Apprenticeships, Higher education

£40m fund launched to fix ‘market failures’ in degree apprenticeships

Unlike previous funds, providers new to degree apprenticeships can bid for a slice

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
News

Pepe Di’Iasio confirmed as ASCL’s next general secretary

He will replace Geoff Barton next April after no other candidates were nominated to oppose him

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
Apprenticeships

DfE records £96m apprenticeship underspend in 2022-23

Just 4% of the total budget was handed back to Treasury

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Colleges

DfE to axe private providers from pre-service FE teacher training

Reforms announced amid ‘quality and value for money’ concerns

Joshua Stein
Joshua Stein
News

Jo Saxton to step down as Ofqual chief

She will become chief executive of UCAS in January

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
Party Conferences 2023, Politics

The FE policies passed at the Lib Dems conference

Party outlines plans for apprenticeships, college funding, tutoring and more

Joshua Stein
Joshua Stein


News

Chris Russell to retire as Ofsted’s national director for education

Senior official will leave at the same time as chief inspector Amanda Spielman in December

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
Cost of living, T Levels

Young carers ‘put off’ T Levels

Benefit rules mean carers are choosing shorter courses or dropping out of education

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Colleges, RAAC

Specialist college pleads for help after RAAC evacuation

The college’s independent status means it is not entitled to government funding for RAAC removal

Joshua Stein
Joshua Stein
Ofsted

Eyes on the prize: Specsavers judged ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted

Optician giant praised for ‘exceptional’ apprenticeship training

Joshua Stein
Joshua Stein
Department for Education

Unit for Future Skills’ ‘useful to a point’ £2.5m spend in 15 months

Experts say staff costs are a “reasonable amount” of spending but users highlight some teething problems

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Apprenticeships

Revealed: Funding band changes from IfATE’s ‘top’ 100 review… so far

59 apprenticeship reviews complete, but other 41 standards yet to be identified

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

Must read

Colleges, Long read

Colleges on the frontline of a divided nation

As social media algorithms fuel intolerance and binary thinking, college staff increasingly find themselves dealing with the fallout. Jessica…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
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