Colleges, Ofsted

Ofsted slams SEND college for ‘highly inappropriate’ activities

The watchdog found that students with special educational needs and disabilities were tube fed and medicated in classrooms in…

Will Nott
Will Nott
News

DfE slashes grant funding for ETF

It is expected that some programmes previously provided by ETF will be put out to tender by the DfE

Will Nott
Will Nott
Apprenticeships

Shock as half of apprentices drop out

Expert says there would be ‘national outcry’ and independent inquiry if this happened with A-levels

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
AEB

‘Frustrating’ for some but ‘not surprising’: ESFA extends AEB contracts for one more year

National adult education budget contracts renewed for 2022/23

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Apprenticeships

2020/21 apprenticeship achievement rate hits 57.7% – and just 51.8% for standards

Almost half of learners on the new-style apprenticeship standards failed to successfully complete their programme last year, new figures…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


Apprenticeships

Revised 2019/20 apprenticeship achievement rates reveal huge drop

The overall achievement rate for apprenticeships in 2019/20 has fallen to 57.5 per cent – 6.7 percentage points lower…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Covid-19

DfE widens student eligibility criteria for 16-19 catch-up funding

But leaders warn the extension has been introduced too late and predict ‘many’ fundng clawbacks

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Colleges

Central Bedfordshire College to merge with The Bedford College Group

Central Bedfordshire College is set to merge with The Bedford College Group, it has been announced today. The two…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Inclusion, SEND

SEND review ‘disappointing’ for FE

The government’s planned reforms to the SEND education system do not go far enough for FE learners, leaders say.

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Skills reform

Skills Bill: Government ‘compromises’ on careers but no delay to BTEC defunding

A concession on rules for careers guidance in schools but government rejects delayed BTEC defunding in skills bill final…

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Apprenticeships

Government criticised for axing public sector apprenticeship target

Officials accused of ‘throwing in the towel’ after confirming the move today

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