News

Federation of Awarding Bodies appoints a pair of chairs

Two well-known sector leaders have been appointed as the new co-chairs of the Federation of Awarding Bodies. Kirstie Donnelly,…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Revealed: The top 100 apprenticeship employers

The British Army has been named the best apprentice employer in England in a new list of ‘Top 100 Apprentice Employers’ published…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

DfE seeks Parliamentary Bill team ahead of ‘ambitious’ FE white paper

The Department for Education is assembling a new team of legislators to implement education secretary Gavin Williamson’s “ambitious vision”…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Ofsted publishes first 10 ‘interim visit’ letters for FE providers

Ofsted has this morning published the letters from its first 10 “interim visits” of FE providers that are taking…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Management clear-out planned for college running on emergency cash

A college surviving on bailout funding is seeking to balance the books with a management clear-out. Twenty managers who…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

CBI calls time on ‘failed’ apprenticeship levy

A major business representative group has called on the government to end its “failed experiment” of the apprenticeship levy. …

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon


News

New Esports BTEC a game-changer (sponsored)

The billion-dollar market for competitive video gaming is continuing to rise, with new jobs requiring fresh talent. And it’s…

Shane Mann
Shane Mann
News

Coronavirus: College announces two week ‘circuit breaker’

A college has announced plans to close its campus for a two week “circuit breaker” to combat rising coronavirus…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Warning that massive competition for limited traineeship funding will repeat controversial non-levy tender

The traineeship tender is set to be deluged with “in excess of 3,000 bidders”, with the vast majority likely…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

DfE goes soft on apprenticeship public sector reporting rule

The Department for Education looks to have relaxed the requirement for public bodies to publish their progress towards the…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Digital skills bootcamps: What are they and how will they work?

The digital skills bootcamps announced with the prime minister’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee could lead to adult education budget provision…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Second wave of Institutes of Technology will feature ‘strengthened’ criteria

New Institutes of Technology (IoTs) will require greater collaboration between colleges and set more ambitious student recruitment targets, FE…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

Must read

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
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