Ofsted

Eureka! Science trainer given Ofsted’s highest grade

Inspectorate full of praise for 500 learner-strong Birmingham-based provider’s curriculum and teaching

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Skills bootcamps

Only builder bootcamps extended as scheme dismantled

Local leaders in some parts of the country will continue bootcamps for other sectors

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
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
News

Safety trainer BSC fined for anti-fraud failures

‘Long running, repeated and systemic failures’ related to CSCS cards exposed

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
T Levels

T Levels will hit sustainable levels ‘by 2029’ 

DfE officials ‘confident’ of hitting new forecasts after huge shortfall in early years of the qualification’s rollout

Billy Camden
Billy Camden and Shane Chowen
Sponsored post

Screening for the cognitive needs of apprentices is essential – does it matter if the process is engaging?

Engagement should be the first priority in cognitive assessment. An engaging assessment is an inclusive assessment — when cognitive…

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Apprenticeships

Replace level 2s with foundation apprenticeships, says report

Uni VC claims ‘many’ level 2 apprenticeships have ‘not offered high-quality training, nor been sufficiently accessible to potential learners’

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
T Levels

‘Disappointment’ as T Levels funding rate uplift halved

Decision comes weeks after the NAO revealed a £688m underspend on the total T Level budget

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Skills England

Skills England: Ministers will make decisions on FE resources, not us

Highlights from Skills England’s first grilling by the education committee

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Apprenticeships

Struggling Babington joins Paragon Skills at Knovia Group

Takeover comes as Babington faces hefty government clawback and ‘worsening’ financial position

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Ofsted

Nearly two-thirds think Ofsted reforms are worse, ‘alternative’ consultation finds

Survey launched by Ofsted critics finds 90% of respondents said five-point grading system not fit for purpose

Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Lydia Chantler-Hicks
SEND

‘Worry’ over as doomed SEND college is saved by Big Issue

The ‘outstanding’ college feared closure after an eviction notice from Hounslow Council

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor

Must read

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
T Levels

NAO reveals enormity of T Level take-up failure

Forecasts missed by 75% and secret DfE estimates show staff and employer shortages could limit places to 48,000 students

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Adult education, ITPs

Mayors dump adult education cuts on independent training providers

Up to two-thirds axed from devolved procured budgets

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Bootcamps, Skills bootcamps

Coding firm caught charging students for free bootcamps

Ed tech provider ‘regretful’ after complaints and promises full refunds as bosses try to sue DfE over non-payments

Billy Camden
Billy Camden and Frances Read