News

FE bosses criticise ‘ridiculous variability’ of external quality assurance charges

Sector leaders have hit out at the “ridiculous variability” in approved external quality assurance charges, ranging from a free…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Providers turning apprentices away as non-levy cash dries up

Training providers’ non-levy funding is running dry and some are even having to turn apprentices away – but the…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Finalists announced for AAC Apprenticeship Awards 2019

The national finalists of the AAC Apprenticeship Awards 2019 have been unveiled. More than 350 entries were submitted from…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Minister places college in administered status as FE Commissioner exposes ‘historical’ corporate failure

A college was placed in administered status at the end of January after the FE Commissioner found it was…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

The Open University teams up with colleges to offer free functional skills courses

A scheme to provide free functional skills courses online is being launched by The Open University in partnership with…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

FE Commissioner reports published for 3 struggling colleges

Three struggling colleges have had FE Commissioner intervention reports published today. Among them was one for North Hertfordshire College,…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


News

DfE to scrap FE teacher bursary programme

The government is to scrap FE teacher bursaries, in a move that has been described as a “slap in…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

Troubled college ‘determined to secure long-term future’ ahead of FE Commissioner report

A land-based college that was rated ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted for the second time in a row last year has…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

ESFA warns it could trigger college insolvencies with adult education budget claw-back

The government is encouraging under-performing colleges to reduce their 2018/19 adult education budget now, to avoid cash flow problems…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Starts suspended at mysterious apprenticeship provider after ESFA launches investigation

The Education and Skills Funding Agency has suspended starts at an apprenticeship firm with multimillion-pound subcontracting deals while it…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofsted watch: Promising week for new apprenticeship providers

It’s been a promising week for new apprenticeship providers, with only one ‘insufficient progress’ finding from six monitoring visits….

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon
News

UCU members strike over pay in 13 colleges across England

Strikes went ahead at 13 colleges but were suspended at three others this week in an ongoing dispute over…

Fraser Whieldon
Fraser Whieldon

Must read

Colleges, Long read

Legrave’s last orders: build cash, challenge leaders and don’t ignore teaching

In her final interview, the outgoing FE Commissioner warns colleges not to mistake funding rises for financial safety

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
16-19

Curriculum review: ‘Strengthen’ resit accountability and reduce T Level assessment burden

Review recommends already-announced V Levels, level 2 pathways and new pre-GCSE English and maths quals

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
News

Case dismissed: Marples loses High Court claim against DfE

A judge has dismissed a multi-million-pound claim brought by former training boss Peter Marples and his family against the…

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Skills reform

New law to bar ‘unsuitable’ FE leaders among skills white paper reforms

The government’s post-16 strategy has finally been unveiled

Billy Camden
Billy Camden and Shane Chowen
Qualifications

Revealed: V Levels incoming as axe looms for BTECs

New qualifications set to launch as ‘third route’ between A-levels and T Levels

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Politics, Skills reform

DWP will take over apprenticeships, minister confirms

Shifting adult skills and apprenticeships policy will give “bigger emphasis on skills”, Jacqui Smith claims

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel