News

Funding ban for new level 3 and below qualifications

The Education and Skills Funding Agency will stop any new qualification at level 3 and below receiving approval for…

Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu
Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu
News

New shorter Ofsted reports are ‘good’ for colleges

Colleges and independent learning providers are prospering under the new Ofsted inspection framework, with most scoring “good” grades in…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Industry placement cold-spots? Exploring the toughest T-level challenge

Forty-five colleges and school sixth forms across England will need to find hundreds of 45-day industry placements as part…

Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu
Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu
News

Ann Limb tops list of influential LGBT+ public sector workers

A former college principal has topped a list of the most influential lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender role models…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

‘Secret’ construction firm keeping Chartered Institution for FE afloat

An unidentified construction firm is propping up the troubled Chartered Institution for Further Education (CIFE), as it pivots from…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
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

Must read

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
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