Ofsted

Ofsted report cards for FE: What you need to know

Watchdog sets out plan for new grading scale and areas that will be judged

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Ofsted

Ofsted report cards could double number of graded areas for FE

5-point scale to be introduced in a model that unions claim is ‘worse than single-word judgments’, while chief inspector…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Long read

Esports in colleges: is rapid growth in provision fair game for criticism?

More than 100 FE colleges in England now offer esports courses, but homegrown job vacancies in the industry are…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
Colleges

Ban mandatory bikini waxes on beauty students, says mum

A college tutor wrongly claimed a 16-year-old needed to undergo waxing to pass her course

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Colleges, sixth form colleges

Sixth form college academisation reaches tipping point

But some principals doubt whether the Labour wants new academy conversions

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Awarding

Pearson fined £250k over string of rule breaches

Ofqual found teachers who also drew up assessments could have known which papers pupils would take, and conflicts among…

Jack Dyson
Jack Dyson


DfE

TRA seeks extra misconduct volunteers amid FE expansion

TRA looking to double misconduct panel members with 150 hires

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Colleges, Politics

Saudis ‘ready to offer decade-long FE tuition deals’ to UK colleges

Fresh tendering round expected to launch this academic year to revive ventures in the kingdom

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Ofsted

Report cards ‘rushed and botched’, Ofsted whistleblowers claim

Watchdog insiders say planned consultation is a ‘sham’ and reforms have been ‘cobbled together at ridiculous speed’

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
DfE

Demand for industry training board merger rejected

‘No plans to legislate’ for a merger between CITB and ECITB, DfE says after independent review

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships: Level 2 starts lowest in four years

Growth in higher level apprenticeships mask falls in level 2 and under 19s

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Higher education

DfE to curb HE franchise fraud with mandatory OfS registration

Providers with over 300 franchised HE students will be required to register with the Office for Students

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen

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