News Ofsted watch: Private provider straight in with grade one It’s been a week of mainly highs for FE as one provider was rated ‘outstanding’ in its first ever… Fraser Whieldon 6y Fraser Whieldon 6y News ‘Urgent actions’ needed at two cash-strapped colleges, FE Commissioner warns Two colleges in severe financial trouble have been told by the FE Commssioner and skills minister that “urgent actions”… Billy Camden 6y Billy Camden 6y News Exclusive Employers having control over UK skills policy is ‘rhetoric, not reality’ The government should move away from its “unhelpful” mantra of “employers in the driving seat” in UK skills policy… Jessica Fino 6y Jessica Fino 6y News Public Accounts Committee to quiz top civil servants from DfE, ESFA and IfATE An influential House of Commons committee will grill officials on the future affordability of the apprenticeships programme on Monday…. Jessica Fino 6y Jessica Fino 6y News Exclusive The truth behind plans to cull 300 staff at England’s largest college group England’s largest college group this week announced plans to slash up to 300 jobs across its two training providers… Billy Camden 6y Billy Camden 6y News Exclusive Brooklands principal resigns amid investigation into mysterious £16m subcontractor The principal and chief executive of a college that gave £16.5 million over the last three years to a… Billy Camden 6y Billy Camden 6y News Apprenticeship quango launches Quality Strategy with aspiration that no apprentice starts without an assessment body Employers should have access to at least one end-point assessment organisation (EPAO) before apprentices start their programme, the body… Jessica Fino 6y Jessica Fino 6y News Exclusive ESFA faces legal action following controversial European Social Fund tender A training provider is launching legal action against the Education and Skills Funding Agency following an allegedly botched European… Billy Camden 6y Billy Camden 6y News Revealed: The 13 colleges to share £1.8m strategic improvement funding Thirteen more colleges will receive a total of £1.8 million in grants through a fund designed to support struggling… Billy Camden 6y Billy Camden 6y News Stop levy funding for all level 6 and 7 apprenticeships, demands training providers All level six and seven apprenticeships, including those with integrated degrees, should be removed from the scope of levy… Fraser Whieldon 6y Fraser Whieldon 6y News Milton denies qualifications shake-up ahead of T-level roll-out is market manipulation The government’s consultation on plans to withdraw funding for thousands of applied general qualifications including BTECs is not manipulation… Billy Camden 6y Billy Camden 6y News England’s biggest college group plans to downsize putting 300 jobs at risk Up to 300 jobs are on the line at England’s largest college group, after it announced plans to close… Billy Camden 6y Billy Camden 6y Newer 1 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 815 Older 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 2w Jessica Hill 2w Long read, Prison education Long read 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 1mo Jessica Hill 1mo Apprenticeships, Politics Exclusive Phillipson to exempt young people from level 7 apprenticeships funding axe Education secretary makes ‘important concession’ amid backlash from other government departments Billy Camden 2mo Billy Camden 2mo Next 3 stories Colleges, FE Commissioner Exclusive 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 2mo Anviksha Patel 2mo 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 3mo Anviksha Patel 3mo 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 3mo Anviksha Patel 3mo