FE workforce

UCU members greenlight national strike ballot

Motions on national action and deficit budgets passed overwhelmingly

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Adult education, Training Providers

Days of DfE adult ed procurement could be over

The department hasn’t ruled out taking an ‘alternative commissioning approach’ to the current contract

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
FE workforce, Teaching

UCU Congress preview: Lecturers to vote on national strike ballot

Tackling ‘excessive’ principal pay and abolishing Ofsted also due to be debated

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Young people

Youth NEET numbers remain ‘stubbornly high’

Behind the numbers are young people facing mental health issues and long term unemployment

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Colleges, Training Providers

Acland-Hood: I was wrong about our FE probe policy 

The DfE still hasn’t released the findings of hundreds of investigations into FE providers

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Apprenticeships

Foundation apprenticeships off to a shaky start

New programmes ‘blur lines’ with level 2 apprenticeships and miss popular youth sectors

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


Apprenticeships

L2 admin assistant standard awaiting ed sec funding approval

Its trailblazer group is hoping for approval by the new academic year

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Prison education

Let more prisoners work or train, says sentencing review

Ex justice secretary recommends using AI to help prisoners with probation and education advice

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
News

Phillipson adds £190m to 16-19 funding rise

Funding rates for 16-19 education will rise even further in September, with extra funds earmarked for staff recruitment and…

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Ofsted

ITP judged ‘inadequate’ after expanding provision despite ‘poor’ teaching

Ofsted claims construction provider ‘too slow to act’ – but CEO ‘respectfully’ disagrees

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Colleges

Liverpool college repays DfE after investigators find ‘inaccurate’ funding claims

The college said the issues stem from the ‘complex’ apprenticeship system and remote working during the pandemic

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Adult education, Apprenticeships, Training Providers

DfE toughens up on ITP contract sanctions

New contracts expand termination danger from ‘inadequate’ to ‘requires improvement’ training providers

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen

Must read

Colleges, Politics

Joe Docherty: Labour peer quit college role over ‘inappropriate conduct’

The former education executive has been suspended by the party weeks after being sent to the House of Lords…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill and Gabriel Pogrund
Colleges, Long read

Inside FE’s lifeline for under-16s: Stepping in where schools fail

More and more anxious 14-16 year olds not in school are starting afresh in colleges, but they are under-recognised,…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
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
Young people

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