Prison education

MPs call for overhaul of prisoner education assessments and in-cell laptops for learning

In a new report, the House of Commons education select committee highlighted what it called the ‘cracks in a clunky, chaotic, disjointed…

Will Nott
Will Nott
WorldSkills

Revealed: 6 colleges chosen to host WorldSkills UK national finals 2022

A total of 62 finals will be held between them in November

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Expand skills minister role to tackle youth unemployment crisis, says report

EDSK’s paper said that on current trends it will take over 150 years before there are no longer any…

Will Nott
Will Nott
Long read

Focus feature: Student safety and criminal exploitation

What happens after a serious violent incident plays out in a college? How can colleges best support students and…

Jess Staufenberg
Jess Staufenberg
Covid-19

Stressed and nervous but determined to prove themselves: the students sitting exams for the first time 

John Dickens, editor of FE Week’s sister publication Schools Week, joined Ofqual chief regulator Dr Jo Saxton as her…

John Dickens
John Dickens
Governance

In search of new college governors: DfE opens tender for board recruitment service 

The successful bidder will have three years to place at least 134 governors on college boards in return for…

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen


Ofsted

Three colleges remain ‘outstanding’ more than a decade after last Ofsted visits 

This week Ofsted published the results of new inspections and found that standards at the three colleges had not slipped,…

Will Nott
Will Nott
News

Investigation ‘inconclusive’ on Covid-related death of lecturer but college did break health and safety laws

No reasonable evidence linking virus exposure within the workplace, Health and Safety Executive concludes

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Apprenticeships

CMI earns record turnover as management apprenticeships soar despite pandemic

End-point assessment ‘is now a significant contributor to income’ for the charity

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Ofsted, SEND

SEND college where students ‘do not feel safe’ judged ‘inadequate’

‘Staff are sometimes too slow to take action when learners report bullying or harassment’

Will Nott
Will Nott
Qualifications, Skills reform, T Levels

Revealed: 38 BTECs facing the chop to clear way for first T Levels

They’re among 160 level 3 quals set to be defunded from 2024

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Apprenticeships

ESFA buckles to sector pressure on ‘unfair’ apprenticeship drop-out rule

A threshold for withdrawals that triggers ‘enhanced monitoring’ has been significantly increased

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

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