News

SFC to be first to remove Catholic status

A sixth-form college in Blackburn is set to be the first of its kind to remove its Catholic status,…

Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu
Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu
News

Apprenticeship providers struggling to adapt to new Ofsted framework?

Last September Ofsted began inspecting apprenticeship providers using their new framework.  Out went the Common Inspection Framework (CIF), in…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Apprenticeships quango adviser quits after breaking advertising rules

An adviser to the government’s apprenticeship quango has quit after FE Week found he had set up an assessment…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Game over for level 2 business admin apprenticeship

Hopes for a level 2 business administration standard were shattered today after the new boss of the government’s apprenticeship…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofqual win: Employers to lose ownership of quality assuring apprentice assessments

The government is consulting on plans to dump employers when it comes to external quality assurance of apprentices –…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Apprenticeship starts fall 12 percent in December

The number of apprenticeship starts in England plunged by 12 per cent in December, according to government figures published…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


News

MBA apprenticeship faces cull as Williamson ‘unconvinced’

The education secretary has demanded a review into the controversial MBA apprenticeship “to safeguard the integrity of the apprenticeship…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
Governance

Government to tender for college board recruitment and audit service

The Department for Education has announced it will be piloting a college governor recruitment scheme and board performance audits….

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

DfE launches £9m College Collaboration Fund to replace £15m Strategic College Improvement Fund

The education secretary Gavin Williamson is launching a new £9 million “collaboration” fund in a bid to improve governance…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

WorldSkills UK Centre of Excellence project aims to support 1,000 lecturers

The organisation behind the UK’s performance in international skills competitions is launching the WorldSkills UK Centre of Excellence project…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Who’s who? Your guide to the new ministerial line-up at the DfE

The remits of the new ministerial team at the Department for Education have been confirmed following Boris Johnson’s post-Brexit…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

ESFA announce date for full rollout of digital apprenticeship system

All apprenticeship starts will be managed through the government’s digital apprenticeship service from 1 November 2020, the Education and…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

Must read

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
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