News

Gavin Williamson becomes new education secretary

Gavin Williamson has been appointed the new education secretary, replacing Damian Hinds who was sacked earlier this evening. A…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

DfE officially reopens academisation option for sixth-form colleges

The government has confirmed it will continue to allow sixth-form colleges to academise, two months after FE Week revealed…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Cabinet reshuffle: Education secretary Damian Hinds out

Damian Hinds has lost his job as education secretary, following skills minister Anne Milton out the door, as new…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Government turns to European Union funding to support T-levels

The government is looking to the European Social Fund to help tackle the barriers that rural areas face with…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Theresa May uses last PMQs to plead with Boris Johnson to invest more in FE

Outgoing prime minister Theresa May used her last speech at the dispatch box to plead with her successor to…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

The 11 things we learned from the DfE’s and ESFA’s 2018-19 accounts

Both the Department for Education and Education and Skills Funding Agency have today published their annual accounts for 2018-19,…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


News

Skills minister Anne Milton resigns

Apprenticeships and skills minister Anne Milton has resigned from government. She announced the move on Twitter ahead of the…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

WorldSkills 2019: Meet Team UK

With the WorldSkills 2019 competition only a month away, we introduce the 37 members of Team UK that’ll be…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Victory for Grenfell campaigners as government pledges £32.3m to buy back college campus

The government has pledged up to £32.3 million to help buy back a college campus that serves the community…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

DfE confirms popular BTECs amongst qualifications facing funding axe

More than 160 “duplicate qualifications” at level 3 and below will have their funding removed from August 2020 –…

Simon Kay
Simon Kay
News

Ofsted watch: Unimpressive week for new private providers

Five early monitoring reports for independent providers returned ‘insufficient’ ratings this week, with Ofsted finding some have not recruited…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

MPs urge DfE to ‘urgently’ raise the 16-18 rate and develop a 10-year funding plan

The government must “urgently address the damage that has been done” to FE by raising the 16 to 18…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

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