News

‘Significant strides’ made towards addressing safety concerns at Shrewsbury college, says FE Commissioner

A college has been praised by the FE Commissioner for making “significant strides” towards ensuring its campuses safe, after…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Revealed: Six members appointed to DfE’s skills and productivity board

Six “leading skills and labour market economists” have today been appointed to the Department for Education’s new skills and…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Former leader of bankrupt college returns to auditing firm

Investigations by the government’s insolvency watchdog into the former leadership of two bankrupt colleges are still ongoing – as…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

DfE to move army of cost-cutting advisers into FE

Ministers are drawing up plans to extend a controversial cost-cutting advice scheme for schools into the FE sector. According…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Mass Covid testing ‘a game changer’ for colleges

Rapid mass coronavirus testing has been hailed as a potential “game changer” for keeping campuses open and courses running,…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Higher education admissions process set for radical shake-up

The government is set to move closer to meeting a manifesto commitment to reform the higher education admissions process….

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


News

The winners of the BAME Apprenticeship Awards 2020

Outstanding black, Asian and minority ethnic apprentices, as well as employers and providers leading in increasing the diversity of…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Government careers agency fails to persuade majority of schools to engage with FE and HE

Less than half of the schools in the government’s multi-million pound network of careers hubs have met a target…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
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

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