Colleges

Central Bedfordshire College principal Ali Hadawi resigns

College confirms vice-principal will step up to acting principal role

Jason Noble
Jason Noble
SEND, supported internships

Just 1 in 4 SEND students in work a year after supported internship ends

Providers say support must continue as learners move into paid work

Jason Noble
Jason Noble
Colleges, FE Commissioner

FE Commissioner warns of college solvency risk and the danger of reclassification

Shelagh Legrave also reflects on the ‘positivity’ of her first year in post

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Apprenticeships, Bootcamps, HGV, Skills reform

Large HGV training provider goes bust blaming inadequate funding

Over 100 staff and 2,000 learners, mostly on bootcamps, affected

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Funding, Skills reform

Autumn statement: silence on skills funding ‘criminal’

Jeremy Hunt announced billions for schools but no extra funding for further education or skills in his autumn statement…

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Apprenticeships, Politics

Autumn statement: Apprentice minimum wage to rise to £5.28 an hour

The 9.7% rise will take effect from April 2023

Jason Noble
Jason Noble


Politics

Ex-minister Robin Walker elected as education committee chair 

The former schools minister received 228 votes from MPs after Robert Halfon returned to the Department for Education as…

Amy Walker
Amy Walker
AoC, Colleges, Politics, Skills reform

Keegan: The 3 ‘gamechangers’ for FE

Education secretary says local skills improvement plans ‘will work’, lauds IoTs and pleads for more teachers

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Politics

Phillipson: Labour can’t commit to increasing FE funding rates

Shadow education secretary says the economic situation needs to become clearer

Jason Noble
Jason Noble
Colleges

Colleges to retain reserves if reclassified

A review to decide if colleges are part of the public sector is due to report by the end…

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Colleges

Sixth form college teachers vote for strike action

Picket lines are planned from the end of November

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
UTCs

UTC chief eyes new institutions and wants ‘sleeves’ in schools

Baker Dearing Trust boss says things are looking up for the embattled colleges

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

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