DfE

Pupil premium plus pilot expanded to help more disadvantaged over-16s

DfE confirms pilot for 16+ looked after children and care leavers has been extended to another 28 authorities

Jason Noble
Jason Noble
Ofqual

Ofqual disbands standards committee

Exams watchdog to take a ‘more flexible approach’ on policy advice

Samantha Booth
Samantha Booth
News

Social mobility tsar quits: ‘I’m doing more harm than good’

Birbalsingh now calls for her deputy and Oldham College principal Alun Francis to take over the role permanently

Samantha Booth
Samantha Booth
sixth forms, UTCs

Bids for at least 6 ‘elite’ sixth forms formally submitted

Latest applications also include bids for two UTCs with a third in the pipeline

FE Week Reporter
Jason Noble and Samantha Booth
Apprenticeships, Ofsted

Training giant with 5,000 learners pulls out of apprenticeship market

GP Strategies Training Ltd confirms closure of UK apprenticeship arm leaves 95 workers at risk of redundancy

Jason Noble
Jason Noble
Colleges

Struggling college faces apprenticeships ban

Ofsted set to judge apprenticeship provision ‘inadequate’ in overall grade 3 report

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


AAC2023, Apprenticeships

Finalists for AAC Apprenticeship Awards 2023 revealed

A record number of entries were received across 19 award categories celebrating the very best of apprenticeship delivery

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Training Providers

Multiverse posts sixth consecutive financial loss

Multiverse is relying on investors while it spends on infrastructure, and says losses are ‘typical’ for venture-backed companies

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Careers education, Skills reform

Beefed up Baker clause comes into force

Schools must now provide students with at least six ‘encounters’ with FE providers

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Colleges

Ban on borrowing puts college capital projects ‘at risk’

New public sector rules ‘totally unclear’, say leaders

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Politics

Sunak outlines maths to 18 ‘ambition’…but not before 2025

Labour says ‘reheated’ pledge is ’empty without more maths teachers’

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
Devolution

Expanded North East devolution deal to transfer AEB powers by 2024

North of Tyne Combined Authority will be replaced by new authority covering both sides of the Tyne

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