Apprenticeships

DfE’s revised 2023-24 apprenticeship budget was ‘99% spent’

Apprenticeships director warns of ‘tough choices to make on what we can fund in the future’

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Colleges, Pensions

First rise in teachers’ pension contributions since 2015 to go ahead

New Fair Deal also to take effect for FE colleges retrospectively from November 14, 2024

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
Ofsted

Sir Hamid Patel appointed interim Ofsted chair

Star Academies chief executive will lead Ofsted board after Dame Christine Ryan steps down later this year

Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Ofsted

Ofsted open to ‘another consultation’ on inspection reforms if sector demands rethink

Watchdog’s national director also insists report card proposals do not ‘throw the baby out with the bath water’

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Training Providers

SWAPs is for keeps despite questions over its success

The government will fund 100,00 starts on the training and work experience scheme next year

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Apprenticeships, Long read

Lessons from our apprentices

The Association of Apprentices convened a roundtable for apprentices to tell us about their training and views on current…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill


Colleges

Teacher ‘forced out’ after racism rumours spread

Tribunal finds lecturer turned students against teacher with ‘fabricated’ racism remarks

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Apprenticeships, ESFA

Former apprenticeship boss avoids director ban

‘Errors’ in funding claims did not make the director unfit to run a company, a judge ruled

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
WorldSkills

Team UK to showcase new talents at Worldskills Shanghai

WorldSkills UK to revive three competitions for 2026 contest in China

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
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
Colleges, Funding

No extra cash means no extra students, colleges warn

Some colleges will have to turn students away without additional growth funding, says AoC

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Colleges, Funding, T Levels

DfE: Funding ‘unprecedented’ extra students this year is ‘unaffordable’

But top 16-19 funding base rate will surpass £5k in September

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen

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