News

Could an FE white paper signal government support to host the skills Olympics?

The much-anticipated FE white paper could provide impetus and galvanise support for a bid to host the international WorldSkills…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Ofqual’s independence questioned as regulator ‘buried its head in the sand’ during exams fiasco

The education select committee has accused Ofqual of “burying its head in the sand” by ignoring repeated warnings in…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Colleges fear enrolment surge could see 20,000 sixth formers go ‘unfunded’

Around 20,000 “unfunded” 16 to 18-year-old students are studying in colleges this year following a surge in enrolments due…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

DfE seeks views on ‘undervalued’ level 2 and below quals market

The Department for Education has launched a call for evidence to find out what is “working well” with qualifications…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofsted reveals key findings from FE visits during pandemic

Ofsted has today published a summary of what they found during their first “interim visits” of colleges and training…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Birmingham provider drops adult education budget high court fight

The first ever court battle to challenge a failed adult education budget application has been dropped. East Birmingham Community…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


News

Large redundancies planned at college which took over Hadlow Group campuses

Almost 100 jobs are at risk at one of the colleges which took over part of the first college…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

The show must go on: online resources to support delivery during lockdown 2.0

With Boris Johnson announcing a second national lockdown on Saturday, we continue to face much uncertainty and disruption to…

Shane Mann
Shane Mann
News

Study staff, pastoral care, peer mentoring: spending the tuition fund

FE Week explores how the government’s £96 million tuition fund is being put to use by colleges and whether…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

College running on emergency cash to sell campus

A college in dire financial straits is looking to sell off one of its campuses to balance the books,…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Free digital skills quals held up by Covid and Ofqual delays

Coronavirus and “unnecessary delays” by the exams regulator have been blamed for disrupting the roll out of free, government-developed,…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Revealed: The number of bids in ESFA’s traineeships tender

The government’s much-anticipated traineeships tender received 370 bids – a fraction of the number that had been anticipated by…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

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