News

FAB chair to make 5 wishes to education secretary

Federation of Awarding Bodies chair Paul Eeles will make five wishes to education secretary Gavin Williamson at the membership…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Fourth content review of apprenticeship standards launched

Apprenticeships covering agriculture, environment and animal care will be probed by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education in…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Nottingham College staff call for their CEO and chair to resign

Staff at a college embroiled in a bitter contracts row have delivered a vote of no confidence in their…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofqual wants to ‘rebuke’ rule-breaking exam boards

Ofqual is proposing to change how it punishes awarding organisations who are non-compliant with new “public rebukes” and fixed…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Another 14 strike days announced at college involved in contracts row

Nottingham College will be hit with yet more “unprecedented” strikes next month after staff accused their leaders of reneging…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Feature, News

Introducing… Lord Agnew

Jess Staufenberg has closely followed Lord Agnew’s career in the schools sector, where his reputation divides opinion. As he…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon


News

DfE looking to appoint extra principals and consultants to ‘enable more colleges to be supported’

The FE Commissioner is recruiting more college leaders and governors to firm up the National Leaders of Governance and…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Ofsted comes down hard on UK’s leading firm of financial compliance advisers

A company claiming to be the UK’s largest compliance support and business consultancy provider for financial services has been…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Principal goes on ‘leave of absence’ at college under investigation for nepotism and ‘financial wrongdoing’

The principal and chief executive at a college under investigation for nepotism and ‘financial wrongdoing’ is now on a…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

DfE reveals who will be allowed to deliver T-levels in 2022 – but there is a catch

[UPDATE: Following this story the DfE changed its guidance to state that providers selected to deliver T-levels from 2022…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Ofsted watch: Mega apprenticeship provider making ‘significant progress’ after grade three

A major financial services provider to high-profile employers and over 3,500 apprentices, has made ‘significant progress’ following a previous…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Counter fraud becomes 500th approved apprenticeship standard

Counter fraud investigator has become the 500th apprenticeship standard approved for delivery by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon

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