News

Catholic sixth form in need of partner to survive, claims FE Commissioner

A Blackburn-based catholic sixth form college is no longer “sustainable” due to falling student numbers, the FE commissioner has…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Government praise for ‘new and enthusiastic’ staff at council-run grade four provider

An FE Commissioner report published today praised a council’s response to a grade four from Ofsted, after the result…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Funding rates could be slashed by over 40% in apprenticeship shake-up

Funding rates for some apprenticeship standards could be cut by almost half under new proposals being put forward by…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Minister takes the wheel at HS2 college ‘in light of the severity of financial situation’

A National College surviving on government bailouts has been placed in supervised status after the FE Commissioner found it…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Ofsted verdict: HS2 college left employers to deliver training and failed to protect students from harassment

The grade four Ofsted report a National College went to the High Court to suppress has been published this…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

#BackABid: Momentum building for campaign to bring WorldSkills to UK

Momentum is building behind FE Week’s rally of support for holding the WorldSkills competition in the UK, after a…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon


News

Ofsted watch: Fourth sixth form college makes it to ‘outstanding’ this year

Another sixth form college has received a grade one, making it the fourth such provider to receive the coveted…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Ofqual orders exam boards to publish qualification costs

Exam boards will be required to publish the costs of qualifications on their websites to “create a more level…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Provider pulls out of apprenticeships after second Ofsted mauling

The training arm of an engineering trade association has pulled out of apprenticeships in England after it was slammed…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Colleges collect royal honour from Buckingham Palace

Staff and students from four colleges brushed shoulders with royalty today as they picked up their Queen’s Anniversary Prizes…

Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu
Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu
News

College rocked by shock deficit appoints experienced interim principal

A college that has been rocked by an unexpected £6 million deficit has appointed an experienced FE leader as…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Derailed: HS2 college face Ofsted grade 4 after dropping legal challenge

The troubled National College for HS2 has abandoned its attempts to stop Ofsted publishing a grade four report, after…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon

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