Industrial action

Staff vote to strike at 15 colleges

University and College Union members in 15 colleges across England have voted for strike action in a row over…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

National adult education budget tender results revealed

There are 83 winners sharing £62.6 million from the Education and Skills Funding Agency’s adult education budget tender, FE…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

What you need to know from the government’s response to the level 3 qualification review

The government has published its long-awaited response to the consultation for the level 3 qualifications review. The Department for…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

ESFA boss Eileen Milner to become combined authority chief executive

Eileen Milner will become the chief executive her local combined authority when she leaves the Education and Skills Funding…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Adult education

ESFA U-turns and allows AEB clawback business cases

The Education and Skills Funding Agency has announced colleges will be allowed to submit business cases to avoid adult…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Level 3 qualifications review: Reprieve for some BTECs

BTECs will survive the government’s bonfire of level 3 qualifications if they can demonstrate there is a “real need”…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon


Ofsted

NHS trust’s apprenticeship contract terminated after Ofsted finds ‘inappropriate behaviour’

An NHS trust has had its apprenticeship contract terminated after Ofsted found serious safety concerns. Nearly 700 apprentices are…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

6 key proposals from the DfE’s short consultation on FE exams

The Department for Education and Ofqual have launched a consultation on proposals for vocational and general assessments and exams…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
Covid-19

‘Reckless’: UCU slams July 19 easing of Covid restrictions

A college union has attacked government plans to relax Covid restrictions on campuses as showing a “reckless disregard for…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

GLA adult education admin costs soar to meet new corporate overhead charges

The cost of managing and administering the Greater London Authority’s adult education budget may soon reach almost £6 million….

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Fears that London’s adult education budget could be cut as colleges struggle to spend funding

London colleges are struggling to spend chunks of their adult education budget – leading to fears that the Greater…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

New rule will stop providers assessing apprentices for learning difficulties

Apprenticeship sector leaders have attacked a new funding rule concerning apprentices’ learning difficulties assessments, slamming it as “totally wrong”….

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon

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