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Billy Camden

@billycamden.bsky.social
229 followers 219 following 44 posts

Deputy editor at @feweek.bsky.social - reporting on further education, skills and apprenticeships. Story tips: billy.camden@feweek.co.uk

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Reposted by Billy Camden
Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 19/03/2025
Alright, Galadriel
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 07/03/2025
🚨 Early win 🚨 Laleh, the learner quoted who paid a 'discounted' fee out of fear she'd have to pay the full amount, has been contacted by CoGrammar within hours of our article being published to say she can expect a full discount
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 07/03/2025
A truly shocking case. Students on fully funded DfE bootcamps left terrified the bailiffs would come after their provider tried charging up to £4,950k The attempt came after DfE suspended payments and terminated the firm's £20m+ contracts Refunds have been promised plus a £25 'goodwill payment'...
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 13/02/2025
I spy @fcdwhittaker.bsky.social in this morning’s Playbook Read his great story here 👉 schoolsweek.co.uk/lower-your-t...
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 11/02/2025
DfE has now confirmed it will axe English and maths FSQ exit requirements for adult apprentices with immediate effect Ministers also reveal the apprenticeship minimum duration will be reduced from 12 to 8 months from next AY #NAW2025 feweek.co.uk/english-and-...
feweek.co.uk
Confirmed: English and maths pass rule for adult apprentices scrapped
Ministers also reveal the apprenticeship minimum duration will be reduced from 12 to 8 months
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 07/02/2025
Positive news for many ahead of National Apprenticeship Week feweek.co.uk/dfe-to-relax...
feweek.co.uk
DfE to relax apprentice functional skills rules
Ministers expected to announce major rule change imminently
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Reposted by Billy Camden
Stephen Evans @stephenevans.bsky.social · 06/02/2025
This is a real backward step. Adult skills budget already £1bn lower than in 2010. Who will build the houses, fit the heat pumps, upgrade the infrastructure the Government says it wants?
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 06/02/2025
Ruthless Reeves hits adult education Big scoop from the boss 👇
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 13/01/2025
NASUWT incredibly claims that college bosses have made 'spurious arguments' to justify not matching the school pay award Seems so so harsh and out of touch with reality
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Reposted by Billy Camden
FE Week @feweek.bsky.social · 13/01/2025
🆕 T Level results data for individual colleges will be made public this year for the first time – but an overall attainment measure for the new qualifications has been delayed
feweek.co.uk
T Level results to be published for individual colleges for first time
But a planned overall attainment measure has been delayed
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 13/01/2025
The boundary hike
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 10/01/2025
So DfE will release £50m in 24/25 AY as a 'one-off grant' to help fund pay Not enough to match school pay award but it has enabled SFCA to up its recommendation to 5.5% from April. Wonder whether AoC will will also amend its rec of 2.5% Top work by SFCA challenging through judicial review
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 09/01/2025
Oof - big drop in GCSE English resit G4 pass rates for those taking the exam in November Suspect it may be related to the Pearson 2.0 issue Slight rise in maths pass rates
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 09/01/2025
Top FOI and analysis from @tom-richmond.com as per Fascinating that of the 56k apprentices last year who already hold a degree, 14k did a level 2 or 3 apprenticeship Not sure I agree with the recommendation to ban graduates from all apprenticeships but the report is great for generating debate
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Reposted by Billy Camden
Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 08/01/2025
First day in the office of 2025 for Team @feweek.bsky.social "I'm going to start my new notebook with my best handwriting" pledges @billycamden.bsky.social
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 07/01/2025
Interesting move for ESFA chief David Withey - he'll become a college principal when the agency closes and integrates into the DfE in March feweek.co.uk/esfa-chief-d...
feweek.co.uk
ESFA chief David Withey to become college principal
He will lead a college in the south west when the agency closes in March
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 06/01/2025
💥 Kicking off 2025 with a scoop on the FE teacher pay snub judicial review SFCA teases an agreement has been reached but details kept shtum for now Association 'looks forward to an announcement by the government soon' as % pay offer increased Meanwhile, teacher strikes continue. Full story 👇
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Reposted by Billy Camden
John Dickens @johndickenssw.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
It seems like an annual event for us now at Schools Week - but super chuffed to be at the British Journalism Awards @jessjanehill.bsky.social has been shortlisted in *two* categories - and also joined by a former Schools Week legend Jess Staufenberg who’s also up for an award 🙌🙌🙌
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
So on the day the government tells the sector what alternative T Level quals get a stay of execution, ministers announce they're scrapping a T Level that has been running for 3 years due to 'lack of demand'...
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
The boss with today's BTEC/level 3 outcome 👇 Good news or just another short-term fix? The latter IMO
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
Big day today as ministers prepare to release the outcome of the controversial level 3/BTEC review. Keep an eye on @feweek.bsky.social for developments
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
Interesting finding from AELP today. Their report comes as ministers confirm they are considering removing functional skills exit requirements from apprenticeships
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Reposted by Billy Camden
Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
TL;DR 'Education has happened and some of it is very good. Except in prisons.'
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
I get this is a 'slimmed down' version of Ofsted's usual annual report but I did find the 'observations' for FE to be a bit bland...
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
Ofsted annual report due out this morning. Looking forward to seeing what new insight chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver has for FE Preview of some of the stats we’re expecting to be included 👇 feweek.co.uk/colleges-wit...
feweek.co.uk
Colleges with top Ofsted grades tumbles
