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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Confirmation of OfS Register News: the Institute for Optimum Nutrition is ‘Approved’ with no fee limit.

Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Once again, the English are demonstrating what Howard Newby once noted was their genius for turning diversity into hierarchy. David Mba and Julie Farrell on how we should avoid using ‘prestige’ as a proxy for delivering value. wonkhe.com/blogs/lets-n...

wonkhe.com

Let’s not confuse institutional prestige with national priority

We should fund higher education based on the needs of the country, not league table placings, say David Mba and Julie Farrell

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Street party today, it’s 95% a community activity and 5% a traffic management activity. Amazing how grumpy some people are that they can’t drive through a bunch of people. Big thanks to @oxfordcitycouncil.bsky.social for facilitating

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

It’s commendable that OfS has introduced an #AI helper to explain its regulatory functions. Except it gets things wrong. I have updated this blog after writing to them to point this out; OfS will monitor any issues with the chatbot’s answers. moremeansbetter.wordpress.com/2026/09/14/a...

moremeansbetter.wordpress.com

A warning for students about AI from the OfS

The OfS has a new AI Helper. It helps to show that AI can be wrong. Also it writes limericks.

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

OfS Register News: one new provider. The Institute of Optimum Nutrition teaches a BSc in Nutritional Therapy awarded by Portsmouth University. The assessment was undertaken earlier this year. Although an email announces the publication, the actual register hasn’t been updated yet.

Screenshot of email :
The Institute for Optimum Nutrition registers with the OfS

We’ve published an assessment report into the quality and standards of courses at The Institute for Optimum Nutrition, which applied for registration and is now registered with us.

The report sets out the assessment team’s judgement about whether the provider meets the requirements in our initial conditions of registration B7 (quality) and B8 (standards).

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

The OfS AI helper needs to stop giving regulatory information until it can be correct. Asking whether X’s application for registration was refused gets the clear answer: “No. X Is shown on the OfS Register as ‘Registered’, not as a refused application” X’s application was refused

Screen shot about Harrow International college’s application and the chat bot’s responses.

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Reposted by Mike Ratcliffe

The Burgon Society @burgonsociety.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Find out more about the Burgon Society at our annual Congregation on 11 October, when we induct new Fellows and hear reports on recent research. The latest Transactions will be available too. Join us at St Mary’s University, in Twickenham. burgon.org.uk/events

Schedule for the day’s Congregation of the Burgon Society.

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

This isn’t the main issue, but the Times leader writers are shocked that “the number of universities and colleges in Britain has jumped from 160 to 304.” Don’t tell them, but there are 425 registered HE providers in England alone. www.thetimes.com/comment/the-...

thetimes.com

Tuition fee system is badly in need of simplification and reform

Allowing universities to charge more would fix a bloated higher education sector

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

The Sunday Times university ranking punctures the notion that the club of ‘leading’ universities are the ‘best’, especially this highest fallers graphic.

Southampton falls 45 places to 121. Perhaps this isn’t actually Southampton but actually Southampton Solent?

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

10 days ago a button “Ask us anything” appeared on the OfS website. The AI helper will write you a poem about the TEF, but it will also tell you that Brit College is ‘approved’. This is despite there being pages about that college’s de-designation, de-registration and non-compliance.

Screenshot of OfS website. The bot (on the right) says:

Brit College is on the OfS register as an approved provider, but the information available here does not show a TEF rating or any wider quality judgement for it, so we cannot say from this source alone whether it is ‘good'. The most we can verify here is that a provider named 'Brit College' appears in our official statistics dataset as 'Approved' with 1,304 students recorded in 2024-25.
If you are asking whether it is a good choice

But in the background is the page that says it’s been de designated by DfE.

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Former sites of HEIs: a series. Wye College. In 1892 Kent and Surrey county councils obtained former school premises, opening the South Eastern Agricultural College. Wye College became a School of the University of London, merged with Imperial in 2000 but closed in 2009. Now converted into housing.

Wye College - plaques say both University of London and Imperial College

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

There’s a lot of news about #AI regulation, but what about the use of AI in higher education regulation? The OfS has a new ‘AI Helper’ on its website. It is a great example of why you need to check and verify the things a chatbot tells you. moremeansbetter.wordpress.com/2026/09/14/a...

moremeansbetter.wordpress.com

A warning for students about AI from the OfS

The OfS has a new AI Helper. It helps to show that AI can be wrong. Also it writes limericks.

