News

PM to announce major ‘expansion’ in FE funding for adults

Adults over the age of 23 in England without a full level 3 qualification will be offered one for…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Confirmed: DfE sets out plan for Ofsted to take on degree apprenticeships

Ofsted will be handed powers to inspect level 6 and 7 apprenticeships from 1 April 2021, education secretary Gavin…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Long-running apprenticeship provider goes bust

An independent training provider in Birmingham has entered insolvency after Covid-19 reduced the company’s income to a point that…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Shadow education secretary apologises after calling Covid-19 a ‘good crisis’

Shadow education secretary Kate Green has apologised after calling the Covid-19 pandemic a “good crisis” which Labour “should not let…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Struggling Gateshead in merger talks

An embattled college is in merger talks with two neighbouring college groups after a surprise £6 million deficit crippled…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

College dependent on merger to survive has latest bid rejected by ESFA

A merger that was planned to save a cash-strapped college from going bust has been rejected by the Education…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon


News

Provider disputes £2.6m clawback following ESFA investigation

The parent company of a recently-purchased apprenticeship training provider is disputing a £2.6 million clawback and remains suspended from…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Colleges and ITPs become gateway providers to Kickstart the economy

Colleges and independent FE providers have been flocking to support the government’s new Kickstart initiative by helping employers who…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

‘Worrying’: University groups voice concerns over Ofsted inspections

Handing Ofsted powers to inspect degree apprenticeships is “worrying and unnecessary”, a university membership organisation has said. MillionPlus, which…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Tripling traineeships: Large colleges refuse to rise to the challenge

More than two-thirds of colleges in England chose not to run any traineeship programmes in 2018/19, FE Week can…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Colleges exempt from new Covid rules on adult indoor sport

New restrictions on adult indoor sports and five-a-side football will not apply to colleges if the activity is part…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

College lobby boss keen on extension to break from Ofsted inspections

Full Ofsted inspections shouldn’t restart until April 2021 at the earliest, the chief executive of the Association of Colleges…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

Must read

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
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