News

Sixteen colleges facing UCU strike action in the new year

Sixteen colleges across England face “significant disruption” in the new year, after members of the University and College Union…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

T-levels could be under threat if no deal Brexit goes ahead

The introduction of T-levels could be under threat if a “no deal” Brexit goes ahead, according to reports this…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

ESFA announce changes to 16 to 19 funding rules from August 2019

Study programme learners aged 16 to 19 who’ve passed GCSE English and maths are set to be barred from…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Pressure mounts on Hinds to explain £500m apprenticeship ‘alleged overspend’

The chair of the influential education select committee has urged the government to be “open and transparent” about a…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Barring learners with fewer than three Ds ‘access to student loans’ is ‘retrograde step’

Proposals to deny student loans to learners who achieve fewer than three Ds in their A-levels have been branded…

John Dickens
John Dickens
News

Why the ESFA wants more apprenticeship providers – despite no starts at over 500 last year

The government’s top apprenticeships civil servant has defended the decision to allow more providers on to the provider register…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke


News

Ofsted Watch: Three providers rated ‘good’ in first inspections

It’s been a big week for new providers, with five first-time inspection reports published – three of which resulted…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

AoC fears college apprenticeships market share will shrink further

The Association of Colleges has warned that colleges’ share of the apprenticeship market will continue to shrink, after FE…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Bailout cash will still be available under new insolvency regime

Colleges will still be able to access some bailout funding once the insolvency regime comes into effect next year…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

MBA apprenticeships defended by their biggest provider

As management degree apprenticeships continue to hit the headlines, with sector leaders voicing growing concern about their rising costs,…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

ESFA insists the apprenticeship budget is not under pressure

The top apprenticeship civil servant has sought to reassure the sector after fears were raised of a budget overspend…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

3aaa police enquiries continue as DfE ‘has not yet completed its work’

The police will only decide whether to launch a criminal investigation into disgraced apprenticeship firm Aspire Achieve Advance after…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

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