News

FE Commissioner report reveals ‘cash crisis’ and falling achievement at Northumberland College

Northumberland College has undergone a “cash flow crisis” and could see its finances plummet further, according to an intervention…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

Apprenticeship giant 3aaa put into administration

Crisis-hit Aspire Achieve Advance has gone into administration – putting 500 jobs and the future of 4,500 apprentices at…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Scrap UTC 14-19 model, says former schools minister in latest damning report

A former schools minister has called for the admission age at university technical colleges to change to 16, after…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

Parliamentary petition launched calling for sustainable college funding

A new parliamentary petition calling for college funding to be increased to “sustainable levels” has been launched today. Its…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

We need more core funding not ‘initiative mania’, sector leaders tell MPs

Sector leaders have made an impassioned plea to MPs for the government to “stop the initiative mania” and focus…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

NCG boss Joe Docherty quits following turbulent year

The boss of the largest college group in the country has quit, FE Week can reveal. Joe Docherty (pictured)…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


News

UCU follows Scottish government in paying for sanitary products for learners

A local University and College Union branch has become the first in the country to offer college learners free…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

3aaa seeks to ‘reassure’ customers over ‘new management’

The boss of Aspire Achieve Advance has contacted the apprenticeship giant’s clients to “reassure” them that he’s taking the…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

SFCA to launch campaign calling for huge 16 to 18 funding rate increase

The Sixth Form Colleges Association is preparing to launch a campaign calling for a huge increase in the 16…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

3aaa buyer will need to pay £500k in ‘deal fees’

The buyer of apprenticeship giant Aspire Achieve Advance will have to pay £500,000 in “deal fees” by the end…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Kick poor-performing new providers off RoATP, education committee urges

Poor-performing apprenticeship providers should be kicked off the government’s register – not just barred from taking on new starts,…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Ofsted Watch: Trio of poor monitoring visit reports

Three providers have been criticised for making ‘insufficient progress’ in the latest series of monitoring reports from Ofsted, including…

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