News

College and Co-op lead way with paid day release on two year course – but it’s not an apprenticeship

A sixth-form college in Manchester is set to offer paid work experience for some of its learners, in what…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

EuroSkills 2018: Team UK given send-off at Parliament

“Endurance, fortitude and determination” are the qualities that each member of Team UK will need to beat Europe’s best,…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

AoC proposes introduction of HE levy to pay for developing new suite of higher level qualifications

The government should fund the development of new higher level qualifications, paid for by a “higher technical levy” or…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofqual U-turns on T-level plans that would have forced students to wait a year for a retake

Ofqual will allow T-level exams to be taken more than once throughout the assessment year – meaning students will…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

T-levels tender launched by Department for Education

The highly anticipated and controversial T-levels tender process has now been launched by the Department for Education. Awarding organisations…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

T-level industry placements ‘likely’ to reduce apprenticeship offers, new DfE commissioned research finds

Substantial T-level industry placements are expected to reduce the number of apprenticeships that employers offer, new Department for Education…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


News

Colleges in uproar as CITB tries to protect management fees with ‘reverse subcontracting’ deal

The Construction Industry Training Board is trying to force colleges to enter “reverse subcontracting” arrangements where it charges “unfair”…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

On the eve of the controversial T-level tender – when, how and why?

On the eve of the launch of the government’s first ever tender for a single awarding organisation for a…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Ofsted watch: Loans-funded provider branded ‘inadequate’

A loans-funded independent provider has received the lowest possible rating in its first ever inspection this week. And two…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Employers join forces to overturn ‘highly-damaging’ funding rate cuts for popular management apprenticeships

The employer group behind three popular management apprenticeship standards has the backing of more than 150 employers – including…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Ofqual ‘closely monitoring’ investigation by awarding organisation into ‘copy and paste’ assessments exposed by Ofsted

Ofqual is “closely monitoring” an investigation being carried out by Training Qualifications UK into allegations of ‘copy and paste’…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Skills minister on hunt for apprentice but excludes applicants with GCSE grade 4 (a pass)

Anne Milton has posted a job advert looking for an apprentice to work in her parliamentary office which excludes…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

Must read

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
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