career in union and chief executive of South London Business - work. The job at TUC was “brilliant”, Peter says, a company which delivers apprenticeships both and allowed him to meet a number of renowned as a training provider and ATA - he’s certainly politicians, including a very young Tony Blair. kept busy. His office, based in Croydon, is a “I wasn’t impressed,” he says with a chuckle. rather simple affair, but he’s quick to dispel the “He just didn’t know what he was talking miserable weather outside with a warm smile about!” and welcoming handshake. It’s as if he has all The National Union of Public Employees the time in the world. (NUPE) then invited him to be a representative Growing up in Highbury at a time when the for Thames Water, putting him in charge of all London TEC council, which was set to be “Not only could I think about solving the Victoria line didn’t exist, Peter recalls London disputes and negotiations regarding pay, terms abolished by the Conservatives following their problems, but I also had the money to do it. My as being a “grimy” and “dirty” place during his and conditions, grievances and disciplinaries. rise to power. budget at the time was a quarter of a billion childhood. The avid Chelsea fan, whose parents In our interview he recalls a particularly “The TECS didn’t think they were going to be pounds a year. My personal spend authority, so moved to England from India, was one of only nervous visit to Beckton; one of the biggest abolished, they thought they were so good they money I could spend without asking anybody, three black children at his school and thought sewage works in Europe. were going to be safe,” he explains. “They forget was a million pounds worth of public money.” of it as “quite a hostile place”. “They took me into what they said was their that while learning is for life, quangos only last He adds: “Problems came along, but we fixed it.” “Bits of London were quite nasty,” he says mess room, and there were all these blokes - and ten years. And they had hit their ten years.” Peter spent seven years leading the LSC, honestly. “There was a lot more overt racism I’m not small, but these were big guys - who training 34,000 people to read and write in the and a lot of attacks at the time. The National said ‘well all of our pay has been stopped.’ process, but left the organisation in 2006 when Front were everywhere in Islington and so you “So I said ‘okay, let’s sit down, let’s just go “Suddenly I heard he felt his powers were being constrained. had to get quite tough, quite quickly.” through the details and try and understand “The ministers wanted greater control, they the bolt go in the door Self-proclaimed as being “useless” at school, how it’s all working, and then we’ll sort it out’. didn’t want appointed people spending money Peter admits he quickly blew his A-levels after Suddenly I heard the bolt go in the door behind the way I was spending money. I could see all behind me, and he spending too much time in the pub. But don’t me, and he said ‘well you’re not going out mate of that and therefore it became more rigid, less count him out as a slacker. On the side Peter until you do sort it out’. I was on their side, but said ‘well you’re not interesting.” also worked as a hospital porter, carrying out that was just how it was!” Peter then set up a consultancy, as he says going out mate until the unenviable task of “shifting dead bodies” The impact of education, and in particular “everyone does”, before being approached for and cleaning up the subsequent mess. the necessity of being able to read and write, the chief executive position at South London you do sort it out’” “The overwhelming feeling about being a also became apparent to Peter during his time Business. The company, which he says “was porter is that you’re waiting for the minutes at Thames Water. In one particular incident, running out of steam” when he took over, now to go by - every minute dragged,” he explains Peter recalls a group of men who refused to use has a healthy turnover of roughly £4-5 million. gloomily. new machinery. Peter knew that once the TECs were And while it still offers business support, “When someone died or something horrible “They came up with every excuse under the abolished, he would then be well placed to Peter has expanded its operations to become a happened it was great, because you could sun...but then I worked out what it was. None of secure a position at one of their replacements, training provider and ATA for apprenticeships. actually do something, but most of the time you them could read the manual. They couldn’t read the ill-fated Learning and Skills Councils “The problem for every single government were waiting, and it was just a horrible way to and they had never needed to read, because they (LSC). It paid off. He was appointed alongside body is how to get to employers. Well, this do something.” had worked on the same machinery that their 46 other executive directors and later briefed is a business organisation, I start with the Throughout these humble beginnings fathers before them had, or that their friends by David Blunkett at a motorcycle factory in employers and that’s what I do all the time... Peter stumbled across a love for politics. The had shown them.” Birmingham. I’m constantly talking to businesses,” he says. hospital, which was set to be closed down by The union representative was later invited “He gave us our instructions and said right, “That’s why our ATA works and that’s why our the NHS during the 1979 general election, to chair the lifelong learning forum and you’ve got until 9am on the 27th of March to be skills bit works.” suddenly became a political campaign backed also joined the board for the West London up and running, but you have no office, no staff, Peter is also chairman of the Confederation by a number of politicians, including Margaret Training and Enterprise Council (TEC), not even a PA, and you’ve got to make it work. of Apprenticeship Training Agencies (COATA), Thatcher. It helped persuade Peter to return which at the time was in charge of delivering “On the first day you’ve got to control the a membership group which he helped setup to to education, where he enrolled at St Mary’s apprenticeships in the surrounding area. funding of every FE college in your area, every try and protect the model from malpractice. University College and became vice president “All these things were unpaid, but that’s the adult and community institution in your area “I wanted to get rid of the scams. There were and later president for the Students’ Union. way of life,” he says with a grin. and all your work based learning providers.” too many people saying they were ATAs who Alongside his studies Peter twinned the college In a high-risk move Peter then applied to It was the challenge Peter had been waiting simply weren’t ATAs. I wanted to get them out with Birzeit University in Palestine. become the deputy chief executive of the for. of the market; this is to clean it up.” This digital edition is not for onward distribution or reproduction. To discuss the FE Week multiple subscription service please contact James Francis on 020 8123 4891 6 FE Week M onday 07 M ay www.feweek.co.uk FE Week Experts Best practice principles College Inspections: in student administration Re-basing of Grades? Many information systems are made up of Some commentators are taking the view diverse legacy systems that have allowed data that, recently, Ofsted has focused too heav- to be captured inconsistently. Simply export- ily on full time 16-18 programmes, and has ing data and keeping it for a specific task is neglected the complexities of general FE. One risky. It invariably does not get updated and particular college has been downgraded from changes rarely find their way back into the “Outstanding” in 2007 to “Inadequate” this originating system. year. When information is consistently produced The inspection report suggests a biase towards from a source system, it is ensured to have the 16-18 provision, which accounts for a third been checked by every level of the organisa- of the college’s activity by student numbers. tion. It is the equivalent of having many data Interestingly, adult and employer programmes, auditors cleansing the information daily. which together accounted for two thirds of Assuming that ‘principle one’ is fairly robust, student numbers, had high performance and a the data will be used and owned by the whole trend of improvement. A private training pro- organisation. vider with these kind of Employer Responsive grades would be graded as “Outstanding”, and In addition to systems integration, any pro- yet this college is now “Inadequate”. cesses should be streamlined and integrated to meet the requirements of the central sys- A different college was graded as “Outstand- tem, without duplication. When developing a ing” in late 2010 and had improved its 16-18 process, any connecting processes should also provision (22% of student numbers) to above lections of the teaching at Eton in the 1940’s. After many years working with college be considered. average. Its Train to Gain provision (54% of Hurd writes about the “mechanical” nature of information systems and the advances student numbers) had declined to below aver- the teaching, and of learning long Greek and I’ve seen in technology, it still amazes me that Principle three: The data is al- age. A private training provider with these Roman speeches by heart and translating them there are vast differences in how colleges ways correct results would not have secured an “Outstand- into English. capture and use information to propel their A strange statement for some people to under- ing” grade. business forward. stand, but a very powerful message for senior I would venture to suggest that if such a class managers to send. The principle behind this Perhaps this begs two questions: firstly, are was discovered in a functional skills session in From my perspective, there are a few fun- message is that you must only use centrally we standardising inspection reports in the some hidden recess of my college, it might not damental principles that would help any right way to ensure a like-for-like comparison fare well under inspection. And yet Hurd says, business to streamline their information pro- “It requires dedication between providers; and secondly, is Ofsted too “I learned more about the English language cesses and enable their users to rely on - and closely aligned to the school sectors to be fully from studying the classics than from any own - the messages that are produced. to ensure that the able to appreciate, and judge the more dispa- number of English lessons.” I have my tongue rate provision which is found across FE? firmly in my cheek as I write this, because I am information captured Principle one: Only collect data not saying that by giving my noisy level 1 hair- once, at its source and in an ac- on courses, students, There is, though, a third question, and that is dressers and engineers a classical education, curate and timely way around the focus, and ultimately, the pur- we will transform them into retired Foreign This sounds fairly straight forward. However, examinations, etc, is pose of inspection. Focuses are changed like Secretaries who write interesting memoirs. this is the biggest challenge that commonly knickers (ie, frequently, regardless of whether correctly represented” requires solving. It requires dedication to strictly necessary). What I am saying, is that the art, the craft, ensure that the information captured on the science (or whatever it is) of teaching is courses, students, examinations, etc, is cor- The focus now is the standard of teaching, a wide one and that to take too narrow or too rectly represented. The best colleges have a produced data to make decisions. learning and assessment, and few would deny prescriptive a view of how it should be done is dedication to getting this right at the data’s that in an industry which revolves around a fatuous exercise. And I am worried that this source and eliminate inconsistencies through If anyone in the organisation finds data to be teaching, learning and assessment that this is going to happen. robust business processes. incorrect then the central system needs to be is important. But there is a danger that, in corrected immediately. This places the data the laudable quest for excellent teaching, the My college recently went through a QAA IQER A critical example of this is ensuring the at the heart of the organisation and enables inspection regime might prescribe too narrow Summative Review of its HE provision (0.4% curriculum plan and the course file are one staff to have confidence when using centrally and too rigid a view of what that teaching of student numbers since you ask). One might and the same. They must match exactly to produced data, knowing that others have also should look and feel like. argue that they made a bit of a meal of it but the planned timetable so that the enrolment used and cleansed it where necessary. we learned so much. You see, it was a dialogue teams have complete information at their “Is Ofsted too closely rather than an inspection, and clever people fingertips during enrolment. Principle four: No decisions that these HE folk are, they had us do most of should be made without refer- aligned to the school the work for them. Triangulating this information early also ence to validated information sectors to be fully able adds a valuable checking process, enabling All performance indicators and monitor- It helped us to focus on how we might build incorrect errors to be eliminated easily. I have ing reports must be output from the central quality into our programmes rather than try- to appreciatethe more seen many course files created with generic system. This again reinforces principle three ing to inspect defects out. And as any student or no dates that bear no resemblance to the and ensures that if an important decision disparate provision which of W Edwards Deming knows (although such way the course is being offered, it is simply a needs to be made, the organisation has knowledge would not come from a classical label that will be used to group enrolments. captured, used and validated that informa- is found across FE?” education), that is not a new concept. It’s just tion previously. Any decision can be made one that we need to be allowed to discover in Principle two: Collect the data in without questioning, in detail, the validity FE. one holistic system of the information; as it is known that this I am currently reading Douglas Hurd’s excel- If that’s not possible, ensure that the data information has already been used to run the lent memoirs, which may or may not suggest a Paul Stopford, Vice Principal at Telford College is ‘live linked’ to eliminate inconsistencies. organisatioMni.chael Haworth, Senior Consultant, character flaw. I am struck by Hurd’s recol- of Arts and Technology. Tribal He writes in a personal capacity. This digital edition is not for onward distribution or reproduction. To discuss the FE Week multiple subscription service please contact James Francis on 020 8123 4891 www.feweek.co.uk Mond ay 07 M ay FE Week 7 FE Week Experts Exhausted? I can’t wait to get back to work NUS’ National Conference is the biggest of colleges and a concerted drive towards system; and ensuring FE gets the attention democratic meeting of students in “regionalisation” and we’re still defending it deserves. This year will see students the world. As such, it’s sort of got a bit of a the existence of EMA in Wales and Northern from Further and Higher Education taking weight on its shoulders. It’s the sovereign Ireland. We also have new policy in FE part in a national demonstration to protect body of the National Union of Students ensuring we are fighting for our entire education for all against government funding in the UK and gives members (students’ membership whether they are in classrooms, cuts. unions) an opportunity to direct our policy prisons or the workplace, and regardless of for the year ahead, elect six of its national their age or background. It’s clear that NUS’ narrative is changing officers and hold previously elected officers from the “HE centric” reputation it once had. to account. “We’ll see the real Candidates in almost all elections this year articulated a need not just to serve those in Despite being completely exhausted after a impact of the complete our membership, but those who haven’t had week of elections, debates and procedural the opportunity to get that far. withdrawal of EMA, motions, I am absolutely honoured to have been re-elected as the NUS Vice President moves towards the It’s time we worked for an entire generation (Further Education), and I can’t wait to get that is being let down, with record youth implementation of fees straight back to work. unemployment, the introduction of new and loans in FE and a powers to stop and search students in This year brings with it some of the greatest schools and colleges and the conspicuous continued drive from challenges to Further Education that we’ve lack of involvement of young people in our ever seen. We’ll see the real impact of democracy. Michael Gove to move A the complete withdrawal of EMA, moves towards the implementation of fees and levels back into the 1950s” So, I’m straight back to work to fight against loans in FE and a continued drive from FE fees and loans, and we’ll see you on the Michael Gove to move A levels back into the streets. 1950s. Against that background, NUS continues to move its focus more and more towards Toni Pearce, VP for FE , In Scotland we’re seeing the forced mergers defending the entire tertiary education National Union of Students This digital edition is not for onward distribution or reproduction. To discuss the FE Week multiple subscription service please contact James Francis on 020 8123 4891 8 FE Week M onday 07 M ay www.feweek.co.uk FE Week gets technical ~ FE loans Nick Linford, managing director of Lsect, delivered a half hour webinar about FE loans policy to more than 600 people last week. The slides are published here in full. 1 2 3 4 5 6 This digital edition is not for onward distribution or reproduction. To discuss the FE Week multiple subscription service please contact James Francis on 020 8123 4891 www.feweek.co.uk Mond ay 07 M ay FE Week 9 7 8 99 1100 11 12 This digital edition is not for onward distribution or reproduction. To discuss the FE Week multiple subscription service please contact James Francis on 020 8123 4891 10 FE Week Monday 7 May 2012 www.feweek.co.uk FE Week gets technical ~ FE loan survey In the last week of April 2012 a total of 232 staff from 151 colleges completed this Lsect online survey. A summary of the results are published here, including some of the comments. Should the FE loans scheme be delayed or scrapped? Susanne Stent, Principal, Huntingdonshire Regional College (tick all that apply) "Support for LLDD needs to be urgently worked through. I am currently being told that it 'may come out of exisiting ALS' and so not follow HE structures. Fine, but this needs to be confirmed and funding added to this budget." Delay and or scrap 161 69% Camilla Race, Employment Services Manager, Bishop Auckland College Neither delay nor scrap 71 31% "The sector has not been fully consulted on this issue and therefore the Government are pushing something through that will have serious implications for recruitment on to higher level provision as well as disadvantaging learners who are financially challenged" 232 Sue Verner, Student Advisor, Wakefield College "Good idea in principal, just a lot more work for a sector which is losing funding and jobs rapidly!" How do you rate public awareness of the FE loans scheme Martin Southward, Finance Manager, Lakes College West Cumbria (1 being no awareness, 10 being very aware) "Isn't it just another name for reduction in funding of adult education, I think in some geographical areas it will be a huge disincentive for people to take part in FE and improve their prospects." Awareness Public % Phil Hastie, Vice Principal, Stockton Riverside College "FE loans only make