News

AELP appoints a devolution director to represent independent training providers

The “real fear” that independent training providers wouldn’t get “representation around the table” in adult education budget devolution has…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Asian Apprenticeship Awards: the winners

A project management apprentice and student mentor who defied his family’s wish for him to go to university has…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

Damian Hinds reacts to concerns that spend on apprenticeships is soaring

The education secretary didn’t deny that the apprenticeships budget is heading for a £500 million overspend this year, when…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Flagship National Citizen Service under fire for £1m-a-year offices

The government’s flagship National Citizen Service trust has been slammed after its rent ballooned by more than ten-fold to…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Union warns AoC risks ‘becoming an irrelevant voice’ after another ‘insulting’ 1% pay offer

The Association of Colleges has been warned that it risks “becoming an irrelevant voice” in the FE sector after…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

DfE pauses publication of monthly apprenticeship starts

The Department for Education has yet to reveal how many people have started apprenticeships in 2018/19 – even though…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke


News

IfA confirms funding cut of £5k to chartered manager degree apprenticeship standard

The popular chartered manager degree apprenticeship standard will have its funding slashed by £5,000, the Institute for Apprenticeships has…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

Education secretary disagrees with Ofsted and not blaming colleges for ‘false hope’ job prospects

Damian Hinds has said he would “not blame colleges at all” in the way that Amanda Spielman did for…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

DfE urgently seeking answers to why level two apprenticeships fell by 38%

The Department for Education is urgently seeking to “improve understanding” of what’s behind the drop in level two apprenticeships,…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Advanced learner loan participation falls for first time

The number of people taking out advanced learner loans last year fell by more than eight per cent – the first…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Apprenticeships starts down nearly a quarter last year

Apprenticeship numbers fell by almost a quarter last year compared to the year before, according to final figures published…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Revealed: The next seven T-levels to be taught from 2021

The programmes to be taught in wave two of the government’s T-level roll-out will be announced by the education…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

Must read

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
Bootcamps, Skills bootcamps

Coding firm caught charging students for free bootcamps

Ed tech provider ‘regretful’ after complaints and promises full refunds as bosses try to sue DfE over non-payments

Billy Camden
Billy Camden and Frances Read