News

Six things we learned from the IfATE’s 2018/19 accounts

The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education has today published its annual accounts for 2018/19. This is only the…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Eleventh UTC to close after student numbers almost halve

An ‘inadequate’ university technical college is to close just four years after opening as it is “no longer financially…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Hard to believe? Ofsted found apprentices and their employers did not know they were on the programme

A private provider has been slammed by Ofsted after it found learners and their employers unaware they were taking…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Ofsted misses FE inspection target by more than 10%

Ofsted missed its inspection target for FE providers by 11 per cent this year – the biggest miss out…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Former principal of Bournville College was referred to police for operating fraudulently

The principal of a collapsed college was referred to the police after his assistant principal wife benefited from a…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Revealed: Learner satisfaction scores for 2018/19

Overall learner satisfaction with FE providers slightly increased this year, according to new government figures. The Department for Education…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


News

Rollout of national retraining scheme gets underway

The government has finally revealed details of the first phase of the national retraining scheme, with the launch of…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Majority of care apprentice providers to reduce starts after DfE rejects funding plea

More than half the providers of two care worker apprenticeship standards are decreasing their starts, or pulling the programmes…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Nearly a dozen unions challenge college for union reps after lecturer sacked

Ten trade unions are involved in a dispute with a cash-strapped college that trains “thousands” of their members each…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

IfATE delays controversial £40 per apprentice fee

The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education has pushed back its £40 per learner charge for apprenticeship quality assurance…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

UCU plans 15 days of strikes at college involved in contracts row

A college involved in a bitter row over pay is facing weeks of staff walkouts when the new academic…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education announces new chief executive

The new chief executive of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education is top skills civil servant Jennifer Coupland….

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