News

College closes all campuses for a week following ‘major’ cyber attack

A Birmingham college has closed all its campuses to students for a week following a “major” ransomware cyber attack…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Revealed: The most popular Skills Toolkit courses

The government has for the first time revealed the most popular courses being taken through its “Skills Toolkit” –…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ex-skills minister criticises lack of T Level targets

A former skills minister has criticised the Department for Education for moving away from T Levels student recruitment targets….

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

‘Absurd’: Small employers blocked from apprentice cash incentives

Small employers are being blocked from the government’s apprentice cash incentives due to a “bonkers” cap on starts, an…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Turing scheme opens for bids

Colleges and training providers can now apply for funding to send students and apprentices to study or work internationally…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
Skills reform

Revealed: Complex allocations for the ‘targeted level 3 adult offer’

Just over £118 million has been set aside to pay for the new “targeted level 3 adult offer” across…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


Skills reform

FE white paper: Employer casts doubt on chambers of commerce leading role

Chambers of commerce are “not close enough to industry” to play a leading role in the skills system as…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

2022 exams may need similar ‘adaptations’ as those proposed for 2021, warns Ofqual chief

The government is considering making “adaptations” to exams in 2022 similar to those proposed for this summer’s assessments before…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofsted to end progress monitoring visits next week to prioritise new provider inspections

Progress monitoring visits of grade three and four FE providers will end from March 15 as inspections of new…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Feature, News

How does the Turing scheme compare to Erasmus?

The Turing scheme will open for applications this month. We spoke to sector professionals to compare the newcomer with…

Jess Staufenberg
Jess Staufenberg
News

DfE was aware of bootcamps gender issue but has plans to tackle it

The Department for Education knew its flagship skills bootcamps could be flooded with male learners but has a raft…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

New provider monitoring visits back on for March 15

New provider monitoring visits will resume from March 15 – and they will be conducted face-to-face, Ofsted has confirmed….

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