Skills reform

Colleges invited to bid for £65m Strategic Development Fund pilot – but must collaborate

A new fund that aims to force college collaboration has opened for bids today. Colleges can now tender to…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Government consults on replacing ATAs with new ‘flexi-job’ apprenticeship scheme

The government has announced plans to withdraw its register of apprenticeship training agencies (ATAs) and replace it with a…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Apprenticeship provider slammed as Ofsted returns to work

The first new provider monitoring visit report since Ofsted restarted the in-person inspections has found ‘insufficient’ delivery. New provider…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

£36m bootcamp results delayed

The results of the government’s national skills bootcamp tender have been hit by a “very worrying” delay. Contracts were…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Sponsored post

Pearson Digital Live: Evolving Education | 26–29 April 2021

Following the success of last year’s event, Pearson is thrilled to announce our free virtual Digital Live conference is back…

Pearson
Pearson
News

WorldSkills UK LIVE cancelled again – but national skills competitions return

The country’s biggest skills and careers event has been cancelled for a second year – but national skills competitions…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


Apprenticeships

Call for new ‘baccalaureate’ to replace A-levels, BTECs, T-Levels and apprenticeships

A three-year ‘baccalaureate’ should be introduced to replace A-levels, BTECs, T-Levels and apprenticeships, a think tank has said. A…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Colleges take adult education clawback battle to Downing Street

Colleges have called on the prime minister to intervene in the government’s “devastating” adult education clawback plans that risk…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Prison education: Three days of strikes announced

Education staff at 49 prisons across England will go on three days of strike action in the coming weeks…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

‘Staggering’ number of college students ‘between one and four months behind’, AoC survey warns

A “staggering” three quarters of 16 to 18-year-old college students are performing below normal expectations and are between one…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News, Opinion

AAC 2021 | An opportunity to look to recovery and the future of apprenticeships

At the FE Week Annual Apprenticeship Conference (AAC) in 2020 we all gathered in Birmingham knowing that it was…

Shane Mann
KIRSTIE DONNELLY
News

Ofsted to visit ‘sample’ of colleges where sexual abuse has been reported

Ofsted’s review of sexual abuse will see the watchdog make on-site visits to a “sample” of colleges where abuse…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon

Must read

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
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