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
14-16, Careers

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
News

New year honours 2023: Who got what in FE and skills?

A former president of the AoC has been made a dame alongside five CBEs, six OBEs and seven MBEs…

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen

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