News

Employer satisfaction falls across FE, but ITPs still edge ahead of colleges

Employer satisfaction levels have fallen across the FE sector this year, but private providers are still outperforming colleges. The…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

Apprenticeships by industry characteristics data: The 5 things we learnt

New research on apprenticeships by industry characteristics has revealed which sector is the most popular, what is preferred by…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

Monthly apprenticeships update: July starts down 43% on 2016

Apprenticeship starts for July are down 43 per cent on the same month in 2016 – but up 21…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Campaign launched to ‘Raise the Rate’ of sixth form funding

Twelve school and college associations have written to the chancellor to urge him to increase funding for sixth form…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

High Court Judge places 3aaa into compulsory liquidation

Former apprenticeship provider Aspire Achieve Advance has been placed into compulsory liquidation, after a High Court Judge accepted a…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Another studio school to close – meaning nearly half have wound up

A studio school in Bath that has struggled to meet costs as a result of severely low student numbers…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


News

Four colleges set for strike action as new trade union laws ‘frustrate’ UCU

Staff are likely to strike at four colleges this term, but union members are in uproar as ballots at…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Revealed: Colleges lose £1.1m under controversial English and maths condition-of-funding rules

Five training providers have been stripped of more than £100,000 due to the controversial English and maths condition-of-funding rule,…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Mayor of London plans party to celebrate AEB devolution

London’s mayor will host a party to celebrate taking control of the capital’s adult education budget next year –…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofsted watch: Good week for colleges but private providers heavily criticised

In a week that celebrated colleges two improved to ‘good’, but it’s been difficult for apprenticeship training providers with…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

Dame Asha steps down from IfA board

Dame Asha Khemka has left her role as an Institute for Apprenticeships board member, following her resignation from West…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

IfA and ESFA in listening mode about apprenticeship concerns at FAB conference

The bosses of the Institute for Apprenticeships and the Education and Skills Funding Agency were in listening mode today,…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke

Must read

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
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