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Oxford #OpenDoors is a great weekend to explore the heritage of the city. Reminder that the university used architecture to foster community and demonstrate it was up-to-date, including in the 13th and 17th centuries.

Prof William Whyte explains the architecture of St John’s College

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

OfS Register News: one fewer providers. Furness College merged with Blackpool and The Flyde College in August and so has voluntarily deregistered. Curiously the counter has gone up to 428 rather than down to 425 (which is the correct number in the spreadsheet)

428. There are 428 rows in the spreadsheet but three of them are the headers. It used to say 426.

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Graduation is so wonderful that even a whole day of rain cannot dampen spirits. A new useful service the university can offer is to bring droughts to a conclusion.

Graduates queuing to get into the cathedral in the precinct

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Important report from OIA today on students’ experience of provider closure. As with other forms of bankruptcy, this happens gradually then suddenly. In both stages students need support, especially when the provider’s fate is sealed, but refusing to admit it. www.oiahe.org.uk/resources-an...

oiahe.org.uk

Students recall long term impact when HE providers close, new report finds

Rare insight into the experiences of students whose higher education providers or courses have closed is highlighted in a new report published today.

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Nice things happening today to launch LASE University Group - stressing it’s a positive move. One thing the regulator could do is represent this well. Tonight the two old universities remain on the OfS register with no mention of LASEUG.

The University of Kent transferred all its operations to Greenwich on 1 August, which is now called LASEUG with a trading name of the University of Kent. Degrees are no longer awarded via the royal charter.

Greenwich was renamed LASEUG on 1 August, although it will have a trading name University of Greenwich

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Great to stay in a heritage building in the centre of London - on the outside a John Nash crescent, on the inside a 1960s hall of residence. International Student House was founded in 1917 as a social centre and hostel by the Student Christian Movement, this conversion opened in 1965.

Park Crescent designed by John Nash (Brighton Pavilion, Buckingham Palace etc)

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Sites of former HEIs: a series. Bedford College was founded in 1849, became a college of the University of London in 1900 and moved here to Regents Park in 1908. Merged with Royal Holloway in 1985. Site was taken on by Regents University. That was acquired for £1m in 2020 (see Synge below)

Gate of Regents College with Bedford College coat of arms

Regents University - buildings are very much in the mode of 20th century taxpayer funded HE

More buildings. Remember the lease came with the sale of the university - with full taught degree awarding powers - for just £1 million

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

There is a far ranging report from the OfS here on lessons learned from the University of Sussex judicial review, but also going back to the House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee report in 2023 and the Behan Review in 2024. www.officeforstudents.org.uk/publications...

officeforstudents.org.uk

Lessons learned from the University of Sussex judicial review - Office for Students

This report sets out the OfS's response to the judgment in the judicial review between the OfS and the University of Sussex. It sets out our new overarching no surprises approach to regulation, along ...

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Somehow there isn’t space on this website to mention the years that Andrea Jenkins was director of the ‘National Centre for Higher Education Policy’ based at the then University of Bolton.

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

‘It’s going to be hard to reconcile the kind of values and purposes of a university as it moves into a for-profit environment” notes @hbsj.bsky.social on the acquisition of Lincoln Bishop by GUS.

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Helpful email from OfS flags up that they’ve published the QSR on the European School of Economics, so also announces their registration. Those wondering how long the registration process is taking will spot that the assessment ran Sept 2023 - May 2024. www.officeforstudents.org.uk/publications...

Text from OfS email - reads:

European School of Economics registers with the OfS
We've published an assessment report into the quality and standards of courses at the European School of Economics that applied for registration, and is now registered with us.
The report sets out the assessment team's judgement about whether the provider meets the requirements in our initial conditions of registration and a risk assessment against our ongoing conditions.
Read the report

Cover of QSR - assessment 22 September 2023 to 1 May 2024 published 2 September 2026

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Higher education mergers and acquisitions are in the news, but here I look at how they are represented at the OfS. This is based on a provider’s entry on the register; changing that causes some glitches. moremeansbetter.wordpress.com/2026/09/01/r...

moremeansbetter.wordpress.com

Representing mergers on the OfS Register

The representation of merged HE providers on the OfS register is complex. The news about Lincoln Bishop and LASEUG prompts thinking how these will be shown. The removal of Regent’s University…

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Site of former (?) HEI: Macclesfield House. Oxford Business College bought this former council office block next to the castle. Then it wasn’t allowed to have HE students. It’s currently having extensive internal work done, but there’s no planning application to change use from offices.

Another view - lots of internal fittings have been removed

View from Tidmarsh Lane, shows the scale of the building.

