News

King’s Birthday Honours: Who received what in FE & skills?

More than a dozen leaders named in the honours list, including one CBE, three OBEs, seven MBEs and three…

Joshua Stein
Joshua Stein
sixth form colleges

Students call for wiser use of money in online exhibition

The annual exhibition features art from students in the UK and Sweden

Joshua Stein
Joshua Stein
Apprenticeships

IfATE promises review of occupational standards

Standards set for review include those where updates are “needed” to support emerging skills

Joshua Stein
Joshua Stein
Colleges

Lawyers urge caution as colleges face £100,000 holiday pay ruling

Some colleges warned the ruling had already had a “significant adverse impact”

Joshua Stein
Joshua Stein
News

‘Astonishing’: Ofqual publishes VTQ entries for first time

But the data is sparse compared to A-levels despite claims of ‘parity’

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Apprenticeships

Back in business: Employers renew case for level 2 business admin

Employers threaten to launch petition if officials continue to reject apprenticeship proposal

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


Colleges, Higher education

College group becomes first FE institution with permanent degree powers

The Office for Students deemed NCG worthy to award bachelors and masters degrees indefinitely this month

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
SEND

Council rapped for failing to meet student’s SEND transport costs

Expert warns ‘most local authorities are trying to cut costs’ through post-16 SEND transport

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Adult education, Colleges

ESFA to run special AEB allocations review for colleges

Reduced funding given to providers who underperformed the most during Covid

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
AI

ChatGPT: Keegan launches call for evidence on AI in education

Ministers also announced a new taskforce to look at what digital skills are needed for the future

Samantha Booth
Samantha Booth
Long read, Qualifications, Skills reform

Destination defund: the fight to save travel and tourism courses

High-profile workforce shortages in the travel industry haven’t stopped the government’s plans to defund rafts of popular courses. Jessica…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
Ofsted

How Ofsted’s proposed new complaints process will work

No more internal reviews, a direct line to a senior inspector and new complaint routes put forward

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker

Must read

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
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