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
News

ESFA pays apprenticeship firm £6m before terminating contract

Owners of a new apprenticeship provider that quickly raked in £6 million have had their contract terminated after hundreds…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

AAC Awards 2021 winners revealed

The elite of the country’s apprentice employers, providers and sector leaders were honoured at the FE Week-AELP Annual Apprenticeship…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Another ESFA delay after 16-19 tuition fund applications put back to autumn

The window for colleges to opt into the second year of the 16 to 19 tuition fund has been…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Education MPs endorse Saxton as new Ofqual boss

The education select committee has endorsed the appointment of Dr Jo Saxton as chief regulator of Ofqual. Saxton, a…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon

Must read

16-19

Curriculum review: ‘Strengthen’ resit accountability and reduce T Level assessment burden

Review recommends already-announced V Levels, level 2 pathways and new pre-GCSE English and maths quals

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
News

Case dismissed: Marples loses High Court claim against DfE

A judge has dismissed a multi-million-pound claim brought by former training boss Peter Marples and his family against the…

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Skills reform

New law to bar ‘unsuitable’ FE leaders among skills white paper reforms

The government’s post-16 strategy has finally been unveiled

Billy Camden
Billy Camden and Shane Chowen
Qualifications

Revealed: V Levels incoming as axe looms for BTECs

New qualifications set to launch as ‘third route’ between A-levels and T Levels

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Politics, Skills reform

DWP will take over apprenticeships, minister confirms

Shifting adult skills and apprenticeships policy will give “bigger emphasis on skills”, Jacqui Smith claims

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
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