Skills reform

Calls grow for reform of ELQ rules

Former Conservative ministers and trade union bosses have both called for retraining rules to be relaxed

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
recruitment

ETF mulls scheme to bring out-of-work professionals into FE teaching

It comes after the Department for Education admitted there are ‘significant difficulties’ recruiting FE teachers

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
Covid-19

College brings back face masks after rise in Covid cases

It comes after a cases in Derbyshire increased by 6.5 per cent in a week

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
FE Week Podcast

The FE Week Podcast: The Tory Party Conference, Lords ‘Peer Review’ the Skills Bill and the future of assessment

In this week’s episode, we’re joined by exams board guru Kirstie Donnelly and policy director Simon Ashworth

Shane Mann
FE Week Podcast
News

Tributes paid after death of ‘larger than life’ principal John Callaghan

Callaghan has been called an ‘exceptional’ principal by sector leaders

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
Legislation, Skills reform

Lords in Skills Bill dissent

Ministers and peers are trying to add in changes on sixth forms, careers advice, and local skills plans

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen


Legislation, Skills reform

Baker to take on government over ‘inadequate’ careers guidance laws

The former education secretary is seeking to amend the Skills Bill to ‘oblige’ schools to stick to the Baker…

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
AEB, Procurement

DfE does ‘too much procurement’, top civil servant admits

Keith Smith signals the DfE is looking to move away from tendering for independent training providers. 

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
T Levels

NCFE scoops £38m prize in battle for T Level contracts

The charity has beaten City & Guilds and Pearson to become the flagship qualifications’ largest awarding body

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

DfE earmarks £3.3m for team of insolvency and fraud lawyers

They will advise on ‘financially distressed’ colleges and ITPs for the DfE’s provider market oversight division

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Apprenticeships, Cabinet reshuffle, Politics

Red tape forces small firms to turn their backs on apprenticeship cash incentives

The scheme this week received its second extension from the chancellor   

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofsted finds safety concerns at SEND charity

‘Improvements are under way, leaders promise

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

Must read

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
Adult education, ITPs

Mayors dump adult education cuts on independent training providers

Up to two-thirds axed from devolved procured budgets

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Bootcamps, Skills bootcamps

Coding firm caught charging students for free bootcamps

Ed tech provider ‘regretful’ after complaints and promises full refunds as bosses try to sue DfE over non-payments

Billy Camden
Billy Camden and Frances Read
Apprenticeships

Entrepreneur chased for millions after apprenticeship collapse

ESFA uncovers ‘fake’ taxi apprentices as liquidator reveals intercompany payments days after firm decided to shut

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Adult education

Fury as DfE cuts adult education budgets

Combined authorities told to expect reductions in ‘already deeply diminished’ adult skills funding

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen