Colleges, Long read, Students

Demand for student support soars as the cost of living crisis bites

Josh was a talented bricklaying student with dreams of running his own building firm. Then his mother lost one…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
T Levels

Ofqual plans changes to T Level assessments

Proposals suggest students can sit core exams and employer set project in different assessment periods

Jason Noble
Jason Noble
Apprenticeships, Politics

Labour pledges review of functional skills rules

The Labour shadow skills minister says he agrees with training providers’ concerns about the current English and maths requirements…

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
News

Sacked NUS president launches employment tribunal

Shaima Dallali alleges ‘discriminatory conduct’ over NUS dismissal process

Jason Noble
Jason Noble
Apprenticeships

End point assessment data will finally be public, watchdog says

Ofqual will release end point assessment outcome data for the first time later this year

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Politics

Pension reform benefits wealthy bosses as FE overlooked (again)

Sector leaders have expressed their disappointment that big FE funding issues, like teacher pay, were overlooked in the budget

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen


Ofsted

Labour’s Ofsted plans ‘logical evolution’, says Spielman

‘It is completely rational for a potential alternative government to be thinking about things like this’

Billy Camden
Billy Camden and Freddie Whittaker
T Levels

Single awarding body model for T Levels to stay

Ministers have discussed the future of the contentious model

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Hunt’s ‘returnerships’ are just marketing, DfE admits

The announcement is ‘all spin and no substance’

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Ofqual

Ofqual’s new deadlines to avoid repeat of BTEC results delays debacle

Regulator sets three deadlines before August results day for awarding bodies to abide by

Jason Noble
Jason Noble
Colleges

York College closed after suspicious object investigation

College confirms closure today is a precaution with activities as normal from Friday

Jason Noble
Jason Noble
Colleges, Ofsted

Nottinghamshire SEND college celebrates top Ofsted marks

Portland College labelled ‘highly inclusive and supportive’ by Ofsted in ‘outstanding’ report

Jason Noble
Jason Noble

Must read

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
Adult education, ITPs

Mayors dump adult education cuts on independent training providers

Up to two-thirds axed from devolved procured budgets

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Bootcamps, Skills bootcamps

Coding firm caught charging students for free bootcamps

Ed tech provider ‘regretful’ after complaints and promises full refunds as bosses try to sue DfE over non-payments

Billy Camden
Billy Camden and Frances Read