News

Thousands of apprenticeships hang in the balance as Interserve rescue plan prompts share collapse

The survival of another outsourcing giant that trains “around 14,000 apprentices each year” appears to hang in the balance,…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

AELP asks the government to listen to providers before withholding completion payments

The AELP is urging the government to give “flexibility” to providers who make “reasonable efforts” to claim apprenticeship employer…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Apprenticeship quality remains a ‘mixed picture’, says Ofsted’s Paul Joyce

In July the prime minister claimed that apprenticeship quality had risen since the introduction of the levy and standards…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

IfA appoints Dame Asha replacement as chair of subcommittee

The Institute for Apprenticeships has replaced Dame Asha Khemka as chair of the quality assurance committee, almost two months…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

Ofsted watch: Three providers improve to ‘good’

Three providers – including two colleges – have boosted their grades from three to two this week, while one…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Trailblazer group alarm over funding band reviews

A trailblazer group chair has warned that its “years of hard work” in developing two apprenticeships standards could be…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke


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

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