News

Ofqual ‘pleased’ with ‘small’ number of penalties issued for cheating in vocational exams last year

More than 1,300 penalties were issued for cheating in vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs) in 2019/20 – with the…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

International college membership body appoints England-based principal as new chair

An England-based college principal has been named as the new chair of a global membership organisation for technical education…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

DfE’s skills and productivity board chair replaced after a year

The chair of the Department for Education’s skills and productivity board has stepped down a year after being appointed…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Sustainability issues could be prioritised in qualifications to break down barriers to teaching

How learners can protect the planet is set to be bumped up curriculums, after teachers complained the lack of…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
Covid-19

Covid: College attendance data collection to go weekly from October

Schools and colleges will be asked to submit Covid-19  attendance data to the government on a weekly rather than…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

All colleges to receive carbon dioxide monitors to help ventilation

The government is going to hand out around 300,000 carbon dioxide monitors to colleges in a £25 million scheme…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon


News

DfE refuses petition’s call to back down from defunding BTECs

The Department for Education has stood firm on plans to strip public funding from a range of qualifications at…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

NCFE launches £1 million fund to discover the future of assessment

Organisations with their sights set on the future of assessment have been invited to apply to a £1 million…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Sector views sought on domestic abuse guidance

Colleges and other education organisations are being asked for views on new statutory guidance on domestic abuse by the…

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
News

DfE puts out ‘Fire It Up’ campaign

The Department for Education is ditching the multi-million pound ‘Fire It Up’ campaign meant to boost apprenticeship numbers, amid…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Colleges facing “immense” challenge from rising student numbers, warns IFS

The Institute for Fiscal Studies has echoed calls for extra college funding to abate an “immense” resourcing challenge caused…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
Covid-19

DfE outlines new Covid case ‘thresholds’ to prompt extra controls in providers – but their use is optional

The government has updated its contingency framework for further education and skills providers to include new Covid case “thresholds”…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon

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