Gillian Keegan: I am very grateful for how colleges are responding to the unique challenge of COVID-19. We recognise the financial impact this is having on the FE sector and are working to make changes where we can. We have confirmed that the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) will continue to pay grant funded providers their scheduled monthly profiled payments for the remainder of the 2019/20...
Gillian Keegan: We announced plans in the Budget to invest £1.5 billion in England from 2021-22 to upgrade the college estate. Our ambition is to level up the skills of the entire nation and ensure that post-16 education providers are in a great shape to deliver this. We are considering how best to achieve this ambition, in light of the impact of COVID-19 on further education colleges’ priorities and...
Gillian Keegan: In line with our Manifesto commitment, we plan to invest up to £290 million of capital funding to establish 20 Institutes of Technology. This will enable every region in England to have a high quality Institute of Technology. Further to a 15 month competition, the first 12 Institutes of Technology are currently being rolled-out with access to £170 million of capital funding. An additional 8...
Gillian Keegan: We are delivering a long-term programme to reform the post-16 skills system to address national and local productivity challenges, ensuring that businesses and individuals have the skills they need to meet the needs of the new economy. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has also announced that we are working on a White Paper that will deliver ambitious reform in our...
...Bernard Jenkin Mark Jenkinson Andrea Jenkyns Robert Jenrick Caroline Johnson Gareth Johnson David Johnston Andrew Jones David Jones Fay Jones Marcus Jones Simon Jupp Daniel Kawczynski Alicia Kearns Gillian Keegan Greg Knight Julian Knight Danny Kruger Kwasi Kwarteng John Lamont Robert Largan Pauline Latham Andrea Leadsom Ian Levy Andrew Lewer Brandon Lewis Julian Lewis Ian Liddell-Grainger...
Gillian Keegan: To help manage the pressures of COVID-19, we can confirm that the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) will continue to pay grant funded providers, including residential adult colleges, their scheduled monthly profiled payments for the remainder of the 2019/20 funding year. And for 2019/20 only, the ESFA will not carry out the final reconciliation for grant funded providers in receipt...
Gillian Keegan: We continue to closely monitor the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on apprenticeships. We know that social distancing measures have created some challenges for apprentices, employers, training providers and assessment organisations. We have introduced a number of flexibilities, which remain in place, so apprentices can continue learning and complete their apprenticeships, including promoting...
Gillian Keegan: As per published funding guidance, to count as retained:For academic programmes: a student must stay on or complete at least one of the academic aims in their programme in the academic year.For vocational programmes: a student must stay on or complete their core aim in the academic year. Year 13 students leaving education to take up a full time job or volunteering opportunity and who do not...
...Jayawardena Bernard Jenkin Mark Jenkinson Andrea Jenkyns Caroline Johnson Gareth Johnson David Johnston Andrew Jones David Jones Fay Jones Marcus Jones Simon Jupp Daniel Kawczynski Alicia Kearns Gillian Keegan Greg Knight Julian Knight Danny Kruger Kwasi Kwarteng John Lamont Robert Largan Pauline Latham Andrea Leadsom Edward Leigh Ian Levy Andrew Lewer Brandon Lewis Julian Lewis Ian...
...Bernard Jenkin Mark Jenkinson Andrea Jenkyns Boris Johnson Caroline Johnson Gareth Johnson David Johnston Andrew Jones David Jones Fay Jones Marcus Jones Simon Jupp Daniel Kawczynski Alicia Kearns Gillian Keegan Greg Knight Julian Knight Danny Kruger Kwasi Kwarteng John Lamont Robert Largan Pauline Latham Andrea Leadsom Edward Leigh Ian Levy Andrew Lewer Brandon Lewis Julian Lewis Ian...
...Jayawardena Bernard Jenkin Mark Jenkinson Andrea Jenkyns Boris Johnson Caroline Johnson Gareth Johnson David Johnston Andrew Jones David Jones Fay Jones Marcus Jones Daniel Kawczynski Alicia Kearns Gillian Keegan Greg Knight Julian Knight Danny Kruger Kwasi Kwarteng John Lamont Andrea Leadsom Edward Leigh Ian Levy Andrew Lewer Brandon Lewis Julian Lewis Mark Logan Marco Longhi Julia Lopez...
...Bernard Jenkin Mark Jenkinson Andrea Jenkyns Boris Johnson Caroline Johnson Gareth Johnson David Johnston Andrew Jones David Jones Fay Jones Marcus Jones Simon Jupp Daniel Kawczynski Alicia Kearns Gillian Keegan Greg Knight Julian Knight Danny Kruger Kwasi Kwarteng John Lamont Robert Largan Pauline Latham Andrea Leadsom Edward Leigh Ian Levy Andrew Lewer Brandon Lewis Julian Lewis Ian...
...Jayawardena Bernard Jenkin Mark Jenkinson Robert Jenrick Caroline Johnson Gareth Johnson David Johnston Andrew Jones David Jones Fay Jones Marcus Jones Simon Jupp Daniel Kawczynski Alicia Kearns Gillian Keegan Greg Knight Julian Knight Danny Kruger Kwasi Kwarteng John Lamont Robert Largan Pauline Latham Andrea Leadsom Edward Leigh Ian Levy Andrew Lewer Brandon Lewis Julian Lewis Ian...
Gillian Keegan: University Technical Colleges (UTCs) are well positioned to support the skills needs of local economies, placing employers at the heart of designing their specialist curriculum, mostly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects such as engineering and digital technologies. There are over 500 employers involved in the 48 open UTCs, including leading names such as JCB,...
Gillian Keegan: As the full financial consequences of the Covid-19 outbreak on the sector emerge, we will assess the impact of the outbreak on the sector and the most appropriate means of how to approach to financial health assessments and intervention actions, including how to treat the Coronavirus Business Loan Interruption Scheme and other elements of government support.
Gillian Keegan: The department recognises the importance of adult education in supporting the economy and tackling disadvantage. Participation in adult education will only become more important as people live longer lives and automation and technological change the profile of the jobs market. We are continuing to invest in adult education to support people from all backgrounds. Most recently, we announced an...
Gillian Keegan: We are exploring options within adult education and will be making decisions shortly on where we may be able to introduce flexibilities into the Education and Skills Funding Agency’s Adult Education Budget Funding Rules 2019/20 to help remove barriers, including IT equipment or connectivity costs, for learners wishing to access their provision online. Any changes that we introduce will be...
Gillian Keegan: Further education colleges are autonomous organisations and, as such, are free to deliver provision to meet the needs of local learners and labour markets. We have established 36 Skills Advisory Panels across the country to increase understanding of the skills that local employers and labour markets need and to work with colleges to help ensure that they align with their provision better. At...
Gillian Keegan: We would like to thank all the colleges that switched to online learning so that students can continue their studies. Colleges are able to provide digital devices and internet access to disadvantaged 16-19-year-old students using their flexible bursary funding. We have ensured that they can apply for additional funding to do this if needed. Our latest guidance on technology support during...
Gillian Keegan: For funding purposes, guided learning hours are not used in the 16 to 19 system, as providers are funded based on planned hours recorded early in the academic year. The auditing of these hours is based on evidence of planned delivery (for example, with a timetable or learning agreement). In the adult education system, we do not use the planned guided learning hours recorded on the...
