News

Colleges given access to DfE free meal vouchers

The government has extended its national food voucher scheme to colleges that are having “practical difficulties” delivering free meals to students during the…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

DfE relaxes functional skills rule for apprentices

The government has relaxed the requirement for level 2 apprentices to achieve their functional skills qualification. This morning, Ofqual confirmed…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

DfE reveals provider criteria for accessing supplier relief

Training providers must have a qualification achievement rate for 2018/19 of above 40 per cent to be eligible for…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Revealed: More details on how functional skills qualifications will be assessed

Functional skills students can be moderated via “adapted assessment” such as online tests this summer, but only where teacher…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Hundreds of Sheffield College support staff win payrise

Support staff at Sheffield College will see a salary increase as high as 18 per cent from May as…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Ofqual’s proposals for awarding vocational and technical qualifications: A speed read

Ofqual has today published a consultation on how it proposes to award vocational and technical qualifications this summer. Here’s…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


News

Decision on how to grade thousands of BTECs and other quals left to awarding bodies

Awarding organisations will be left to decide which of the thousands of BTECs and other technical qualifications can be…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Stranded: how college international students are coping away from home

With no blueprint for this unprecedented pandemic, colleges are coming up with their own solutions to help international students…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

MBA apprenticeship to live on despite attempt to axe

Universities are still planning to offer the MBA in the level 7 senior leader apprenticeship, despite the qualification being…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

New shadow ed sec admits NES plan didn’t reach voters

Freddie Whittaker meets Rebecca Long-Bailey, Labour’s new shadow education secretary The lack of an “overarching message” from Labour on…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Colleges call for change to GCSE ranking plans for huge cohorts

Colleges are calling on Ofqual to relax plans for ranking GCSE students within each grade this summer, as doing…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Talks underway to extend apprenticeship frameworks cut-off date

The cut-off date for starts on old-style apprenticeships, known as frameworks, could be extended, the chief operating officer of…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

Must read

Awarding

Earpiece exam cheat ring jailed over construction test fraud

Men trained candidates to hide devices and exploit access arrangements to pass mandatory safety tests

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Adult education, Apprenticeships, Skills reform

Apprenticeships purge: Team leader and chartered manager among 16 axed standards

Ministers also unveil the first 7 apprenticeship units

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Colleges, Politics

Joe Docherty: Labour peer quit college role over ‘inappropriate conduct’

The former education executive has been suspended by the party weeks after being sent to the House of Lords…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill and Gabriel Pogrund
Colleges, Long read

Inside FE’s lifeline for under-16s: Stepping in where schools fail

More and more anxious 14-16 year olds not in school are starting afresh in colleges, but they are under-recognised,…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
Colleges, Long read

Legrave’s last orders: build cash, challenge leaders and don’t ignore teaching

In her final interview, the outgoing FE Commissioner warns colleges not to mistake funding rises for financial safety

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Young people

Curriculum review: ‘Strengthen’ resit accountability and reduce T Level assessment burden

Review recommends already-announced V Levels, level 2 pathways and new pre-GCSE English and maths quals

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel