News

Monthly apprenticeships update: February starts fall 11%

Apprenticeship starts for the month of February 2020 fell 11 per cent on the previous year, figures published this…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

ESFA will individually ‘challenge’ hundreds of apprenticeship providers after poor achievement rates

Providers that failed to meet the minimum standard for apprenticeship achievement rates last year will be informed next week…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Education secretary quizzed by MPs on timing and scope of coronavirus supplier relief

The education secretary today dodged an MP’s question about his department’s delay in launching supplier relief support for training…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Minister explains ‘anomaly’ leaving majority of apprenticeships ineligible for ESFA supplier relief

The majority of apprenticeship providers are not eligible for supplier relief from the Department for Education because of the…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

‘Staggering’: DfE to stop the monthly publication of apprenticeship starts

The Department for Education has been criticised for its “staggering” decision to scrap all in-year apprenticeship data releases. Officials…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

DfE launches ‘Skills Toolkit’ to signpost to free online courses

The Department for Education has launched a web page that signposts people to free courses that can develop their…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


News

Free recording: In conversation with apprenticeships minister Gillian Keegan

FE Week was joined by apprenticeships minister Gillian Keegan this afternoon for our latest webinar on the response to…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofsted’s 1,700 staff ‘considerably under occupied’ admits chief inspector, but available to volunteer

A “considerable number” of Ofsted’s 1,700 staff are under occupied despite offering themselves up as Covid-19 response volunteers, the…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

All systems go: the virtual open day has arrived

FE Week spoke to a handful of colleges that have cancelled their traditional summer open days and already started…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

DfE scraps annual FE learner satisfaction survey

The annual FE learner satisfaction survey has been axed for 2019/20 due to the Covid-19 outbreak. The decision was…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Revealed: Government list of apprenticeships given green light for online assessment

A list of 70 apprenticeship standards where permission has been granted to carry out end-point assessments remotely during the…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Can providers furlough staff and receive ESFA supplier relief?

Staff that have been furloughed by training providers must return to work if they want to receive supplier relief…

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