News

FE loan-funded provider with copy and paste assignments slammed by Ofsted

A provider with learners not writing their own assignments has been rated ‘inadequate’ across the board in a damning…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

DfE finally confirms thousands of apprentices are going unregulated – but is now trying to find a solution

The government has confirmed there are thousands of apprentices with no organisation responsible for checking the quality of their…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Provider to challenge inspection after Ofsted found learners ‘unaware’ they took out an FE loan

A provider has been slammed with a grade four after Ofsted found its 500 learners received “no teaching” and…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Revealed: ESFA bans another four new providers from taking on apprentices

Twenty ‘insufficient’ apprenticeship providers have now been banned from taking on new starts as Ofsted’s scrutiny of new providers…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

Principal who jumped ship before financial failings exposed leaves his new college

A principal who jumped ship before the financial failings of his previous college were exposed has stepped down from…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Second consecutive ‘inadequate’ Ofsted inspection for previously grade two college

A land-based college has been rated ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted for the second time in a row – one of…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke


News

Employers use just 14% of their levy in first 18 months

Employers have used just under 14 per cent of their apprenticeship levy funds in the first 18 months since…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

Ofsted watch: A ‘good’ week for sixth form colleges

It’s been a ‘good’ week for sixth form colleges, with a pair of grade two verdicts following full inspections….

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Damning Ofsted report finds apprentices went eight months with no training

Apprentices at one training provider had not had any training eight months after their start date, according to a…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

‘Overwhelming’ vote of no confidence in principal who jumped ship before financial failings exposed

The University and College Union has demanded that ministers “step in and deal with the debacle” at City College…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Progress to public sector target slow at government departments

The government has published its progress towards the public sector apprenticeship target for the first time – and FE…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Embattled college boss Dame Asha declines her £130k payout

The high-profile boss of a college in financial crisis resigned from her post without accepting any financial payout, walking…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross

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