News

Troubleshooter takes the reins at newly formed college

A newly formed college has appointed an experienced troubleshooter as its interim chief executive. City of Portsmouth College, which…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

School and college leaders demand £5.8bn catch-up cash for poorer students

Education bosses have set out proposals for a £5.8 billion Covid recovery plan, including a £300 million three-year post-16…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

‘Excellent’ college principal retires due to ill health

A long-standing college principal has retired with immediate effect due to a terminal illness. John Callaghan, who has led…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Afghan refugees will be offered free English courses, Department for Education says

The Department for Education has promised free English courses for Afghan refugees as part of the government’s Operation Warm…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
Covid-19

DfE to evaluate impact of 16-19 Covid tuition fund

The government is planning to evaluate its subsidised tuition scheme for 16-to-19-year-olds – after almost a quarter of eligible…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Revealed: The 88 providers that won national adult education budget tender funding

Half of the 88 training providers to win funding in the government’s national adult education budget (AEB) tender did…

Simon Kay
Simon Kay


News

New £75 ‘connectivity support grants’: What you need to know

Colleges will be able to claim back money to help disadvantaged students absent due to Covid get online in…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Covid-19

Private providers excluded from DfE’s latest Covid safety scheme

Independent providers are outraged after the government barred them from a scheme to tackle Covid infections in education settings….

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Colleges sought to create new ‘short’ courses in ‘important’ subjects

Colleges have been invited to bid for a share of a £2 million fund to develop new short higher…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Revealed: 45 T Level colleges sharing £50m to refurbish teaching spaces

Forty-five colleges delivering the government’s flagship T Level qualifications from next year have won a slice of £50 million…

Simon Kay
Simon Kay
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

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