News

Seven-day strike at Hull College called off

Seven days of strikes at Hull College, due to start on Monday, have been called off after the threat…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Troubled colleges handed financial health notices and minimum standards breaches

Three financial health notices and two breaches of minimum standard college reports have been published by the Department for…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Atkins: Struggling colleges will still need stopgap funds

Colleges that get into financial difficulty will still need funding to “oil the wheels” once the bailout tap has…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Now the National Audit Office is sniffing around T-levels

T-levels will be watched for “potential for losses and fruitless payments” according to the comptroller-general at the National Audit…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

DfE estimates colleges with financial warnings will nearly triple to 100

The number of colleges with financial warnings will nearly triple to 100 over the next 10 years, the government…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

AELP leaps to defence of level two apprenticeships

Low-level apprenticeships should not be rubbished by “commentators and policy makers”, the Association of Employment and Learning Providers has…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford


News

The big interview: NCG chair Peter Lauener

NCG has been in the headlines lately, what with the visits from Ofsted, its falling achievement rates, mass redundancies,…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Trouble ahead for NCG with anticipated grade three from Ofsted

The largest college group in the country is to be dropped from the government’s final bidding round for Institutes…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

FE commissioner recruiting new national leaders of governance

The FE commissioner is on the hunt for recruits to join his army of national leaders of governance. Serving…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Metro mayors demand control over unspent levy

The metro mayors overseeing skills budget devolution have joined forces to demand control of apprenticeship levy cash that employers…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Monthly update: apprenticeship starts down 52 per cent in March

Apprenticeship starts for March are down 52 per cent compared with the same period in 2017. There have been…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Merger partner found for FE college incorporated just four years ago

An FE college incorporated in 2014 has found a merger partner, after the FE commissioner decreed it would no…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

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