Apprenticeships

Banter, firework emails and power ‘grab’ defended by ex-SFA chief in Marples trial

Sir Peter Lauener was cross-examined for 2 days. Here’s what we learned…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden and Charlie Moloney
Skills reform

Industrial strategy: growth and skills levy courses start next year

Other new measures include ‘defence technical excellence colleges’

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
T Levels

£6.3m available for T Level placement incentive fund for employers

DfE confirms funding for health and construction employers, including SMEs

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Adult education, Long read

Inside the evergreen sanctuary of Fircroft adult residential college

Inspired by Denmark’s folk high schools, Birmingham’s Fircroft College still provides a home-from-home for people with addiction and mental…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
Colleges

WCG sells contentious campus after High Court win 

The proceeds will be used to pay off debts from an ongoing government funding audit

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Colleges

DfE appoints three new FE national leaders

Principals of ‘outstanding’ colleges have been enlisted to help other colleges improve

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter


SEND

SEND deficits to be kept off council balance sheets for two more years

SEND deficit ‘statutory override’ protecting potentially scores of councils from insolvency extended to 2028

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
Apprenticeships

DfE agrees ‘transitional period’ for new off the job policy

Four-month grace period for 39 apprenticeships with revised off-the-job training hours follows sector concerns

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Apprenticeships, Assessment

Ofqual publishes ‘flexible’ apprenticeship assessment rules

Watchdog sets out how it will do away with end point assessment and monitor training providers marking their own…

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Colleges

Sixth form strike looms over pay ‘harmonisation’

The union calls the proposed pay freeze ‘levelling down’

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
LSIPs

New ERBs needed following devolution shake-up

£6.3 million available for 39 ERBs next year

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Colleges

Exam picket line over cuts at ‘second chances’ sixth form

The sixth form’s new management say cutting A-Levels will improve its ‘inadequate’ achievement rate

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor

Must read

Colleges, Long read

Legrave’s last orders: build cash, challenge leaders and don’t ignore teaching

In her final interview, the outgoing FE Commissioner warns colleges not to mistake funding rises for financial safety

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
16-19

Curriculum review: ‘Strengthen’ resit accountability and reduce T Level assessment burden

Review recommends already-announced V Levels, level 2 pathways and new pre-GCSE English and maths quals

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
News

Case dismissed: Marples loses High Court claim against DfE

A judge has dismissed a multi-million-pound claim brought by former training boss Peter Marples and his family against the…

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Skills reform

New law to bar ‘unsuitable’ FE leaders among skills white paper reforms

The government’s post-16 strategy has finally been unveiled

Billy Camden
Billy Camden and Shane Chowen
Qualifications

Revealed: V Levels incoming as axe looms for BTECs

New qualifications set to launch as ‘third route’ between A-levels and T Levels

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Politics, Skills reform

DWP will take over apprenticeships, minister confirms

Shifting adult skills and apprenticeships policy will give “bigger emphasis on skills”, Jacqui Smith claims

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel