News

Ofsted Watch: Adult and community learning providers make great gains

Adult and community learning providers have come out the best from this week’s Ofsted reports as two improved to…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Up to 50 jobs at risk at college group following £30m merger bailout

Up to 50 jobs are on the line at a college group which last year received a £30 million…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

ESFA to explore ‘flexibilities’ for T-level industry placement

Government officials have revealed they are actively looking at ways to make the 315-hour minimum industry placement in T-levels…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Hadlow board inexperienced and in meltdown

Serious governance failings and financial inexperience are in the spotlight at The Hadlow Group as the board goes into…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

NCG temporarily abandons search for new chief executive

England’s largest college group has paused recruitment for a new chief executive after its initial hunt proved fruitless. NCG…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

ESFA apprenticeship assessment register needs to be ‘purged’

The government has been told to “purge” its official register of end-point assessment organisations (RoEPAO) after FE Week found…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


News

Mystery no-notice ESFA audits spark provider anger

Providers are fuming at the Education and Skills Funding Agency after officials started conducting short-notice mystery audits in the…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Labour launches second National Education Service consultation

The Labour Party has launched its second consultation on its plans for a National Education Service, which will explore…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Monthly apprenticeships update: Aug – Dec starts up 10% but down 24% on 2016

Figures for the apprenticeship starts published this morning for the period August to December 2018 are up 10 per…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

NAO says National Apprenticeship Week a ‘good time’ to publish damning report into government oversight

The National Audit Office is expected to publish its long awaited follow-up review on the state of the apprenticeships…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

DfE urges colleges to report whether they are adopting AoC’s controversial senior pay code

The Department for Education is “encouraging” colleges to be more transparent about senior staff pay when they file their…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Labour Party to use National Apprenticeship Week to highlight lack of apprentices in the civil service

Labour is planning to use National Apprenticeships Week to attack the government on their commitment to their own public…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon

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