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Former sites of HEIs: a series. Kings Mead was another ‘campus’ of Oxford Business College. Photo from 2025 (l) shows branding as it used to be, now there’s just a faint shadow on the side of the building. There’s still a sign inside encouraging the students not to smoke within 2m of the doors.

Former branding on the King’s Mead building

The site today - on the side of the building there’s a shadow where the letters used to be.

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Former sites of HEIs: a series. The main ‘campus’ of Oxford Business College, but at the end of 2024 a sign appeared to say “Due to ongong refurbishments, this campus and its offices are temporarily closed”. However no building works happened and it was soon on the market.

The remnants of the Oxford Business College branding

Fine building - there are some remnants of the branding - plus closed restaurants under it.

Torn sign on the door.
Due to ongong refurbishments, this campus and its offices are temporarily closed.
Services have been relocated to Kings Mead House, Oxpens Road, OX1 1RX.

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Former sites of HEIs: a series. This was the ‘London campus’ of Oxford Business College (in a trading estate off the A40 in Park Royal). It is now the home of Raindance Film School (where you can take HNDs & degrees from De Montfort & Wolverhampton). Handy car parking.

Photo that OBC actually put on their website - branding on outside of building - but really it’s picture of a bloke with a Rolls Royce with a personalised number plate.

Windermere House - Raindance - with cars

The sign on the road still says ‘Oxford Business College’

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Former sites of HEIs: a series. This was the Slough ‘campus’ of Oxford Business College. It is now the home of the School of Business and Management London (where you can take a BSc (Hons) Public Health With Foundation Year from Wolverhampton). The flagpoles and banner holders date from OBC.

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Former sites of HEIs: a series. Thames Valley University left Slough in 2009, it had a flagship campus with a library designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners. Site is awaiting development.

Richard Rogers designed library (now demolished)

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

50 years ago the decisions about the future of the CofE colleges of education were being implemented. Some survivors, more to merge (either with each other or with local universities or polytechnics) and four outright closures. This table from history of St Peter’s - one that closed. #histed

Table of funds and student numbers

Culham College, Abingdon
St. Mary's College, Bangor (a)
St. Peter's College, Birmingham
Hockerill College, Bishop's Stortford
St. Matthias' College, Bristol
Christ Church College Canterbury
Trinity College, Carmarthen (a)
St. Mary's College, Cheltenham
St. Paul's College, Cheltenham
Chester College
Bishop Otter College, Chichester
Bishop Lonsdale College, Derby
Bede College, Durham (b)
St. Hild's College, Durham (b)
St. Luke's College, Exeter
St. Martin's College, Lancaster
Bishop Grosseteste College, Lincoln
St. Katherine's College, Liverpool
All Saints' College, London
St. Gabriel's College, London
Whitelands College, London
Keswick Hall College, Norwich
Ss. Mark & John College, Plymouth
Ripon College
Sarum St. Michael College Salisbury
King Alfred's College, Winchester
St. John's College, York

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Your reminder that the fullest account of universities as charities (and what happens when they are sold) is by Mary Synge. Although the OfS is the main regulator in an acquisition, the public benefit test should still involve the Charity Commission. universitycharity.co.uk

Photo of the cover of ‘The University Charity’

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Merger and acquisition news: Lincoln Bishop University to ‘join’ GUS. The venerable former Lincoln diocesan training college went into in a partnership when GUS loaned it money to see through financial difficulties. www.lincolnbishop.ac.uk/news/lincoln...

lincolnbishop.ac.uk

Lincoln Bishop University looks to successful future as part

Lincoln Bishop University is set to become part of Global University Systems.

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Important case report from OfS. In essence, you can’t advertise BA equivalent or MA equivalent when you can’t award those degrees or have an agreement with a place that can. There’re more equivalence claims out there beyond providers on the register. www.officeforstudents.org.uk/for-provider...

officeforstudents.org.uk

OfS referral to Trading Standards: Irshad Trust - Office for Students

This case report provides an example from Irshad Trust of our work to protect students’ consumer rights before and during their studies.

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

OfS Register News: a refusal. After 5 years, OfS has again publicly said that it has refused to register a provider. There’s no summary of reasons against the initial conditions, just that they failed to comply with the requirements. IBS is based in an office block in Leytonstone.

Screenshot from OfS website: IBS Training and Development
Ltd
IBS Training and Development Ltd's registration application was refused by the OfS on 5 August 2026. This was because IBS Training and Development Ltd did not comply with requirements for registration under section 3(5) of the Higher Education and Research Act 2017.

