Long read, Skills reform

LSIPS: a chance to change, or a chance missed?

Gillian Keegan is determined that local skills improvement plans will ease the nation’s skills crisis. Jessica Hill lifts the…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
News

Tributes paid following sudden death of ‘energetic’ deputy principal

The former media lecturer rose through the ranks to become deputy principal in a college career spanning over 20…

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
News

Missing AEB contract award finally made public

Saga adds to concern about the whole procurement process

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Adult education

Bankrupt council won’t lose adult education service

The city council is the second largest recipient of AEB funding from the West Midlands Combined Authority

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
News

Capita exits adult education citing ‘market conditions’

Major outsourcing firm also significantly reduces apprenticeship delivery

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Apprenticeships

6% of apprenticeship providers eligible for ‘ludicrous’ expert group

Leaders hit out at DfE’s ‘dangerous’ pilot name and strict criteria that excludes most providers

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel


Colleges

‘Pyromaniac’ student set fire to college to avoid exam

Student given a suspended sentence after lawyer said there was no ‘intent to harm’ anyone

Joshua Stein
Joshua Stein
Sponsored post

Transforming Digital Learning with Apple

Exeter College’s transformation into an Apple Authorized Training Centre for Education has not only enriched student learning but also…

academia
Academia
BTECs, Skills reform, T Levels

155,000 young people to ‘fall through the gap’ left by BTECs, report warns

‘Desperate’ ministers also accused of misusing data to overstate performance of T Levels

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Apprenticeships

DfE to appoint ‘expert’ apprenticeship training providers

Stringent criteria will eliminate many of the largest from applying

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Ofsted

IT training provider scoops first Ofsted ‘outstanding’

Baltic Apprenticeships praised for ‘substantial improvements’, including tackling the number of apprenticeship drop outs

Joshua Stein
Joshua Stein
Colleges, Office for Students

Office for Students slammed for lack of political independence

HE regulator ‘driven by the ebb and flow of short-term political priorities and media headlines’

Joshua Stein
Joshua Stein

Must read

Colleges, Long read

Alun Francis, chair of the Social Mobility Commission

Deprived areas need vision – not victimhood – to level up, and Social Mobility Commission chair Alun Francis is…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
Long read, Prison education

The prison that’s offering hope for a new life upon release

‘We’re saving people’s lives as well as turning them around’

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
Apprenticeships, Politics

Phillipson to exempt young people from level 7 apprenticeships funding axe

Education secretary makes ‘important concession’ amid backlash from other government departments

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Colleges, FE Commissioner

Weston chair felt powerless over £2.5m payments to former principal

Ex-Weston college chair gives tell-all interview following FE Commissioner probe

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Colleges

Weston College governance failure allowed ‘concealment’ of £2.5m payments to former principal

Paul Phillips was paid £1.8m in 2023, including a ‘significant’ six-figure retention payment which his COO son ‘resisted’ paying…

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
T Levels

NAO reveals enormity of T Level take-up failure

Forecasts missed by 75% and secret DfE estimates show staff and employer shortages could limit places to 48,000 students

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel