News

Ofsted to receive cash to visit all new apprenticeship providers

Ofsted will be carrying out early monitoring visits to all new apprenticeship providers, after the Department for Education agreed…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

3aaa forced to stop recruiting new apprentices following ESFA investigation

Apprenticeship heavyweight Aspire Achieve Advance has been blocked by the government from taking on any new apprentices, FE Week…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Revealed: The 6 apprenticeship providers banned from taking new recruits

Six new apprenticeship providers have been barred from taking on new apprentices after early monitoring visits found them to…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

West Notts College handed DfE warning after requesting £2.1m in exceptional financial support

A cash-strapped college has received a financial health notice to improve from the government after requesting exceptional financial support…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

3aaa co-founders resign following ESFA investigation

The co-founders of apprenticeship giant Aspire Achieve Advance have resigned in the midst of a government investigation into the…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Education minister heads to Germany in search of T-level solutions

The education secretary is touring Germany and Holland this week to learn more about their famous vocational education systems…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


News

IFS: FE the ‘biggest loser’ in cuts to government funding

Further education has been the victim of the sharpest cuts in the education sector over the last 25 years,…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

‘He will be sorely missed’: Warm tributes paid to AELP founder Frank McMahon

One of the original founders of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers has died after a short illness. Frank McMahon was…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

College makes star of learner with dwarfism – but for all the wrong reasons

Colleges hit the headlines this summer – but for all the wrong reasons. Louis Makepeace, an 18-year-old with dwarfism,…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Revealed: Uncovered emails discuss ‘review’ of studio schools programme, but DfE still denies it happened

The Department for Education is still denying it conducted a formal review of studio schools – despite FE Week discovering an attempt…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

Ofsted watch: A trio of ‘insufficient progress’ reports

Three new apprenticeship providers have been found to be making ‘insufficient progress’ in at least one area under review…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Great debate on T-levels: an ambitious or reckless timetable?

The motion: This house believes the T-level reform implementation timeframe is ambitious but not reckless More than 200 figures…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke

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