News

Bumper year as 102 winners scoop silver Pearson Teaching Awards for 2021

Inspirational teachers, leaders, support staff, schools and colleges from across the country have been honoured today for their outstanding…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Proposed new IfATE powers ‘strike the right balance’ with Ofqual, says Williamson

The education secretary has defended plans to hand new powers to the government’s apprenticeships quango, saying it will “strike…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Williamson looking at adaptions for 2022 exams to ensure ‘right level of support’ for students

The government is looking at a “similar set of measures” for the 2022 exams as those proposed for this…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Ofsted

DfE considering ‘accelerated inspections’ to help Ofsted tackle Covid backlog

Gavin Williamson has revealed the government is looking to accelerate the timetable for Ofsted inspections in order to address…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Ofsted

Confusion and heavy lobbying forces Ofsted to ‘clarify’ Baker clause approach

Ofsted inspectors will “always” report where a school fails to comply with the Baker clause and “consider” how it…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
Feature, News

Should length of tenure for CEOs and chairs be limited?

College leadership failings continue to prove costly, and the education secretary is now seeking greater powers to take more…

Jess Staufenberg
Jess Staufenberg


Ofsted

Pressure mounts on Ofsted to limit grades by Baker Clause compliance

MPs have called on Ofsted to cut schools off from the top two inspection grades if they fail to…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Williamson wants to rush through university admissions reform ‘without legislation’

The government wants to rush through its plans for a post-qualifications admissions (PQA) system for universities “without legislation”, the…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Williamson’s policy adviser set to be new Ofqual boss

A former academy trust boss and policy adviser to Gavin Williamson has been put forward to be the new…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Ofsted

‘How is this fair?’: Ofsted pause leaves grade 3 colleges excluded from £18m Fund

College principals are in uproar over being excluded from yet another government fund because they are stuck with a…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
Ofsted

Ofsted raps performing arts provider for body shaming students

A theatre and dance company has been slammed by Ofsted for body shaming its students. Learners at the Bodywork…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Lords line up to challenge new law on provider insurance

Plans to force independent training providers to take out insurance to cover against possible cessation of training are set…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

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