News

Ofsted finds ‘many’ employers did not know staff were apprentices

“Many” employers working with a new independent provider for the care sector did not know their staff were on…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

UTCs back in the market – but there’s a catch

The first applications in five years have been lodged for new university technical colleges, FE Week can reveal –…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Ofsted watch: Long-running commercial provider hit with grade 4 in poor week for FE

It has been a poor week for FE, with one independent provider being declared ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted and seven…

Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu
Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu
News

National Apprenticeship Award winners of 2019

The “outstanding” work of apprentices, government officials and employers was recognised at the National Apprenticeship Awards for 2019 on…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Police and schools top list of those missing apprenticeship targets

The police and schools are the public-sector bodies with most to do to meet the government’s apprenticeship recruitment target,…

Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu
Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu
News

Ofsted praise college therapy dogs as popularity on the rise

A dog that helps students struggling with mental-health issues has won praise from Ofsted inspectors. Bexhill College in East…

Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu
Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu


News

‘Inadequate’ provider hands £2m adult education budget contract back

A training provider has handed back an adult education budget (AEB) contract of almost £2 million after Ofsted criticised…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Williamson taken to task on Conservative manifesto

While the Conservatives’ manifesto published on Sunday had some eye-catching FE pledges, including a new £3 billion national skills…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

CBI: Don’t restrict how the apprenticeship levy is spent

The Confederation of British Industry has urged the government not to restrict how the apprenticeship levy is spent in…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Serious safeguarding failures at ‘college’

Serious safeguarding failures at a multi-site “college” are to be exposed in an imminent Ofsted report, FE Week can…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Government set to miss apprenticeship target by a massive 800,000 starts

Latest official apprenticeship figures, published this morning, reveal the government is set to miss their manifesto commitment by a…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Sharp drop in adults studying English and maths, new data reveals

The number of adults studying English and maths dropped sharply last year, with achievements in the core subjects also…

Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu
Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu

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