sense from a treasury accounting position. FE loans will further undermine the responsiveness of FE to support local Not very aware 1-4 207 89% labour market change and retraining for regeneration. Aware 5-7 22 9% Very aware 8-10 3 1% Jacquie Mcdonnell, Assistant Managing Director Business Services, North West Kent College 232 "This could work well but it may put people off from doing level 3 or higher apprenticeship if these are not seen necessary for employment" Debbie Ward, Director of Planning & Funding, Salford City College How do you rate awareness among your senior management (1 being no awareness, 10 being very aware) "Very poor communication, nobody outside FE has any idea, and very few within FE understand and are fully aware of the issues & implications." Jon Rathmill, Funding & ILR Team Leader, Canterbury College Awareness Managers % "This policy is being implemented far too quickly with not enough consideration given to the long-term consequences. The types of student this Not very aware 1-4 39 17% will affect are simply not going to enrol if they have to take out a loan. They will continue find work where they can and simply see that their access to further and higher education has been permanently blocked." Aware 5-7 96 41% Very aware 8-10 97 42% Julie Hinchliffe, Assistant Principal: Skills & Curriculum Development, Bradford College 232 "Will affect the ability of potential students, in poorer parts of the country, to access further education." How do you rate awareness among your teachers & support staff Jean Feely, Acting Director of Curriculum, Burton & South Derbyshire College (1 being no awareness, 10 being very aware) "The FE loans policy is flawed. If - as the media leads us to believe - the average age for firsts time mortgage holders is 37yrs, what impact will an FE loan e.g for Access to HE, followed by an HE loan have on this figure? I worry about what will happen to aspiring professionals and the Awareness Teachers etc % potential reduction in movement across socio-economic boundaries for bright but poor individuals." Craig Owen, Director of College Information Services, Kendal College Not very aware 1-4 132 57% "I have huge concerns that this will decimate Adult apprentice take -up at Level 3 - particularly within certain sectors i.e. Hospitality, Aware 5-7 92 40% Hairdressing, Beauty, Health & Social Care, Retail" Very aware 8-10 8 3% Jon Buxton, Funding and Performance Manager, Stockton Riverside College " 232 Will there be additional funding available to Colleges to cover additional costs of administration?" Lesley Fooks, Head of Student Administration, Lewisham College How prepared is your college to implement the scheme? (1 being not prepared at all, 10 being very prepared) "I am worried that the consultations will take so long - we as Colleges will get little time to prepare internal systems - we need the full details as soon as possible - just like the implementation of 16 - 18 Bursaries everything will be last minute" Geoff Sorrell, Deputy Principal, City College Norwich Not prepared 1-4 128 55% "There's likely to be an impact on student numbers but the Adult Skills Budget provides some flexibility for organisations. Prepared 5-7 88 38% Tough on students though particularly if they want to go on to HE and need to do the same again." Very prepared 8-10 16 7% Steve Hewitt, Strategic Funding, Enrolments & Examinations Manager, Morley College "Much as I dislike it, I can't see loans going away in the medium-term, there are no other obvious ways to make the cuts we have been told we 232 need to make. If there are no loans, where is the money for L3 courses going to come from? Having said that, I can easily forsee the Student Loans Co having a massive meltdown and colleges losing out on big piles of money..." This digital edition is not for onward distribution or reproduction. To discuss the FE Week multiple subscription service please contact James Francis on 020 8123 4891

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FE FE Week Week nnneeewwwsss ~~~ aaannnaaalllyyysssiiisss ~~~ jjjooobbbsss ~~~ fffuuunnn Bradford College takes to the Podium Monday 07 May 2012 See pages 12 & 13 www.feweek.co.uk Adult Learners’ Week FE Week takes a look at what’s in store in Adult Learners’ Week 2012 Page 4 Peter Pledger FE Week interviews the chief Paul Porter, boxing development offi cer, Mally MacIver, boxing coach and Saira Tabasum, student and boxer from Bradford College picked up gold at the black tie ceremony executive of South London Business Page 5 Colleges call for FE loans to be delayed FE loans survey FE Week Exclusive “As well as avoiding another A further 89 per cent of respond- ment of Business, Innovation and NHS-style PR disaster, pausing ents said the public was not very Skills (BIS) added: “Introducing Nick Summers now will allow some of the record aware of the proposed system. loans will that thousands of people 69% say @SummersNicholas numbers of unemployed people Debbie Ward, director of plan- can access learning at a time when access education.” ning and funding at MidKent grant funding is being prioritised delay or The majority of professionals in The survey, which asked prin- College, said: “Very poor commu- on those who need it most.” scrap FE the FE sector support delaying or cipals, vice principals and MIS nication, nobody outside FE has FE Week will host a roundtable scrapping the introduction of FE managers what changes they any idea, and very few within FE debate on May 9 to discuss the sec- loans loans, according to a survey of would like to make to the proposed understand and are fully aware of tor’s concerns about FE loans. Lsect members. FE loans system, found that 69 per the issues and implications.” Speakers include Andrew King, Nearly 70 per cent of respond- cent wanted it delayed or scrapped. Julian Gravatt, assistant chief lead for FE Loans at BIS, Gordon ents, who represent more than Toni Pearce, vice president (FE) executive of AoC, added: “The sur- Marsden, shadow minister for fur- 150 different FE colleges, said the at the NUS, said: “Those working vey shows that college staff have ther education, skills and regional Page 10 & 11 government should prolong the in the sector are deeply worried signifi cant concerns about public growth and Miss Pearce. implementation of the scheme or their colleges have simply not been awareness of the policy and how it Maxine Room, principal of Lew- Join the #FEDebate abandon it completely. given the opportunity to prepare will be communicated. isham College and Peter Pledger, The survey, designed with the for the havoc this loans scheme “There are also lots of con- chairman of the Confederation of Association of Colleges (AoC), would wreak. cerns about the impact on access Apprenticeship Training Agen- National Union of Students (NUS), “The grassroots pressure to students, engineering students and cies (ATAs) and chief executive of University and College Union shelve these plans, coming from students with learning diffi culties South London Business, have also (UCU) and Unison, adds to grow- those who know the needs of their and disabilities. confi rmed their attendance. ing concerns about the impact of students best, is growing apace. “It is clear that more informa- The Lsect survey follows a joint the scheme both on learners and “The government must stop tion is needed about the fi ner detail call for the delay in FE loans by the providers. digging a hole for itself on this one of how this policy will operate AoC, NUS, UCU and Unison. Sally Hunt, general secretary of and go back to the drawing board to allow colleges to effectively The group has written to min- the UCU, said: “The government if a disaster for adult learners is to prepare.” isters arguing that the sector is has got itself in enough trouble be averted.” However, the government says not prepared for the changes and Learn how to get involved with FE by not listening to the experts in Respondents were also asked to it is “working closely with the consequences of the system. Week’s monthly Twitter debate recent months. score, on a scale of 1 to 10, whether sector” to make sure it is prepared They also suggest a “pause” in Page 16 “It now needs to listen to the col- they thought people were aware of for the introduction of the loans, the introduction of FE loans until lective voices from across further the FE loans scheme. which will be for those aged 24 and there has been a full impact assess- inside... education that make it clear that More than half (55 per cent) said over, studying at Level 3 and above ment and consultation with the the sector is simply not prepared the sector was not very aware or in the 2013/14 academic year. sector. for, and does not want, FE loans. prepared (1-4) for FE loans. A spokesperson for the Depart- See page 10 and 11 for more. This digital edition is not for onward distribution or reproduction. To discuss the FE Week multiple subscription service please contact James Francis on 020 8123 4891 2 FE Week M onday 07 M ay www.feweek.co.uk Future still Bright for sub-contractor Nick Summers ers to deliver practical sessions and everything hospitality, a few days later. else. The SFA told FE Week: “Due to the nature of FE @SummersNicholas “We did it all and delivered it all.” these particular circumstances, the Agency has The SFA began an investigation into NTQUK been working with Bright Assessing Training The head of a sub-contractor has spoken out in February “after receiving credible informa- and other sub-contractors of NTQUK to reas- Week about the practice used by NTQUK, a training tion suggesting signifi cant irregularities” in sign their contracts to other lead providers to provider whose contract has been terminated evidence submitted to the SFA to support fund- ensure continuity of training for learners and by the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) following ing claims. employers and to minimise the disruption they irregularities in learner data. Mrs Charles-Jones says she was emailed by may experience.” Krissy Charles-Jones, chief executive of NTQUK in the same month requesting they Since losing the contract with NTQUK Bright Assessing, has revealed how almost 60 speak “urgently.” Bright Assessing has had an additional 140 learners were left without a qualifi cation after She called them back and was told by learners complete, with 77 per cent fi nding jobs NTQUK said they had been refused funding by NTQUK that they could no longer fund the once they leave the course. FE Week is a new newspaper dedicated to the SFA. learners. NTQUK had their contract terminated by the reporting on news, analysis, jobs and fun “They took the risk on me and they took a “I said ‘what do you mean, is there a problem SFA in March. in the FE sector. risk on my business, and that’s what annoyed with them? Have I caused the problem or have I Following an unsuccessful dispute resolu- me,” Mrs Charles-Jones told FE Week in an sent you the wrong forms?’ She said ‘I’m really tion panel, the company has now asked to go to So tell us what you think at exclusive interview. sorry, but we haven’t had our growth agreed by arbitration. www.surveymonkey.com/s/feweek “They took my business and put it on the the SFA’.” Allan Bate, the chairman of NTQUK, has line.” Martin Cawley, contracts manager at said that if arbitration fails, the company, And tweet us your thoughts @feweek or Mrs Charles-Jones says she signed a pilot NTQUK, has confi rmed the decision to sign which employs roughly 100 people, could be with the hashtag #feweek contract with NTQUK, worth £100,000, after the contract was “pending the outcome of the forced to close. meeting the necessary due diligence require- growth request.” FE Week has seen a letter sent by Geoff Managing Editor: Nick Linford ments in December last year. Mrs Charles-Jones then called the SFA South Russell, chief executive of the SFA, to NTQUK Deputy Editor: Nick Reinis Three weeks into the contract, Mrs Charles- East regional director, who said it wasn’t the addressing these concerns. News Reporter: Nick Summers Jones says she was then emailed by NTQUK, agency’s responsibility to deal with subcon- It reads: “Whilst the Agency is sympathetic Designer: Daniel Duke who said it was unlikely they would be able to tracting disputes. to the position employees of NTQUK fi nd Sales Director: Gemma Ryder issue any more contracts after the pilot. When asked about subcontracting responsi- themselves in, the responsibility for ensuring Senior Sales: James Francis “She said ‘just to let you know we’re having bilities, the SFA told FE Week: “Lead providers NTQUK meets its obligations to its employees Operations: Shane Mann a major contractual review and therefore after are accountable for managing relationships rests solely with NTQUK and any suggestion Financials: Nahed Chowdhury this pilot we can’t guarantee what numbers you with their sub-contractors. that the failure to pay staff is due to the incom- Analyst: Tashanna Egbochue can do’,” said Krissy Charles-Jones. “This includes undertaking all necessary due petence of Agency staff is entirely refuted. Features: Janet Murray (freelance) The Bright Assessing CEO says she then diligence, and ensuring the quality of training “In fact, the audited accounts of the company Recruitment: Chardelle Mason called NTQUK, who reassured her that the cur- provided.” to the year ending July 2010 showed that the Contributors: Michael Haworth rent learners were “absolutely fi ne”. However, the regional director did offer to Directors paid themselves dividends and salary Paul Stopford Bright Assessing continued to deliver the help Bright Assessing fi nd a new lead provider. amounting to almost £800,000 (including all Toni Pearce training between December and February. The SFA partnered Bright Assessing with Directors’ remunerations but not including “re- FE Week mini-mascot Mrs Charles-Jones said: “We paid to deliver Remit, a training provider which delivers ap- tirement benefi ts”) which appears to have left the training, arranged with all these employ- prenticeships in IT, automotive and food and the company in a diffi cult fi nancial position.” For an annual subscription to FE Week for just £75 visit www.feweek.co.uk and click on ‘subscribe’ at the top of the page. The £240m SFA giveaway FE Week news in brief If you are interested in placing a product Register launched or job advert in a future edition please click Nick Summers table Trust (UCT) to Lloyds TSB Development on the ‘advertise’ link at the top of the page Capital (LDC) for £40 million last October, now The Careers Profession Alliance (CPA) has @SummersNicholas on www.feweek.co.uk or contact: has a total allocation worth more than £130 launched the fi rst ‘National Register of Career E: [email protected] million with the SFA. Development Professionals’. T: 020 8123 4891 The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) has allocated The updated spreadsheet also shows that Skills minister John Hayes says he wants 50 M: 0783 7769 411 providers an extra £240 million since the start ESG (Skills) Limited, a supplier of welfare to per cent of careers professionals to be on the of the academic year, new data has shown. work and vocational skills services, has had new register by April 2015, which sets standards An updated spreadsheet for 2011/12, the largest fall in funding allocation since Au- of professional practice for giving information, FE Week FE published by the SFA last week, shows that gust 2011., The company is shown to have had advice and guidance. Ruth Spellman OBE, chair Week nnneeewwwsss ~~~ aaannnaaalllyyysssiiisss ~~~ jjjooobbbsss ~~~ fffuuunnn allocations have risen to more than £4 billion 78 per cent of their allocation clawed back by of the CPA, said: “With a free marketplace open- Bradford College takes to the PodiumSee pages 12 & 13 Mowndwawy. f0e7w Meeaky. c2o0.1u2k combined. the SFA through 16-18 apprenticeships, down ing up in career development it is essential that Adult Learners’ Week The extra funding has been distrib- almost £4 million, and also through the ASB, anyone seeking careers services can be assured uted mostly through the Adult Skills Budget which was reduced by nearly £2 million. they are dealing with someone who is profes- PFstEoe rWet eieenk Ar tad kuPelts l Laee laodronkge arets ’w rWheaet’ksP 2ian0g1 e2 4 (ASB), which has risen by seven per cent to South Nottingham College, now the sixth sionally qualifi ed and meets high standards.” £2,604,934,311, up from £2,441,138,450. largest provider in the UK following a merger CPaul Poorter,l bolxineg devgelopmeent osffi cer , Mcallya MacIlver,l bo xinfg cooach rand S aiFra TabEasum, stuldenot anda boxenr froms Brad fotrd Coolleg e pbickede up a godld awaerd atl thae blacyk tie ceeremdony FeFxEe EcWuet eilkvoe i noatfe Snrvoiusetwh s sL tuohnerd covhni eeBfu yPsaingees 5s The new fi gures show that the funding for 16- with Castle College Nottingham, received the SFA subcontracting Ne1giaANU(itpthbrletTtslL@FeoUmnhhhhce5ndobyrashnsacar0cgNTS“eeeeSovuiCae tsspettinEna eI s vacec nhviidocFsUsceUu ltg,npovsomrtlieace ekcoidaeEolwn C,d)tpe tnmnfmhcmtri y nro atWfas e aioailUtmsahmlves e ncoSnijuceoiryHwetnimlemo,srooetin tcsn g orrm eidscteuUosrui7y r .o v te nnrentecetnaii ett0nn nbanrUeeonstma hchelttei etrb dysftetph py ridosnoi enaessi, F,oos ri nk e r sma:dfo ihi odtsmfingd tsniNEern.m grb“ snsufh n om.eCge psC oo T oc o puntEe ttcp isepeolomontoaeouorhfenpciolnelorflrnnolk, gd y ttelolroht ox lSl t eaedal nsteta hi e atrlufpentghm slgcodh ue eegotelcuyisggrtoore e adsdt.ecef lesuododehvelot ssr ts a ecnsr elsirUewrxe s iiupn occl(mte,lto ovenssrpeA trnrahrinoe ssn neonttaeostepfeyri aeogpshyhug arrmouptasitomii C o aat rl(rnthn daobcttfsasNvnheon)rthhegter fl ,nhntywFd ieei eU aeeohnoncode t -Ed t-ofS oerr r f l )-, fNnnacmwFcaitgfwstsdaibstttoonfhhhhhhtcieitcnieuoEooHupv rra go “TT““RMeoeeenc eatwd,tmAuua eandgTT iy rhesSlhltote haFs vrdnovoll hle geies asebsn-hhweewddnest neEs,aeris o n cepg hce ,wti eews rNdte s ogin aso lw hteotertvy aoblhltPie uns hggoenhlsorlUtsddeneakisluarcla ehol rrr s oecatedbae uot seedaolStcvgaohea vv ea e s ngoly.ewew ackP efkaoh,rpd”tlseeesro n serssskanpo o cscsnRstpahc yr ultt ts ifptw a.re ,rentashoa,noseooaptam t i n si,ldocih wr h io lowmavr r mtfeand ndteevsshoeiow aant tliohohncesmc: oa o fi ,tusevrekgt oid.wp haeelcisis“mdt ”hfm dnenarefpcl(pei r l,esoTauaodv5p eitoey htiaeetle csute1nns5nh patelr or wee opi l monw. tyena oagagernsrmtyrtodp lmile,o l,lytw fsseed eyeusst fn eaeasheoppskF s so re d i 1srotainangtsdwuoer ianlee Ehn t0ht w crdpwy dp os cna urd hago,spegah saner et eelsa o pcnso ewrM trw htteponefenro bkirorryfhar otropamrere6nhtptakeaooeIpi oc pti is)9cantrSe gelrd(pa s i enm ehoo beoFrsndset i pr p. r-os teeh rsae. 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Fytonst.el vErFasoeP ddyEareD wbg a eitet hPe1 0baF g&Eae 11t16e 1ut£tih89po e,TTa n5t sp7hhost6p, eeaa ,H r9rlS eta0tIFon 9rToAt gtaf fiTre lc sot sreophtmasfr ebi eh n£etaaha5incdn4seaes, g 0afdhA a3lLeescg7mteot,ed3to ni r,5rsc ic 7 h hsoyy.eo,afe nuw sat phrbsr. eey8tc h7 ise napeit-vvey teerehdn ace reap c nneaotr lem l focxrepcotrnaama--t, ltbrfaoheyrrceTN g 1e FSh9eeiEvF wespetA Cehc dir,oano tilmcl-nhllyeeecee ngCgr aseteeore st al rc,oal seoue li£clngnpo2eed g9ci£ v o,a4lt0aehft,40idr e2oF9g i,an6u3ren, 8 sr3ot 4tto8eu h.9atxta el ttlolrroo f Sa Ec£ Faa£2dAlt46uli,, o6F3can17alEl72t oi i,,cn28oco89canl99rt l .ieeforagnosem es . TltcihoshenThe teih rSnneakgd cp i ttlouholfsbre slFt nih cuweeanxi tmtdtih oiso nnuang,nb t whA cao.hggnigectnrrheca gdycae t(ittSneaF givAl sar) ela uwglleii s slotlue fbbr £e -b1 pe0uf0o,b0r-0e0 ny, which delivers training for the hotel and ca- The data also shows that Elmfi eld Training, or more, requires all lead providers to submit tering Industries, was given an extra £7,810,400 which delivers apprenticeships at Morrisons, a declaration of sub-contractors form to their Learning & Skills Events, Consultancy and Training Ltd through the ASB and an additional £1,766,509 now has an allocation for 2011/12 worth more relationship manager by May 8. 