Skills reform

White paper Q&A with skills minister: ‘We have got an awful lot to do and an awful lot to prove’

The lack of a long-term funding settlement for FE did not hamper the Department for Education’s white paper in…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

‘Compressed’ exams and early results day: Post-qualification admissions proposals revealed

Exam dates could be brought forward or ‘compressed’ to allow for extra time to process university applications under new…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Skills reform

DfE finally publishes ‘interim’ response to Augar Review

The Department for Education has finally published its initial response to Philip Augar’s review of Post-18 Education and Funding,…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Next phase of £1.5bn college capital funding programme launched

Colleges have been told how they can now apply for the next phase of the government’s £1.5 billion capital…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
Skills reform

FE white paper sets out ‘ambitious’ reforms

“New powers” for the education secretary to intervene in colleges and plans for funding reform have been revealed today…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Hull College Group to close down Goole campus

A troubled college group is set to lose another one of its campuses at the end of this academic…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon


News

Traineeships tender results revealed

Bidders to the government’s traineeships tender are now being informed of their outcomes following a slight delay. In decision…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

‘The benefit-risk balance is unclear’: Government pauses daily Covid contact testing in colleges

The rollout of daily Covid contact testing in schools and colleges has been paused amid fears over higher rates…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Henley campus for sale after Coventry College breaches loan conditions

A college is selling one of its only two campuses to repay debt after being warned it could “face…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Ofqual raises concerns over DfE reforms to BTECs and other level 3 qualifications

Government plans to remove funding for thousands of courses, such as BTECs, that compete with T Levels and A-levels…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofqual publishes summer 2021 exams plan

The exams regulator Ofqual has finally revealed its plans for replacing exams this summer. Two consultation documents have gone…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Fourth interim CEO takes the reins at Hull College Group

A high profile college leader has taken the reins at the Hull College Group as a short-term interim chief…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

Must read

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
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