Colleges, Ofsted

‘Life changing’ West Thames College judged ‘outstanding’

The feat means 1 in 10 GFE colleges now hold the watchdog’s highest grade

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Colleges

Legrave: College interventions fall as support take-up rises

Number of colleges in intervention reduced to 9

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Colleges, Ofsted

Double Ofsted ‘outstanding’ for Merseyside colleges

A Catholic sixth form college and a general FE college in the area were awarded the judgment today

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
Adult education, Ofsted

Top Ofsted marks for south Yorkshire council’s adult education

Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council upgraded for inspiring out of work people towards employment

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Skills reform

Jennifer Coupland to leave IfATE next month ahead of closure

She has led the apprenticeships and technical education quango for the past 5 years

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Ofsted

Somerset college upgraded to Ofsted ‘outstanding’

Inspectors praised Bridgwater & Taunton College for commitment to creating ‘diverse and inspiring’ curriculum

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel


Employment, Training Providers

SWAPs scheme for jobless achieves 40% success rate

The data offers a statistical view of the scheme’s impact for the first time

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Long read, Skills reform

Unions could strike back with post-Tory learning fund revival

Gavin Williamson blitzed it but government-backed union training could return under a new guise now Labour holds power. By…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
AEB, Devolution

Mayors better at spending adult skills cash

Devolved AEB underspend figures revealed for first time

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Pay

FE ethnicity pay gap revealed

Underrepresentation of ethnic minorities at region and leader level reveal cold spots in pay gaps

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
AEB, Training Providers

Learning Curve vs DfE contract case ends in secret settlement

Deal ends 18-month court battle over major provider’s alleged ‘unlawful’ adult education budget bid rejection

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Colleges, Politics

Principals’ dismay over £50m pay deal ‘own goal’

College leaders divided over effectiveness of the one-off grant

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