Apprenticeships, Ofqual

Ofqual issues £50k fine to EPAO but owner refuses to pay

Dormant awarding body claims it is being used as a ‘sacrificial lamb’ as regulator shows off ‘fining power’ to…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

DfE resumes search for antisemitism training firms

£7m scheme for schools, colleges and unis was paused amid ‘stakeholder concerns’

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Training Providers

Training giant BPP hires Halfon

Former skills minister Robert Halfon has taken on multiple advisory roles since leaving office

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Apprenticeships, Long read

Solicitor apprenticeships on trial: can they survive level 7 cash cull?

As the government rethinking funding for level 7 apprenticeships, Jessica Hill cross-examines the promise of solicitor apprenticeships: are they…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
Colleges

‘Serious cashflow pressures’ put WCG in intervention

The college group’s annual accounts are nine months late

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
DfE, level 3, Qualifications

BTEC survival hope after Smith’s policy shift

Courses that ‘overlap’ with T Levels faced the cut under plans inherited from the Conservatives

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor


Apprenticeships

DfE ‘tore up AEB contract due to apprenticeship row’

Private provider owner also claims adult education payments were withheld as officials recovered clawback

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Apprenticeships

Turnaround job of a Lifetime at apprenticeship giant

An interview with CEO David Smith

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Ofsted

Revealed: How Ofsted will develop plans to inspect inclusion

Watchdog has so far provided little detail on what metrics will be used to judge inclusion for incoming report…

Lucas Cumiskey
Lucas Cumiskey
Politics

Tugendhat pledges millions for FE in Tory leadership bid

Apprenticeships and skills spending will reduce reliance on migrant workers, according to Tory leadership hopeful

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Prison education

Young offenders denied legal right to education

Staff shortages are preventing both adults and children from attending education and training

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
DfE

Pupil premium plus post-16 pilot reduces ‘cliff edge’ of support, report finds

Calls for long-term funding as evaluation highlights positive outcomes for vulnerable young people

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel

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