News

Gender pay gap doubles for apprentices

The apprenticeships system is “continuing to let women down”, a union has said. The claim came after it was…

Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu
Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu
News

Skills advisory panels set to influence which FE courses receive funding

Skills advisory panels (SAPs) could be given a role in influencing which courses will be prioritised and funded in…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

‘I’ve never experienced anything like this’: Shrewsbury College in grade 4 battle

A college is battling Ofsted to prevent the publication of a grade four report after inspectors claimed to have…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Investigation: Highest principals’ pay plummets

The top ten highest college salaries have dropped by an average of more than £50,000 after six of the…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

FE is a ‘ticking time bomb’, says college chief

Further education is a “ticking time bomb” and more colleges will have to close campuses unless government gets serious…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Cornwall campus closure – MP demands government probe

The local Conservative MP for Saltash has called for a government investigation into Cornwall College Group after it announced…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


News

Most learners don’t know they’re apprentices at management provider, Ofsted finds

A provider of management courses has been declared ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted after it was found learners and their bosses…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Suspended principal to leave earlier than planned

A college principal who was suspended following government intervention has brought forward her retirement date. Stella Mbubaegbu announced today…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Williamson pledges to work ‘hand in glove’ with sector to argue for more funding

Education secretary Gavin Williamson has pledged to work “hand in glove” with the sector to argue for further investment…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

London college pulls out of T-levels plans 19 months before launch

A financially troubled college subject to FE Commissioner intervention has decided to withdraw from delivering T-levels, the Department for…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Five colleges handed DfE warnings over finances

Five colleges have been hit with a notice to improve by the government this afternoon, after they were all…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

New culture of ‘openness and trust’ paves way for KCC merger

An embattled London college has announced it will officially merge next month, after the FE Commissioner found a new…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

Must read

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
Apprenticeships

Entrepreneur chased for millions after apprenticeship collapse

ESFA uncovers ‘fake’ taxi apprentices as liquidator reveals intercompany payments days after firm decided to shut

Billy Camden
Billy Camden