News

Minister says the quality of an FE course should be judged by job outcomes

The FE sector should judge the quality of their training programmes on the jobs that learners end up in,…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Apprenticeship providers call on government to find three months of ‘catch-up’ cash

The volume of apprentices who require more training due to Covid-19 interruptions is starting to “spiral steeply”, providers have…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Colleges need cash to employ ‘business innovation account managers’, says AoC

A lack of funding is holding colleges back from hiring “specific business innovation account managers” to help initiate an…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

‘Nothing to fear’ if colleges brought into public ownership, says AoC chief in tense exchange with MPs

Colleges have “nothing to fear” about being brought into public ownership, the head of their membership organisation told MPs…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofqual calls time on estimated grades for BTECs and other vocational qualifications

Ofqual has ruled out the use of calculated grades to award vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs) again. Following this…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

College leaders called on to help prevent unnecessary surge in coronavirus testing

Principals have been urged to stop students and staff with a sore throat or headache from getting unnecessary coronavirus…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


News

Ofqual and the exams fiasco: 8 interesting things we learned

Senior staff from the exams regulator were hauled infront of the education select committee today where they were grilled…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofsted’s autumn visits: what FE providers need to know

Ofsted has today published further details about how their “interim visits” of FE providers will work this autumn. The…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofqual moots online tests as plan B for 2021 exams

Ofqual has confirmed exams will go ahead next year come what may, saying that it is looking at online…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofqual: ‘Fundamental mistake’ to believe algorithm grades would ‘ever be acceptable to public’

The “fundamental mistake” made by Ofqual throughout this year’s exams debacle was to believe that its calculated grades “would…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Funding audits to restart this month for private providers – but not colleges

New routine funding audits will restart on a remote basis for independent training providers from this month – but…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News, Opinion

Helping providers recover from the impact of Coronavirus

The AELP Business Recovery Conference on 9-10 September 2020 is the flagship skills event of the year.  Presented online…

Shane Mann
JANE HICKIE

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