161-165 Greenwich High Road for apprentices aged 16 to 18. Elsewhere Ufi than £41 million. The SFA website reads: “As well as demon- London SE10 8JA Limited received additional in-year funds of While its funds for 16 to 18 apprentices has strating the diversity and breadth of the supply T: 020 8123 4778 £8,476,405, up seven per cent from their initial been reduced by £2 million to £10 million, its chain, the purpose of giving this national E: [email protected] 2011/12 allocation. provision for adult learners has risen by £5.75 overview is to assist lead providers we directly The fi rm, which was sold by the Ufi Chari- million to £31,101,000. contract with their due diligence checks.” This digital edition is not for onward distribution or reproduction. To discuss the FE Week multiple subscription service please contact James Francis on 020 8123 4891 www.feweek.co.uk Mond ay 07 M ay FE Week 3 Report fi nds ‘process failures’ at the Skills Funding Agency Nick Reinis or uploaded the revised data fi le as around This was reported by a “former SFA contin- two” and that all changes must now be approved 45 staff had access to the site used to feed the gent worker” in a letter to John Hayes, minister by a GSS statistician. @fenickr updates to the external web manager.” for further education, skills and lifelong learn- The Agency has also “tightened” existing It also tells of a “reorganisation of the FE ing, and copied to the National Statistician, procedure to ensure full records are kept of any An investigation into secret changes to a Choices data team” from April 2011, which which was received on 21 February 2012. It was changes or revisions, so that an “audit trail” government website has unearthed “process placed them under the auspices of the Data Ser- also communicated to FE Week. exists. A longer term plan includes improved failures” and an inability to pinpoint who made vice. Transition and incorporation on to Data The report adds: “The Agency added a notice documentation of process, and improved test- the unauthorised adjustments to data. Service protocols is still in progress. to their website alerting users to a potential ing of code and data to allow “more time, more The views are made in a breach report, pub- The report says: “A number of process problem on 21 February 2012. While investigat- automated testing, and adequate ring-fenced lished by UK Statistics Authority into the FE failures have been identifi ed relating to a lack ing the reported change, further changes that resources” between website and data projects. Choices website, which is managed by the Data of data backup procedures, failure to follow the had been made to the data came to light. These The Authority’s report also says although Service; part of the Skills Funding Agency. required version control procedures, sign-off were a revision to the treatment of zero values, permanent staff within the Agency are aware As revealed by FE Week in March, an investi- procedures which did not require statistician correction of a coding error relating to ques- of the Code of Practice, not all “contingent gation by the Agency found nearly 2,700 changes approval, and resourcing, including dependence tions 6 and 7, and the exclusion of data relating workers” are. A refresh of this knowledge is were made to “unique values” in the Learner on contingent workers and high levels of staff to large employers who train their own staff. planned. Satisfaction indicator of the site, without public turnover during the reorganisation. “These changes should also have been an- An Agency statement read: “As soon as the knowledge, after it went live on January 26. “All these issues are limited to the FE Choices nounced at the same time as the changes were Agency received reliable intelligence that a This affected 442 providers, with 62 provid- system and processes, and do not extend to implemented, and information made available problem had occurred, they took immediate ac- ers unaffected. However, while the Authority’s other SFA statistical outputs.” about the nature of the changes.” tion by uploading position statements on the FE report lifts the lid on how it occurred, it was The report also highlights that the Agency be- In response, the Agency has implemented Choices webpage and began a thorough inves- unable to identify who made the changes. came aware of “further changes” to FE Choices measures that it says will stop a reoccurrence tigation. Once the Agency had conducted their The Authority’s report says: “The SFA have during their investigation. of this incident in the future. investigation, they communicated fi ndings (on examined available email and other electronic After the FE Choices data was published, These include improving existing “change FE Choices) and began implementing processes, records, and interviewed staff, but are unable to data in the Learner Satisfaction indicator was control process to restrict the number of people which we are confi dent will aim to prevent any identify who made or authorised these changes, subsequently corrected on February 6. able to upload web changes to the feeder site to reoccurrence of this singular incident.” HR Director of Morrisons to step down next month Nick Summers @SummersNicholas The group HR and communications director NEWLY at Morrisons has announced he will leave the supermarket retailer at the end of June. Norman Pickavance, who has been ques- FUNDED tioned by the BIS Select Committee over the apprenticeship programme at Morrisons, will QUALIFICATION leave “to pursue opportunities” elsewhere. permarket would have continued the training Dalton Philips, the chief executive of Morri- attributed to each apprenticeship had they not sons, said: “Norman has been pivotal in making received government funding. Morrisons an award winning employer. “We would have done it anyway,” Mr Picka- “He has transformed our HR function and vance said. NCFE L3 Certificate in End of Life Care has been a great advocate for developing people “We do not receive any money from the gov- from all backgrounds across the business. ernment purse for the training that we provide. We would like to make you aware that the SFA have agreed to “We wish him well for his future.” “All the training that we deliver is at Mor- temporarily fund this extremely important qualification Mr Pickavance will continue his work as risons’ cost, and so it should be.” a non-executive director at Create, a social He added: “We use the government money enterprise which helps support homeless and through a third-party provider, because we are Learning aim ref: 50101171 disadvantaged people back into work. not experts in accrediting people and we are not 141 GLH Gary Stott, deputy chair of Create, has con- experts in national standards.” Indicative course duration: 16 weeks fi rmed Mr Pickavance will be receiving “no sal- Mr Pickavance was questioned further dur- ary or remuneration” for the on-going position, ing the BBC One Panorama programme “The Quote ‘FE Week’ to purchase these NCFE-endorsed student learning which includes being chair of the board. Great Apprentice Scandal”. materials at a special price of £55 per pack for FE week readers “I think that Norman has a tremendous The show revealed that 40 per cent of the (publish price £68 per pack) on orders received before 31 May career history and a passion to see people’s lives company’s workforce was on an apprenticeship transformed through the experience of work,” last year, with more than two thirds aged 25 or What’s more, for customers using our resources, we will train your Mr Stott said. I am sure he will be using the next above. few months to work with a number of different “Forty per cent of people are trying to get staff to deliver this qualification free of charge. organisations that are close to his heart and a basic qualifi cation,” Mr Pickavance told the share his passion.” BBC. Need a partner to deliver this programme on your behalf? We’d be FE Week revealed in March how Elmfi eld “People who don’t leave school with a qualifi - delighted to talk to you about using our own team of experienced Training, a private training provider which cation often feel they don’t have access and don’t assessors and verifiers to help meet the considerable demand for delivers apprenticeships at Morrisons, donated see the skilled jobs or managerial position as this and other fundable qualifications. £200,000 to Create. Mr Pickavance was then something they can aspire to.” questioned alongside Ged Sydall, chief execu- He later added: “Actually when you look at For more information, call us on 01904 550110 or email tive of Elmfi eld Training, during an evidence the results that are being delivered through [email protected] session held by the BIS Select Committee for this programme, with a private provider, we’re their inquiry into apprenticeships. doing something that is actually exemplary in www.tribalgroup.com Ministers asked Mr Pickavance if the su- terms of the qualifi cations people get.” This digital edition is not for onward distribution or reproduction. To discuss the FE Week multiple subscription service please contact James Francis on 020 8123 4891 4 FE Week M onday 07 M ay www.feweek.co.uk FE Week investigates Looking ahead to Adult Learners’ Week Nick Reinis tional learners who have changed their lives. largest issue we’ve got. The focus on ap- learning is not just for Christmas, so to speak. “It’s about recognising the real wider prenticeships is a good thing, but they are “Most go on to do more learning or achieve @fenickr benefi ts of adult learning. It’s not just about expensive. more in life, whether it’s work or helping to skills or work or leisure or pleasure, it’s about “There are three areas under pressure; em- mentor, or getting involved in their commu- As tag lines go, the one being championed as all of these things.” ployers, the government and the individual. nity. the essence of Adult Learners’ Week, which He added: “What we try to do is showcase It does cost more to do widening participation He added: “When you have over one million begins on Saturday, will take some beating. people who can provide that. It’s one thing to really well.” who are NEET, you worry about them making It reads: “There has never been a more talk about it, but another for a learner to say a difference to their lives. important time to celebrate and promote the ‘this is my story’ and we want people to be “It’s a generation of young people who “When you have over benefi ts of learning - encouraging adults to empowered by these people to see that they may be one, two or three years not in work or discover the positive impact learning can can do it too. training, and not being hopeful and optimis- one million who are have on their lives, their families and their “We just don’t celebrate enough in this tic.” community.” country. We have the degree awarding cer- But the Week is not just about events on a NEET, you worry The Week, spearheaded by the National emonies, but we don’t really have anything national scale, it is also about localised activi- Institute of Adult Continuing Education for students leaving school.” ties, as Mr Hughes explains. about them making a (NIACE) is the UK’s largest annual festival of The following day, NIACE will hold its “Another big part is that we have thousands learning, incorporating thousands of events National Policy Conference, in conjunction of events across the country so people can difference to their lives” and award ceremonies, with the aim of pro- with The Open University, which will explore drop in and have a go locally at adult learn- moting “every type” of learning. the current and emerging challenges and ing. With just days to go until the beginning of approaches to widening participation in adult “Around 100,000 people have previously tak- the Week, David Hughes, the chief executive education. The Week will continue on Wednesday with en part in these types of events during ALW of NIACE, told FE Week that the Week has Mr Hughes said: “We’re holding a confer- a Parliamentary Reception. and that’s really important to the Week.” many elements, with the fi rst event, held on ence on widening participation which is one Mr Hughes said: “We have a parliamentary For more information on Adult Learners’ Monday, the Adult Learners’ Week National of the big issues for us. We have John Hayes reception with the all-party group for further Week, visit www.alw.org.uk Award Ceremony. coming to speak and also employers and education and skills, where we’ve invited for- Alternatively, follow NIACE on Twitter and He said: “It’s about celebrating what adult learners and people from the community.” mer award winners to come back and speak. join in by tweeting about your Adult Learn- learning can do for people and about excep- He added: “Widening participation is the It’s great, because it helps to show that adult ers’ Week activity by using #ALW12 Try French We are What we Holiday Italian A Digital Day Out Help your child Creative workshop Watercolours - Wear: Kathakali taster with English Mixed Ability 10am to 12pm 9.30am to 11.30am 1.30pm to 4.45pm 1.30pm to 3pm 9am to 4pm 10am to noon 9.30am to 12.30pm Woodley Hill House Scunthorpe London Newcastle-upon-Tyne Portsmouth London Ashby Link Adult Bideford Bracknell and Victoria and Albert Heaton Adult Highbury College Thomas Calton Community Arts Centre Wokingham College Museum Education Centre Centre Learning Centre 50th Anniversary of Family Learning Day Bring a Friend to Coffee Morning Creative Writing Drawing and Beginners Web Dacorum Campus College (iPad Session) Painting Taster Building: Create 2pm to 5pm 10.30am to 12.30pm Your Own Webpage Noon to 2pm 9am to 2pm 9.30am to 11.30am 10am to 11.30am London Torquay 10am to noon Hemel Hempstead Cambridge House Filton - South Telford Torquay Adult Wetherby Centre West Herts College Gloucestershire and Sutton Hill & Community Leeds City College Manchester Stroud College Community Centre Learning City Library, Elliot House ‘Pop-up’ shop at the Singing Flash Mob! Confidence Building Care, Health & Early 10 things the Wood Workshop Coffee morning with Sovereign Centre Workshops Years Employers Fair Internet can help Open Age 1pm to 4pm you with 10am to 12.30pm 9am to 5pm 10.30am to 11.30am 10am to 2pm 10.30am to 12.30pm (Everyday) Brighton 10.30am to noon London E-mail: julie. Totton Cambridge The Camden College London Knightstone Campus watson@brighton- Totton College Cambridge Regional Peterborough North Kensington Weston College hove.gov.uk College Central Library Library This digital edition is not for onward distribution or reproduction. To discuss the FE Week multiple subscription service please contact James Francis on 020 8123 4891 www.feweek.co.uk Mond ay 07 M ay FE Week 5 FE Week profile Peter Pledger ~ his story Nick Summers “When we turned up there the Israelis knew who we were and what we were coming for, and @SummersNicholas while I’m not taking sides in the dispute, they couldn’t have been more horrible,” he explains. “Wherever we got into a taxi, they used to just The Chairman of slash the tires. One of the people we were going to meet was even shot - not killed - but shot the Confederation of before we met them.” Peter recalls, then aged 21, being bundled out Apprenticeship Training of the back of a building and switching cars in a bid to meet his political equivalent from Birzeit Agencies talks to FE Week University. “Our line was that we weren’t taking sides For a man who has risen through trade in the dispute, what we wanted to do was help unions, government quangos and the other students to learn and to grow,” he says. skills sector for more than three decades, Peter After a short spell date stamping post at Pledger gives off an incredible sense of calm Camden Council, Peter was elected as a shop and modesty. “The game plan has always been steward for the National and Local Government to avoid bankruptcy,” he says simply. “As long as Officers Association (NALGO), a trade union I can do that I’m happy.” which would later merge to become Unison. As chairman of the Confederation of Peter was then quickly snapped up by the TUC, Apprenticeship Training Agencies (COATA) setting in motion a lengthy career in union and chief executive of South London Business - work. The job at TUC was “brilliant”, Peter says, a company which delivers apprenticeships both and allowed him to meet a number of renowned as a training provider and ATA - he’s certainly politicians, including a very young Tony Blair. kept busy. His office, based in Croydon, is a “I wasn’t impressed,” he says with a chuckle. rather simple affair, but he’s quick to dispel the “He just didn’t know what he was talking miserable weather outside with a warm smile about!” and welcoming handshake. It’s as if he has all The National Union of Public Employees the time in the world. (NUPE) then invited him to be a representative Growing up in Highbury at a time when the for Thames Water, putting him in charge of all London TEC council, which was set to be “Not only could I think about solving the Victoria line didn’t exist, Peter recalls London disputes and negotiations regarding pay, terms abolished by the Conservatives following their problems, but I also had the money to do it. My as being a “grimy” and “dirty” place during his and conditions, grievances and disciplinaries. rise to power. budget at the time was a quarter of a billion childhood. The avid Chelsea fan, whose parents In our interview he recalls a particularly “The TECS didn’t think they were going to be pounds a year. My personal spend authority, so moved to England from India, was one of only nervous visit to Beckton; one of the biggest abolished, they thought they were so good they money I could spend without asking anybody, three black children at his school and thought sewage works in Europe. were going to be safe,” he explains. “They forget was a million pounds worth of public money.” of it as “quite a hostile place”. “They took me into what they said was their that while learning is for life, quangos only last He adds: “Problems came along, but we fixed it.” “Bits of London were quite nasty,” he says mess room, and there were all these blokes - and ten years. And they had hit their ten years.” Peter spent seven years leading the LSC, honestly. “There was a lot more overt racism I’m not small, but these were big guys - who training 34,000 people to read and write in the and a lot of attacks at the time. The National said ‘well all of our pay has been stopped.’ process, but left the organisation in 2006 when Front were everywhere in Islington and so you “So I said ‘okay, let’s sit down, let’s just go “Suddenly I heard he felt his powers were being constrained. had to get quite tough, quite quickly.” through the details and try and understand “The ministers wanted greater control, they the bolt go in the door Self-proclaimed as being “useless” at school, how it’s all working, and then we’ll sort it out’. didn’t want appointed people spending money Peter admits he quickly blew his A-levels after Suddenly I heard the bolt go in the door behind the way I was spending money. I could see all behind me, and he spending too much time in the pub. But don’t me, and he said ‘well you’re not going out mate of that and therefore it became more rigid, less count him out as a slacker. On the side Peter until you do sort it out’. I was on their side, but said ‘well you’re not interesting.” also worked as a hospital porter, carrying out that was just how it was!” Peter then set up a consultancy, as he says going out mate until the unenviable task of “shifting dead bodies” The impact of education, and in particular “everyone does”, before being approached for and cleaning up the subsequent mess. the necessity of being able to read and write, the chief executive position at South London you do sort it out’” “The overwhelming feeling about being a also became apparent to Peter during his time Business. The company, which he says “was porter is that you’re waiting for the minutes at Thames Water. In one particular incident, running out of steam” when he took over, now to go by - every minute dragged,” he explains Peter recalls a group of men who refused