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
News

College at risk of insolvency handed ESFA warning over finances

A college at risk of insolvency after its income halved in seven years has been handed a financial health…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Academisation for sixth form colleges – is it worth it?

With the government about to reopen the window in which sixth-form colleges can academise, Jess Staufenberg asks how the…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Ofsted watch: Terrific week for FE as slew of reports return mostly positive results

It’s been a week of celebrations for most providers, as nearly 40 reports have returned mainly positive results. A…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Levy-lockout update: Employers lose access to £37 million from first 2 months

Employers lost access to £26 million of their apprenticeship levy funds in June, the skills minister has revealed. The…

Jessica Fino
Jessica Fino
News

College failing to protect vulnerable students from ‘acute risk of self-harm’, Ofsted finds

A college with 200 vulnerable young learners has been warned by Ofsted its arrangements to keep students safe are…

Jessica Fino
Jessica Fino


News

ETF’s chief warns of ‘crisis in leadership’ due to lack of investment

The chief executive of the Education and Training Foundation has warned that FE is on the brink of a…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Apprenticeship starts for 16-18 continue to fall as level 2 cuts exceed 50 per cent

Apprenticeship starts for 16- to 18-year-olds have continued to fall, and level 2 starts have dropped by more than…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Just 7% of college principals are from a BAME background

The number of colleges led by a non-white principal has fallen to a low of 7 per cent, new…

Jessica Fino
Jessica Fino
News

Capital ideas: new CEO on his plans to rejuvenate finances of London mega-college

A huge 5 per cent staff pay rise costing over £2 million per year was a big win for…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

FE Commissioner recommends 3-way split for Hadlow College Group

The FE Commissioner has recommended that the Hadlow College Group be split-up and taken on by three colleges, FE…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

£5,000 phone bill for college boss – but still hiding cost of international flights

The principal of a college engulfed in quality and financial concerns racked up a £5,000 phone and data bill…

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