Latest News
Ofsted vows to ‘tailor’ inspections and report cards to FE and skills
Ofsted has pledged to move away from a “one-size-fits-all” approach and reform its inspection framework to “better tailor” inspections to the diverse training delivered by FE and skills providers, such as Lewtay Training Ltd.
The watchdog has also vowed to replace single-phrase judgments for overall effectiveness with a “report card” that will be customised to different types of further education provision, not just classroom-based teaching.
For more information see the article in FE Week: Ofsted vows to ‘tailor’ inspections and report cards to FE and skills (feweek.co.uk)
Do you own a cat?
Are you aware of the new legislation that came into force in June? Your cat must be microchipped!
The new rules mean cats must be implanted with a microchip before they reach the age of 20 weeks and their contact details stored and kept up to date in a pet microchipping database. All owners should have had their cat microchipped by 10 June 2024 and owners found not to have microchipped their cat may face a fine of up to £500.
For more information see: Microchipping for cats becomes compulsory – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Updating of Apprenticeship Standards
The Apprenticeship Standard for the level 3 Team Leader / Supervisor, ST0384 and the level 5 Operations / Departmental Manager, ST0385 are in the process of being revised, with the view versions available for new starts from 19th September 2024. These have funding bands of £5,000 & £9,000 respectively.
Earlier this year the Early Years Educator Standard, ST0135 was revised and is now in use, version 1.3.
Other Standards that Lewtay delivers are also under revision. When these are made available new starts as applicable will be enrolled on these. Those on the previous versions of the Standard should not be affected.
As with any Standard revision, changes to the End-Point Assessment for the Standard may also occur. Where this occurs, our apprentices will be informed by their Coach of any impact on their apprenticeship.
For further information on these and other apprenticeships see: Apprenticeship search / Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education
Support for Windows 10 ending in October 2025
For those who aren’t aware and to give you time to prepare, Microsoft will be ending its support for Windows 10 next year. When the support ends in October 2025, your Windows 10 will still function, but you will no longer receive fixes, new features, or security updates. This means that you will be more vulnerable to cyber threats.
If your device meets the minimum hardware requirements you should be able to transition from Windows 10 to Windows 11, possibly free of charge. If your device doesn’t meet the minimum hardware requirements you may want to start considering your options.
If you are still using Windows 7 or 8.1, support for these has already ended.
For more information see: End of support for Windows 10, Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 | Microsoft Windows
Are you struggling to find suitable help and support?
Then try the Hub of Hope website.
The Hub of Hope is a UK mental health support database, provided by the national mental health charity ‘Chasing the Stigma’. It brings together details of local, national, peer, community, charity, private and NHS mental health support and services together in one place.
The services and support listed on the Hub of Hope are not only for when things become unbearable – a crisis point, they are also for those times when we notice we are starting to struggle, or when we need extra support as we start to emerge from a particularly difficult time.
The Hub of Hope also lists support and services for family members and friends to enable them to find help for themselves, as well as for the person they are supporting.
There is also a free Hub of Hope app you can download.
Remember, if you or someone you know feels suicidal, or may be a danger to themselves or others, call 999, your local crisis service or contact Samaritans or Crisis Text Line. The latter can be accessed through the Hub of Hope via the ‘Need Help Now’ link: https://hubofhope.co.uk/need-help-now.
Source: https://hubofhope.co.uk/
New Employment Legislation
April 2024 saw the following new employment legislation which has expanded the rights of employees. These changes took effect on the 6th April.
Employment Rights (Flexible Working) Act 2023
Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) 2023
For more information to see how this might affect you, read Patrick Brione’s House of Commons Library Insight article “What employment laws are changing from April 2024?”
Benefit Rate Changes for 2024-25
It has been confirmed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), that effective from April 8, benefits for 2024-25 are being increased, including Statutory Maternity Pay and Maternity Allowance.
For more information see: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/benefit-and-pension-rates-2024-to-2025/benefit-and-pension-rates-2024-to-2025
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) Driver and Vehicles account
As of Tuesday 9th April drivers in the UK now have extra ways of getting their licence or making changes with the additional functionality offered in the DVLA’s Driver & Vehicles Account. Also, those learning to drive can now apply for their first provisional licence through the same service.
The D&V account, launched less than a year ago allows you to check various details, such as the vehicles you are allowed to drive, what penalty points or driving bans you’ve acquired, and the tax rates for your vehicle(s). The service also allows you to receive your vehicle tax reminder(s) by text or email rather than through the post.
For more information on this service and to sign up for it, see: https://gov.uk/driver-vehicles-account
Landlines in the UK are going digital
By 2025, the existing analogue technology (the PSTN – Public Switched Telephone Network) which has supported phone and broadband services for decades will be switched off and replaced with newer digital technology. Why? Because these analogue networks have reached the end of their serviceable life.
New digital phone lines will allow communications providers to offer consumers and businesses clearer and better quality phone calls, as well as new features such as anonymous caller rejection or three-way calling.
For most consumers, this change should be straightforward, although the exact migration process will depend on your communications provider and the equipment they use. If you already have an internet connection, the change may be as simple as plugging your phone into your broadband router rather than the socket on the wall.
Telecoms companies should contact their customers ahead of the migration taking place, so you do not need to take any action until your provider contacts you directly. You should look out for communications material from them and be careful not to confuse this with marketing material.
For more information see: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/uk-transition-from-analogue-to-digital-landlines and: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/future-of-landline-calls or visit your provider’s website.
Being able to vote in UK Elections
Hopefully, if you were eligible you were able to exercise your democratic right and vote in the 2nd May and 4th July elections. If you did then you were registered and so should be able to vote in any future elections that take place.
However, if you weren’t eligible at the the time but now are, or you weren’t on the Voting Register, make sure that you can vote in any forthcoming elections. You can can do this online using your National Insurance number, or by writing to your local council’s Electoral Registration Office.
Don’t forget on Polling Day, you will need to show an acceptable form of photo ID in order to vote. You do not need the Polling Card which should have been sent to you.
If you are registered to vote but do not have any of the 22 acceptable forms of ID, or you no longer look like the image in the ID you have, you can apply for a free document known as a Voter Authority Certificate. You need to have done before the Voting Day.
For more information visit: Vote in UK elections – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
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