Private providers have meanwhile seen a big uptick in results
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
DfE first watered down placement rules last year Latest easing follows low starts, high drop outs and long-held concern there aren't enough employers willing to offer enough 45 day placements when T Levels are fully rolled out A big 'I told you so' moment for principals and policy wonks
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
It's 'T Levels Celebration Week'! DfE kicked it off on Monday by further relaxing rules for industry placements feweek.co.uk/dfe-eases-t-... Beats last year when Rishi decided to use the week to announce his intention to abolish the quals (@ukshane.bsky.social had fun making that front page)
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Reposted by Billy Camden
Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 03/12/2024
Much of the 'uncertainty' college leaders are complaining about could have been remedied by just publishing the level 3 review terms of reference We tried - but DfE kept it secret feweek.co.uk/btec-review-...
feweek.co.uk
BTEC review terms kept secret despite transparency pleas
Ministers have refused to share the terms of reference for a “short review” into controversial level-3 qualification defunding plans.
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 02/12/2024
Loads of independent training provider and college investigations have gone unpublished in recent years This appears to be why
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 02/12/2024
And @jessjanehill.bsky.social explores what a day in the life of an ESOL teacher is like feweek.co.uk/a-day-in-the...
feweek.co.uk
Day in the life with an ESOL teacher
The highs and lows of a typical day for an advanced ESOL practitioner in London
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 02/12/2024
DfE watered down its GCSE English and maths resit funding rule shake-up But colleges say the changes are still unrealistic feweek.co.uk/dfe-waters-d...
feweek.co.uk
DfE waters down English and maths resit funding shake-up
The government has watered down proposed changes to GCSE resit funding rules.
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 02/12/2024
Furness College became the only GFE college in England told be judged 'inadequate' by Ofsted Reminder that Ofsted ditched overall effectiveness grades for schools in September 2024 and plans to remove them for FE providers in September 2025... feweek.co.uk/cumbrian-col...
feweek.co.uk
Cumbrian college dealt ‘inadequate’ Ofsted blow
Leaders and governors take the flak as attendance, retention and achievement declines
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 02/12/2024
Hordes of teachers descended upon the Department for Education on Thursday to protest the government’s pay award snub to colleges One lecturer told FE Week: 'No Labour government worthy of the name performs actions like this.' Ouch! feweek.co.uk/sixth-form-c...
feweek.co.uk
Sixth form college teachers march on Westminster
Union members take pay fight to DfE HQ
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 02/12/2024
Research by OneFile explored how employers who refuse to release apprentices for off-the-job training in work hours are harming learners’ mental health feweek.co.uk/off-the-job-...
feweek.co.uk
Off-the-job 'confusion' sparks apprentice mental health warning
Employers who refuse to release apprentices for off-the-job training in work hours are harming learners’ mental health, according to research
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 02/12/2024
Data from a response to a PQ showed that ditching level 7 apprenticeships will save £240m in DfE's apprenticeship budget feweek.co.uk/ditching-lev...
feweek.co.uk
Ditching level 7 apprenticeships saves £240m, MPs told
Spending figures from 2017 to 2024 revealed
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 02/12/2024
@joshmellorfeweek.bsky.social gets the scoop on Multiply ending in March Mixed reaction to the decision - some claim it was a game changing maths scheme while others say it was poorly rolled out (evident in underspend figs) feweek.co.uk/sunaks-multi...
feweek.co.uk
Sunak’s Multiply to be subtracted in March
Flagship maths scheme for adults will end next year
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 02/12/2024
🧵 Recap of some of the stories in last week's edition of @feweek.bsky.social First up: Dozens of colleges that threatened to take awarding body Pearson to court over this summer’s GCSE English resit grade boundary controversy have ditched their legal action feweek.co.uk/pearson-and-...
feweek.co.uk
Pearson and colleges agree truce over GCSE resits row
Plans for a judicial review over this summer's grade boundary hike dropped
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 02/12/2024
DfE kicks off 'T Level Celebration Week' by watering down industry placement rules More hybrid working on its way (incl. 50% allowance for digital!) and 'stimulated' activity to be allowed on college sites Guidance to come in Jan - takes effect immediately feweek.co.uk/dfe-eases-t-...
feweek.co.uk
DfE eases T Level work placement rules to boost take up
Ministers announce measures to extend hybrid working across 'most' T Levels in a bid to 'cut red tape' for employers and colleges
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
Great videos and more pics in the story from today's sixth form college strike Teachers took their pay fight directly to Sanctuary Buildings
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
Officials have ditched plans to introduce weekly minimum teaching hours. Instead, colleges will deliver 100 hours of teaching for each subject at any point in the AY Plans to move to a 0% tolerance threshold have also been shelved
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Reposted by Billy Camden
Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
In case you missed our @sdupp.bsky.social cartoon on Ofsted's leaked report card proposals last week ...
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Reposted by Billy Camden
Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
My FE starter pack now has 100 big names for you to follow go.bsky.app/NELirA7
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
New figures show spending on level 7 apprenticeships stayed around the £235m mark over past 3 years Gives a good sense of how much (c10% of programme budget) that's available to redirect to 'other priorities' if/when defunding goes ahead questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-ques...
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 26/11/2024
🧵👇
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 26/11/2024
*other than this trial to 'automatically reserve' a college place for disengaged young people
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Billy Camden @billycamden.bsky.social · 26/11/2024
Anyone else reading Labour's 'youth guarantee' plan and thinking 'is that it?!' As per @tom-richmond.com, can't see anything new other than a command for mayors to better signpost existing opportunities bsky.app/profile/tom-...
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