News

Investigation: How West Nottinghamshire College is fighting for survival

West Nottinghamshire College entered the public eye last year when it ran into financial difficulties that led to government…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Baker U-turns by telling all UTCs they could survive by joining multi-academy trusts

University Technical Colleges are being pressured to join multi-academy trusts after the programme’s architect Lord Baker U-turned on previous…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofsted slams civil service apprentices scheme for inappropriate management courses

A provider that trains civil servants has been slammed by Ofsted for putting science graduates on apprenticeships that are…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Boss of charity behind the UTC programme to step down

The chief executive of the organisation that is behind the troubled university technical colleges programme is stepping down. Charles…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Government to fund free sanitary products in colleges

The government will fund free sanitary products for all students in colleges and secondary schools from September. Chancellor Philip…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Revealed: Apprenticeship employer fees to be halved from April 1 – no joke

The 10-per-cent fee that small businesses must pay when they take on apprentices will be halved from April 1,…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


News

Damning Ofsted visit finds provider not knowing who its apprentices are

A training provider has been heavily criticised for not knowing accurately enough who their apprentices are, in an Ofsted…

Jessica Fino
Jessica Fino
News

Apprenticeship framework certification boss steps down with immediate effect

The managing director of the Federation of Industry Sector Skills and Standards (FISSS) has stepped down with immediate effect,…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Ofqual rules out tendering to take over apprenticeship quality assurance

Ofqual has ruled itself out of delivering the apprenticeship external quality assurance service for the Institute for Apprenticeships and…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Education that gets out of classrooms and into the community

Six per cent of adults with learning disabilities are in paid employment – something that specialist colleges are working…

Catherine Murray
Catherine Murray
News

Second chair resigns from college group embroiled in financial scandal

The chair of the boards of governors for the troubled Hadlow College and West Kent and Ashford College has…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

DfE department responsible for apprenticeship policy has hardly any apprentices

The division responsible for running and promoting apprenticeships within the Department for Education employs the lowest proportion of apprentices…

Jessica Fino
Jessica Fino

Must read

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
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