to use has a healthy turnover of roughly £4-5 million. gloomily. new machinery. Peter knew that once the TECs were And while it still offers business support, “When someone died or something horrible “They came up with every excuse under the abolished, he would then be well placed to Peter has expanded its operations to become a happened it was great, because you could sun...but then I worked out what it was. None of secure a position at one of their replacements, training provider and ATA for apprenticeships. actually do something, but most of the time you them could read the manual. They couldn’t read the ill-fated Learning and Skills Councils “The problem for every single government were waiting, and it was just a horrible way to and they had never needed to read, because they (LSC). It paid off. He was appointed alongside body is how to get to employers. Well, this do something.” had worked on the same machinery that their 46 other executive directors and later briefed is a business organisation, I start with the Throughout these humble beginnings fathers before them had, or that their friends by David Blunkett at a motorcycle factory in employers and that’s what I do all the time... Peter stumbled across a love for politics. The had shown them.” Birmingham. I’m constantly talking to businesses,” he says. hospital, which was set to be closed down by The union representative was later invited “He gave us our instructions and said right, “That’s why our ATA works and that’s why our the NHS during the 1979 general election, to chair the lifelong learning forum and you’ve got until 9am on the 27th of March to be skills bit works.” suddenly became a political campaign backed also joined the board for the West London up and running, but you have no office, no staff, Peter is also chairman of the Confederation by a number of politicians, including Margaret Training and Enterprise Council (TEC), not even a PA, and you’ve got to make it work. of Apprenticeship Training Agencies (COATA), Thatcher. It helped persuade Peter to return which at the time was in charge of delivering “On the first day you’ve got to control the a membership group which he helped setup to to education, where he enrolled at St Mary’s apprenticeships in the surrounding area. funding of every FE college in your area, every try and protect the model from malpractice. University College and became vice president “All these things were unpaid, but that’s the adult and community institution in your area “I wanted to get rid of the scams. There were and later president for the Students’ Union. way of life,” he says with a grin. and all your work based learning providers.” too many people saying they were ATAs who Alongside his studies Peter twinned the college In a high-risk move Peter then applied to It was the challenge Peter had been waiting simply weren’t ATAs. I wanted to get them out with Birzeit University in Palestine. become the deputy chief executive of the for. of the market; this is to clean it up.” This digital edition is not for onward distribution or reproduction. To discuss the FE Week multiple subscription service please contact James Francis on 020 8123 4891 6 FE Week M onday 07 M ay www.feweek.co.uk FE Week Experts Best practice principles College Inspections: in student administration Re-basing of Grades? Many information systems are made up of Some commentators are taking the view diverse legacy systems that have allowed data that, recently, Ofsted has focused too heav- to be captured inconsistently. Simply export- ily on full time 16-18 programmes, and has ing data and keeping it for a specific task is neglected the complexities of general FE. One risky. It invariably does not get updated and particular college has been downgraded from changes rarely find their way back into the “Outstanding” in 2007 to “Inadequate” this originating system. year. When information is consistently produced The inspection report suggests a biase towards from a source system, it is ensured to have the 16-18 provision, which accounts for a third been checked by every level of the organisa- of the college’s activity by student numbers. tion. It is the equivalent of having many data Interestingly, adult and employer programmes, auditors cleansing the information daily. which together accounted for two thirds of Assuming that ‘principle one’ is fairly robust, student numbers, had high performance and a the data will be used and owned by the whole trend of improvement. A private training pro- organisation. vider with these kind of Employer Responsive grades would be graded as “Outstanding”, and In addition to systems integration, any pro- yet this college is now “Inadequate”. cesses should be streamlined and integrated to meet the requirements of the central sys- A different college was graded as “Outstand- tem, without duplication. When developing a ing” in late 2010 and had improved its 16-18 process, any connecting processes should also provision (22% of student numbers) to above lections of the teaching at Eton in the 1940’s. After many years working with college be considered. average. Its Train to Gain provision (54% of Hurd writes about the “mechanical” nature of information systems and the advances student numbers) had declined to below aver- the teaching, and of learning long Greek and I’ve seen in technology, it still amazes me that Principle three: The data is al- age. A private training provider with these Roman speeches by heart and translating them there are vast differences in how colleges ways correct results would not have secured an “Outstand- into English. capture and use information to propel their A strange statement for some people to under- ing” grade. business forward. stand, but a very powerful message for senior I would venture to suggest that if such a class managers to send. The principle behind this Perhaps this begs two questions: firstly, are was discovered in a functional skills session in From my perspective, there are a few fun- message is that you must only use centrally we standardising inspection reports in the some hidden recess of my college, it might not damental principles that would help any right way to ensure a like-for-like comparison fare well under inspection. And yet Hurd says, business to streamline their information pro- “It requires dedication between providers; and secondly, is Ofsted too “I learned more about the English language cesses and enable their users to rely on - and closely aligned to the school sectors to be fully from studying the classics than from any own - the messages that are produced. to ensure that the able to appreciate, and judge the more dispa- number of English lessons.” I have my tongue rate provision which is found across FE? firmly in my cheek as I write this, because I am information captured Principle one: Only collect data not saying that by giving my noisy level 1 hair- once, at its source and in an ac- on courses, students, There is, though, a third question, and that is dressers and engineers a classical education, curate and timely way around the focus, and ultimately, the pur- we will transform them into retired Foreign This sounds fairly straight forward. However, examinations, etc, is pose of inspection. Focuses are changed like Secretaries who write interesting memoirs. this is the biggest challenge that commonly knickers (ie, frequently, regardless of whether correctly represented” requires solving. It requires dedication to strictly necessary). What I am saying, is that the art, the craft, ensure that the information captured on the science (or whatever it is) of teaching is courses, students, examinations, etc, is cor- The focus now is the standard of teaching, a wide one and that to take too narrow or too rectly represented. The best colleges have a produced data to make decisions. learning and assessment, and few would deny prescriptive a view of how it should be done is dedication to getting this right at the data’s that in an industry which revolves around a fatuous exercise. And I am worried that this source and eliminate inconsistencies through If anyone in the organisation finds data to be teaching, learning and assessment that this is going to happen. robust business processes. incorrect then the central system needs to be is important. But there is a danger that, in corrected immediately. This places the data the laudable quest for excellent teaching, the My college recently went through a QAA IQER A critical example of this is ensuring the at the heart of the organisation and enables inspection regime might prescribe too narrow Summative Review of its HE provision (0.4% curriculum plan and the course file are one staff to have confidence when using centrally and too rigid a view of what that teaching of student numbers since you ask). One might and the same. They must match exactly to produced data, knowing that others have also should look and feel like. argue that they made a bit of a meal of it but the planned timetable so that the enrolment used and cleansed it where necessary. we learned so much. You see, it was a dialogue teams have complete information at their “Is Ofsted too closely rather than an inspection, and clever people fingertips during enrolment. Principle four: No decisions that these HE folk are, they had us do most of should be made without refer- aligned to the school the work for them. Triangulating this information early also ence to validated information sectors to be fully able adds a valuable checking process, enabling All performance indicators and monitor- It helped us to focus on how we might build incorrect errors to be eliminated easily. I have ing reports must be output from the central quality into our programmes rather than try- to appreciatethe more seen many course files created with generic system. This again reinforces principle three ing to inspect defects out. And as any student or no dates that bear no resemblance to the and ensures that if an important decision disparate provision which of W Edwards Deming knows (although such way the course is being offered, it is