News

Ofsted watch: Up-and-down week for FE

It’s been an up-and-down week for the FE sector, which saw a return of three ‘good’ ratings, but two…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Number of approved apprenticeship standards to hit 400 next week

The number of apprenticeship standards approved for delivery is set to hit 400 next week, a little over a…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Ofsted exposes apprenticeship firm for recruiting without ‘integrity’ and breaking funding rules

A new provider has been exposed by Ofsted after inspectors found it failed to recruit apprentices with “integrity” and…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

Management apprenticeships continue to soar as Milton ‘thrilled’ with rise in starts

Management standards are continuing their reign as the most popular apprenticeships, according to the first statistics for 2018/19 published…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Providers that plan for less than 20% off-the-job training will have ‘all funding recovered’

Apprenticeships found to be planned with less than the minimum 20 per cent off-the-job training will be “ineligible and…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

GLA ploughs ahead with subcontracting fees cap – but DfE still dragging its heels

The Greater London Authority is one step closer to capping management fees when it takes control of the adult…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon


News

Long-delayed FE teacher apprenticeship standards ready for delivery next week

Three FE teaching apprenticeship standards will be ready for delivery from next week following a successful funding-band appeal against…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

College in £37m debt given permission to carry out banned tactical subcontracting

The Department for Education appears to have given a cash-strapped college special treatment, after it endorsed subcontracting to meet…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Former learner warns he’ll take DfE and SLC to court over FE loans scandal

Pressure is mounting on the government to resolve an FE loans scandal that left hundreds of students with huge…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Six UTCs received ESFA bailouts totalling £1m last year

Six university technical colleges received bailouts from the government totalling almost £1 million last year, with the ESFA’s funding…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Learners starting FE loans funded courses falls for third consecutive year

The number of people taking out advanced learner loans in the first quarter of the academic year has fallen…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Apprenticeship starts up on 2017/18 – but still down on 2016/17

Apprenticeship starts are up 15 per cent for the first quarter of 2018/19 compared with the same period in…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke

Must read

Colleges, Long read

Colleges on the frontline of a divided nation

As social media algorithms fuel intolerance and binary thinking, college staff increasingly find themselves dealing with the fallout. Jessica…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
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