News

3aaa investigation stutters on as police confirm no contact has been made with top bosses

The co-founders of a disgraced apprenticeship provider currently under police investigation are yet to be interviewed by officers, more…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Rate discrimination? Dawe questions potential sex bias

A sector leader has called for an investigation into whether sex discrimination lies behind some of the controversial apprenticeship…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

UTC deficits more than double over 4 years, National Audit Office finds

University technical colleges’ deficits have more than doubled over four years, a damning National Audit Office report has revealed….

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Apprenticeship budget overspend: small employers to face cap on starts

Small employers are likely to be capped on the number of apprentices they can employ, as part of the…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
AEB

One in five providers concerned about procurement process for devolved AEB

A fifth of providers believe adult education budget tenders run by devolved authorities need to be improved, with one…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Ofsted watch: Week ends with flurry of new reports

It has been a mixed week for FE providers amid a flurry of new reports published on Friday by…

Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu
Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu


News

Highbury College principal to retire next summer

A principal at the centre of an expenses scandal announced her retirement today after 18 years at the helm….

Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu
Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu
News

First Ofsted grade 4 challenged by provider

The first provider to receive grade four under Ofsted’s new inspection regime has appealed. Independent learning provider Mercia Partnership…

Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu
Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu
News

Ofsted reveal new inspection report – all 13 of them

Ofsted has this morning published the first provider reports under the new Education Inspection Framework (EIF), all 13 of…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Were college’s students told cladding on halls of residence ‘failed’ a fire safety test?

The cladding at a college’s halls of residence for students under the age of 18, the type used on…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

AELP call for retraining scheme rethink to avoid another “expensive skills white elephant”

The National Retraining Scheme should be relaunched as a ‘traineeship for adults,’ according to the Association of Employment and…

Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu
Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu
News

Revealed: More than one in ten colleges lose cash under controversial English and maths condition-of-funding rules

Twenty three of the 171 (13 per cent) colleges have been stripped of £1,468,934 in their funding allocation due…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford

Must read

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
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