News

Gateshead College to remain standalone after merger snub

Bids from two north-east colleges to merge with an embattled neighbour have been snubbed by the FE commissioner. FE…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Anger and dismay as BAME apprenticeship figures fall

Government efforts to increase apprenticeship take-up by black, Asian and minority ethnic young people have been slammed as a…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Up to £80m of unspent national retraining scheme cash on its way back to Treasury

The Department for Education could be forced to hand back up to £80 million to the Treasury after closing…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

DfE consults on scrapping quals competing with T Levels by 2023

The government has moved a step closer to removing funding for applied general qualifications, such as BTECs, that compete…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Share the Love award-winner announced as Colleges Week celebrates the sector

The winner of the Share the Love (Our Colleges) competition has been announced by the Association of Colleges as…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Government researchers call for financial incentive to assess apprentices’ prior learning

The government has been urged by their own researchers to stump up funding for assessing prior learning in apprenticeships,…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


News, Opinion, Sponsored post

We cannot lose sight of the long-term unemployed (sponsored)

In October, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that the unemployment rate in the UK continues to increase…

Victoria Boyle
DAN HOWARD
News

Federation of Awarding Bodies appoints a pair of chairs

Two well-known sector leaders have been appointed as the new co-chairs of the Federation of Awarding Bodies. Kirstie Donnelly,…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Revealed: The top 100 apprenticeship employers

The British Army has been named the best apprentice employer in England in a new list of ‘Top 100 Apprentice Employers’ published…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

DfE seeks Parliamentary Bill team ahead of ‘ambitious’ FE white paper

The Department for Education is assembling a new team of legislators to implement education secretary Gavin Williamson’s “ambitious vision”…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Ofsted publishes first 10 ‘interim visit’ letters for FE providers

Ofsted has this morning published the letters from its first 10 “interim visits” of FE providers that are taking…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Management clear-out planned for college running on emergency cash

A college surviving on bailout funding is seeking to balance the books with a management clear-out. Twenty managers who…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

Must read

Colleges, Politics

Joe Docherty: Labour peer quit college role over ‘inappropriate conduct’

The former education executive has been suspended by the party weeks after being sent to the House of Lords…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill and Gabriel Pogrund
Colleges, Long read

Inside FE’s lifeline for under-16s: Stepping in where schools fail

More and more anxious 14-16 year olds not in school are starting afresh in colleges, but they are under-recognised,…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
Colleges, Long read

Legrave’s last orders: build cash, challenge leaders and don’t ignore teaching

In her final interview, the outgoing FE Commissioner warns colleges not to mistake funding rises for financial safety

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Young people

Curriculum review: ‘Strengthen’ resit accountability and reduce T Level assessment burden

Review recommends already-announced V Levels, level 2 pathways and new pre-GCSE English and maths quals

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
News

Case dismissed: Marples loses High Court claim against DfE

A judge has dismissed a multi-million-pound claim brought by former training boss Peter Marples and his family against the…

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
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