News

Early win for DfE’s £5m apprenticeship marketing campaign

The government’s latest apprenticeship campaign appears to be bearing fruit after the Department for Education claimed the proportion of…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Ofsted watch: Ex-pro footballer’s provider scores highly in positive week for providers

A provider co-founded by former Crystal Palace football striker Dougie Freedman has been rated ‘outstanding’ in some areas, in…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

ESFA to demand actual off-the-job training hour data for every apprentice

Yet another data field for logging apprentices’ off-the-job training hours will be introduced to individual learner records (ILR) from…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Large employers lose access to £96 million of apprenticeship funding in just two months

Employers lost access to £44 million of their apprenticeship levy funds in July, and £52 million in August, the…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Nearly 300 jobs lost as college group officially downsizes

One of England’s largest college groups is officially closing down its two private training providers – meaning nearly 300…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

College calls in the police after principal targeted by ‘ethical hacker’

Police have been called in after a college’s principal was targeted in a malicious hack in which fraudsters allegedly…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


News

College celebrity cookery school business calls in the administrators

A cookery school run by the Hadlow Group and celebrity chef Rosemary Shrager has closed, after the group’s two…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Reviewer of college financial oversight ‘welcomes’ sector views after ESFA blunder

College leaders are being asked for their views on the ESFA’s oversight of financial management – after the FE…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Meet the unpaid temporary minister helping cover the FE brief

The Department for Education has announced that Michelle Donelan will take over Kemi Badenoch’s brief as she goes on…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Spending review: Extra £10m for ESOL courses

An additional £10 million will be released by the Treasury to teach English to those who speak it as…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

DfE launching T-level campaign next month as over half of parents haven’t heard of them

The government’s effort to raise awareness of T-levels has been criticised after new research found three in five parents…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofsted to publish financial ratings for colleges and training providers

Plans for Ofsted to publish financial ratings as part of inspection reports have been announced – but full details…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

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