simply a needs to be made, the organisation has knowledge would not come from a classical label that will be used to group enrolments. captured, used and validated that informa- is found across FE?” education), that is not a new concept. It’s just tion previously. Any decision can be made one that we need to be allowed to discover in Principle two: Collect the data in without questioning, in detail, the validity FE. one holistic system of the information; as it is known that this I am currently reading Douglas Hurd’s excel- If that’s not possible, ensure that the data information has already been used to run the lent memoirs, which may or may not suggest a Paul Stopford, Vice Principal at Telford College is ‘live linked’ to eliminate inconsistencies. organisatioMni.chael Haworth, Senior Consultant, character flaw. I am struck by Hurd’s recol- of Arts and Technology. Tribal He writes in a personal capacity. This digital edition is not for onward distribution or reproduction. To discuss the FE Week multiple subscription service please contact James Francis on 020 8123 4891 www.feweek.co.uk Mond ay 07 M ay FE Week 7 FE Week Experts Exhausted? I can’t wait to get back to work NUS’ National Conference is the biggest of colleges and a concerted drive towards system; and ensuring FE gets the attention democratic meeting of students in “regionalisation” and we’re still defending it deserves. This year will see students the world. As such, it’s sort of got a bit of a the existence of EMA in Wales and Northern from Further and Higher Education taking weight on its shoulders. It’s the sovereign Ireland. We also have new policy in FE part in a national demonstration to protect body of the National Union of Students ensuring we are fighting for our entire education for all against government funding in the UK and gives members (students’ membership whether they are in classrooms, cuts. unions) an opportunity to direct our policy prisons or the workplace, and regardless of for the year ahead, elect six of its national their age or background. It’s clear that NUS’ narrative is changing officers and hold previously elected officers from the “HE centric” reputation it once had. to account. “We’ll see the real Candidates in almost all elections this year articulated a need not just to serve those in Despite being completely exhausted after a impact of the complete our membership, but those who haven’t had week of elections, debates and procedural the opportunity to get that far. withdrawal of EMA, motions, I am absolutely honoured to have been re-elected as the NUS Vice President moves towards the It’s time we worked for an entire generation (Further Education), and I can’t wait to get that is being let down, with record youth implementation of fees straight back to work. unemployment, the introduction of new and loans in FE and a powers to stop and search students in This year brings with it some of the greatest schools and colleges and the conspicuous continued drive from challenges to Further Education that we’ve lack of involvement of young people in our ever seen. We’ll see the real impact of democracy. Michael Gove to move A the complete withdrawal of EMA, moves towards the implementation of fees and levels back into the 1950s” So, I’m straight back to work to fight against loans in FE and a continued drive from FE fees and loans, and we’ll see you on the Michael Gove to move A levels back into the streets. 1950s. Against that background, NUS continues to move its focus more and more towards Toni Pearce, VP for FE , In Scotland we’re seeing the forced mergers defending the entire tertiary education National Union of Students This digital edition is not for onward distribution or reproduction. To discuss the FE Week multiple subscription service please contact James Francis on 020 8123 4891 8 FE Week M onday 07 M ay www.feweek.co.uk FE Week gets technical ~ FE loans Nick Linford, managing director of Lsect, delivered a half hour webinar about FE loans policy to more than 600 people last week. The slides are published here in full. 1 2 3 4 5 6 This digital edition is not for onward distribution or reproduction. To discuss the FE Week multiple subscription service please contact James Francis on 020 8123 4891 www.feweek.co.uk Mond ay 07 M ay FE Week 9 7 8 99 1100 11 12 This digital edition is not for onward distribution or reproduction. To discuss the FE Week multiple subscription service please contact James Francis on 020 8123 4891 10 FE Week Monday 7 May 2012 www.feweek.co.uk FE Week gets technical ~ FE loan survey In the last week of April 2012 a total of 232 staff from 151 colleges completed this Lsect online survey. A summary of the results are published here, including some of the comments. Should the FE loans scheme be delayed or scrapped? Susanne Stent, Principal, Huntingdonshire Regional College (tick all that apply) "Support for LLDD needs to be urgently worked through. I am currently being told that it 'may come out of exisiting ALS' and so not follow HE structures. Fine, but this needs to be confirmed and funding added to this budget." Delay and or scrap 161 69% Camilla Race, Employment Services Manager, Bishop Auckland College Neither delay nor scrap 71 31% "The sector has not been fully consulted on this issue and therefore the Government are pushing something through that will have serious implications for recruitment on to higher level provision as well as disadvantaging learners who are financially challenged" 232 Sue Verner, Student Advisor, Wakefield College "Good idea in principal, just a lot more work for a sector which is losing funding and jobs rapidly!" How do you rate public awareness of the FE loans scheme Martin Southward, Finance Manager, Lakes College West Cumbria (1 being no awareness, 10 being very aware) "Isn't it just another name for reduction in funding of adult education, I think in some geographical areas it will be a huge disincentive for people to take part in FE and improve their prospects." Awareness Public % Phil Hastie, Vice Principal, Stockton Riverside College "FE loans only make sense from a treasury accounting position. FE loans will further undermine the responsiveness of FE to support local Not very aware 1-4 207 89% labour market change and retraining for regeneration. Aware 5-7 22 9% Very aware 8-10 3 1% Jacquie Mcdonnell, Assistant Managing Director Business Services, North West Kent College 232 "This could work well but it may put people off from doing level 3 or higher apprenticeship if these are not seen necessary for employment" Debbie Ward, Director of Planning & Funding, Salford City College How do you rate awareness among your senior management (1 being no awareness, 10 being very aware) "Very poor communication, nobody outside FE has any idea, and very few within FE understand and are fully aware of the issues & implications." Jon Rathmill, Funding & ILR Team Leader, Canterbury College Awareness Managers % "This policy is being implemented far too quickly with not enough consideration given to the long-term consequences. The types of student this Not very aware 1-4 39 17% will affect are simply not going to enrol if they have to take out a loan. They will continue find work where they can and simply see that their access to further and higher education has been permanently blocked." Aware 5-7 96 41% Very aware 8-10 97 42% Julie Hinchliffe, Assistant Principal: Skills & Curriculum Development, Bradford College 232 "Will affect the ability of potential students, in poorer parts of the country, to access further education." How do you rate awareness among your teachers & support staff Jean Feely, Acting Director of Curriculum, Burton & South Derbyshire College (1 being no awareness, 10 being very aware) "The FE loans policy is flawed. If - as the media leads us to believe - the average age for firsts time mortgage holders is 37yrs, what impact will an FE loan e.g for Access to HE, followed by an HE loan have on this figure? I worry about what will happen to aspiring professionals and the Awareness Teachers etc % potential reduction in movement across socio-economic boundaries for bright but poor individuals." Craig Owen, Director of College Information Services, Kendal College Not very aware 1-4 132 57% "I have huge concerns that this will decimate Adult apprentice take -up at Level 3 - particularly within certain sectors i.e. Hospitality, Aware 5-7 92 40% Hairdressing, Beauty, Health & Social Care, Retail" Very aware 8-10 8 3% Jon Buxton, Funding and Performance Manager, Stockton Riverside College " 232 Will there be additional funding available to Colleges to cover additional costs of administration?" Lesley Fooks, Head of Student Administration, Lewisham College How prepared is your college to implement the scheme? (1 being not prepared at all, 10 being very prepared) "I am worried that the consultations will take so long - we as Colleges will get little time to prepare internal systems - we need the full details as soon as possible - just like the implementation of 16 - 18 Bursaries everything will be last minute" Geoff Sorrell, Deputy Principal, City College Norwich Not prepared 1-4 128 55% "There's likely to be an impact on student numbers but the Adult Skills Budget provides some flexibility for organisations. Prepared 5-7 88 38% Tough on students though particularly if they want to go on to HE and need to do the same again." Very prepared 8-10 16 7% Steve Hewitt, Strategic Funding, Enrolments & Examinations Manager, Morley College "Much as I dislike it, I can't see loans going away in the medium-term, there are no other obvious ways to make the cuts we have been told we 232 need to make. If there are no loans, where is the money for L3 courses going to come from? Having said that, I can easily forsee the Student Loans Co having a massive meltdown and colleges losing out on big piles of money..." This digital edition is not for onward distribution or reproduction. To discuss the FE Week multiple subscription service please contact James Francis on 020 8123 4891

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