DfE, Politics

Meet the ministers: Who’s who in Liz Truss’s first DfE lineup

Ministerial responsibilities at the DfE have finally been announced,

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
News

Geoff Barton to step down from ASCL role in 2024

School and college leaders’ union general secretary will stand down three years earlier than planned

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
DfE, Skills reform

DfE outlines next steps for UK’s first skills taxonomy

DfE puts out notice for first two-year phase of work to develop skills map

Jason Noble
Jason Noble
News

Skills toolkit platform launched in lockdown is under review

DfE admits it is lacking reliable data to publish

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
BTECs, Exams

Ofqual seeks colleges’ evidence on BTEC results delays

Thousands of students did not receive their results on time this summer

Samantha Booth
Samantha Booth
Ofsted

Inspection section: Series of grade 4s released following pause in publication of Ofsted reports

Multiple training providers are now facing contract terminations

Tallulah Taylor
Tallulah Taylor


Colleges

Third college to gain bachelor’s degree awarding powers revealed

Blackpool and The Fylde becomes the third mainstream college to secure bachelor’s degree awarding powers

Jason Noble
Jason Noble
News

Inspectors lack sector-specific expertise, says film and media provider after Ofsted appeal loss

A film and media training provider has accused Ofsted of lacking the expertise to judge its apprenticeship provision after…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

DfE takes action against company illegally advertising apprenticeships – AGAIN

A company continuing to illegally advertise apprenticeships, despite promising to stop last year, is facing fresh government action. Train…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

PM asks Malthouse to draw up plans for ‘Voxbridge’ colleges

‘Incredibly exciting’ plans to come in the spring, but sector leaders reject idea

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Chancellor to reverse national insurance hike

National insurance costs went up in FE by 1.25 percentage points in April, despite schools and public sector…

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
News

More school and college leavers without university places after exams return

Leaders demand better-funded careers advice after official figures show 40,000 applicants were still without a place in mid-September

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker

Must read

Colleges, Long read

Alun Francis, chair of the Social Mobility Commission

Deprived areas need vision – not victimhood – to level up, and Social Mobility Commission chair Alun Francis is…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
Long read, Prison education

The prison that’s offering hope for a new life upon release

‘We’re saving people’s lives as well as turning them around’

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
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