News

£78m Covid mass testing support revealed

The government will make £78 million available for the rollout of rapid mass Covid-19 testing of students from January…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

New Ofqual chief promises to work with sector for ‘smooth-running’ exams next year

The new interim chief regulator at Ofqual has promised to work with the sector to ensure the “smooth-running” of…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Bring back individual learning accounts, say influential MPs

Influential MPs have added their voices to calls for the return of individual learning accounts to help reverse the…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Unions tell ministers mass testing plans are ‘inoperable’, and pledge to back colleges who refuse

Unions and professional associations have said they will fully back schools and colleges that are “unable” to deliver mass…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Non-exam-year FE students to switch to online learning for first week back in January

FE students who are not preparing for exams in 2021 must learn at home for the first week of…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Top results at A-level drop in Autumn resits compared to summer

The proportion of top grades awarded to students in the Autumn A-level exams is overall lower than the summer…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


AEB

London Mayor to increase AEB funding rates by 10% – but will the ESFA follow?

The mayor of London will increase the funding rates for all adult education budget qualifications up to and including…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Regulators took over after apprenticeship assessment bodies refused to comply

A lack of regulatory powers for quality assurance providers to enforce compliance with apprentice assessment rules was a key…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Covid workforce funds: What colleges need to know

The Department for Education has published the thresholds and eligibility criteria for its new ‘Covid workforce fund’ – but…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

DfE extends free sanitary products scheme for an extra year

The government has extended its free sanitary products scheme for schools and colleges for an extra year. Schools and…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Hunt underway for new IfATE chair after incumbent announces early departure

The search for a new Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education chair has begun after it was announced Antony…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Ofqual chair Roger Taylor to stand down

The chair of exams regulator Ofqual is to stand down at the end of the year. Roger Taylor, who…

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