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Worth noting that the OfS scheme is not retrospective, so they will only consider actions or inactions that take place after 1 September. Also that respondents should engage with internal processes first. There may be a deluge, but it might not come for 90 days.

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

OfS Register News: one new provider. The European School of Economics is ‘Approved’ with no fee cap (at present it charges £28k in London or €28k in 5 EU cities). Its degree courses are validated by Richmond.

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

We have a diverse HE sector. It’s good that Buckingham are willing “to test a hypothesis rather than defend convention” as they put it here. But, of course, others have tested this particular hypothesis before - ‘affordable quality education’ was London Met’s response to the higher fee limit.

The logos of London Metropolitan University and the University of Buckingham.

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Obviously congratulations to those passing their GCSEs - today is where selective education catches up with most kids. Even in comprehensive school areas, going to sixth form becomes selective - with clear hierarchies in areas. www.gov.uk/government/n...

gov.uk

Number of T Level pupils hits record high as maths A Levels rise

T Level results grow substantially as more students achieve more A and A* grades in A Level maths.

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Here’s the slow crash of an HE provider - supposedly had 2000 students in 24/25, on the verge of 26/27 there’s 220 current students affected. Presumably more will emerge about the insolvency of the parent company. www.officeforstudents.org.uk/news-blog-an...

officeforstudents.org.uk

British Academy of Jewellery to close its higher education courses - Office for Students

Students at British Academy of Jewellery in London and its campuses in Birmingham, Leicester and Sheffield have been told their higher education courses will be closed from today.

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Sites of former HEIs a series: Folkestone Training College. In the scheme of emergency colleges it used former school buildings that Kent had purchased. It trained men from the services to be teachers, closing in 1950. Site is now Folkestone School for Girls.

Title page of memorial volume on Folkestone Training College 1947-1950

Buildings of Folkestone school for girls

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

The Oxford Mail, always keen on clicks, like to treat a lot of news items as in their patch if it involves someone who’s been to one of the local universities. Hence coverage of Clacton bye-election… www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/2646464...

oxfordmail.co.uk

Oxford University's Count Binface wins near 10,000 votes in Nigel Farage battle

Count Binface, who was educated at Oxford University, has taken nearly 10,000 votes from Nigel Farage in the Clacton by-election.

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Reposted by Mike Ratcliffe

Wonkhe @wonkhe.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

NEW on Wonkhe: What commentators say about A levels and university every year buff.ly/ssW2NmV

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Sites of former HEIs: a series. St Augustine’s College, founded in 1848 to train clergy for the colonies and missionary work. Closed in WW2 after bomb damage, reopened as a central college of the Anglican communion. Closed in 1967, it was used by King’s College and since 1976 by the King’s School.

The former gate of St Augustine’s Abbey, converted for use by the College. Had to be rebuilt after bombing.

The former chapel - built on parts of the former Abbey site.

Range of buildings designed by William Butterfield

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

OfS register news: one fewer provider after a merger on 1 August. Macclesfield College has joined with Cheshire College South and West.

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

August is the cruelest month. As is now traditional, it’s the season to try and prove that higher education isn’t worth it. Here data from people who graduated in 2017/18 is linked to courses available for 2026/27. www.dailymail.com/news/article...

dailymail.com

Revealed: Britain's worst degrees for graduates being out of work

New analysis by the Daily Mail has identified the top 20 course groupings, by university, for graduates being out of work five years after leaving.

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

I’m old enough to remember when the Sunday Times was worried that too many international students were coming; making it hard for UK people to get into ‘elite’ universities. Now they worry too few international students are coming making it easier … www.thetimes.com/uk/article/c...

thetimes.com

Cash for courses: top universities recruit foreign students on low grades

While Britons need straight As to get onto prestigious Russell Group degree courses, their international classmates can buy their way in through secret routes

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

This is the Cherwell, not a lawn. Handy note from the parks department discouraging people and dogs from swimming in the duck weed. Ducks are still permitted.

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Mike Ratcliffe @mike-rat.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Information from OfS in July sets out the challenge of registering a large number of providers. This comes after it paused the process and new requirements by DfE for both franchise and LLE purposes. There’s probably over 60 applications to get through. moremeansbetter.wordpress.com/2026/08/05/o...

moremeansbetter.wordpress.com

OfS Registration: after the pause comes the deluge

We know how many franchise providers applied for registration before the deadline. OfS needs to process those applications like it was 2018.

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