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


Apprenticeships

FE Week asks the skills minister: are apprentices paid enough? 

‘It’s better than it looks on paper’, says Alex Burghart

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Funding

Sunak’s ‘new austerity’: Spring statement offers no new money for education

The chancellor offered no extra funding for education in the spring statement, despite spiralling costs, bills and inflation.

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Ofsted

Marine specialist takes aim at Ofsted after grade 4 report

‘The Ofsted report will mean that the Thames Marine Academy will no longer be able to offer these much…

Will Nott
Will Nott
Colleges

College pauses ‘stop and search’ security checks after student protests

‘We want to sit down calmly with students to get to the bottom of what it is that we…

Will Nott
Will Nott
Apprenticeships

Treasury plays down apprenticeship levy review

Employer and skills bodies want clarity over ‘bizarre’ backtrack

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Eton: ‘Elite’ sixth form plans impossible without our £1m top-up

Prestigious private school declares current funding levels are inadequate for its lofty ambitions

Will Nott
Will Nott

Must read

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
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