Colleges, Skills reform

DfE to pilot funding simplifications for colleges

Several funding rules and ringfences to be removed as officials bid to reduce complexity

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
net zero, Sustainability

DfE agrees to publish ‘urgent’ sustainability plan

All settings to have a climate action plan ‘in place by 2025’, DfE assures MPs

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Apprenticeships

Ban for ‘rogue’ apprenticeship boss who owes ESFA £2.5m

Investigators couldn’t verify payments from Vista Training Solutions were ‘legitimate expenses’ due to missing accounts

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Politics

Rigid rules led to £28m tuition fund clawback in first 2 years

‘Most colleges could have spent their allocations several times over if they had been able to target all students…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Colleges

College’s future secured as £45m redevelopment gets green light

Councillors greenlight refurbishment following arguments that it was ‘blackmailed’ to approve

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Apprenticeships

Scandalous apprenticeship provider owner hit with 6-year director’s ban

Matrimonial property also sold for £2.2m as liquidators seek to repay colleges

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


Colleges

Well-known college principal suddenly steps down

East Coast College said Stuart Rimmer left at the end of December, but would not say why

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
News

Councils to charge families for post-16 SEND transport to plug black holes

‘Unfair’ plans slammed as cash-strapped LAs look to balance books

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
News

Ofsted promises to start recording inspection pauses in new era

Pledge comes after watchdog admits it holds no ‘central record of the number of inspections that have been paused’

Lucas Cumiskey
Lucas Cumiskey
Apprenticeships, Politics

Apprenticeship provider boss embroiled in Post Office scandal

Lifetime Training board backs David Smith as he inputs to public inquiry

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Apprenticeships

Funding boost for popular early years apprenticeship

DfE hopes increase will aid nursery providers in training more staff amid a workforce crisis

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
resits

GCSE maths resit pass rate lower than pre-pandemic

But performance in English re-takes continues to rise

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker

Must read

Colleges, Long read

Legrave’s last orders: build cash, challenge leaders and don’t ignore teaching

In her final interview, the outgoing FE Commissioner warns colleges not to mistake funding rises for financial safety

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
16-19

Curriculum review: ‘Strengthen’ resit accountability and reduce T Level assessment burden

Review recommends already-announced V Levels, level 2 pathways and new pre-GCSE English and maths quals

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
News

Case dismissed: Marples loses High Court claim against DfE

A judge has dismissed a multi-million-pound claim brought by former training boss Peter Marples and his family against the…

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Skills reform

New law to bar ‘unsuitable’ FE leaders among skills white paper reforms

The government’s post-16 strategy has finally been unveiled

Billy Camden
Billy Camden and Shane Chowen
Qualifications

Revealed: V Levels incoming as axe looms for BTECs

New qualifications set to launch as ‘third route’ between A-levels and T Levels

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Politics, Skills reform

DWP will take over apprenticeships, minister confirms

Shifting adult skills and apprenticeships policy will give “bigger emphasis on skills”, Jacqui Smith claims

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel