News

More than 1,000 16 to 18-year-olds who failed courses last year to be told they passed

More than 1,000 learners that failed their courses last year are now being told they’ve passed. Under the previous…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Charity set to announce purchase of People 1st

UPDATE: The Workforce Development Trust has confirmed the acquisition of People 1st. However, the Institute for Apprenticeships has said…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Apprenticeship qualifications: no uptake under new rules

No employer groups have taken advantage of the Institute for Apprenticeships’ new rules for including qualifications in apprenticeships, FE…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

IfA in talks with charity to take on EQA role after People 1st goes bust

The Institute for Apprenticeships is understood to be close to reaching a deal with an organisation to take over…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

College that needed huge bailouts set to merge

A college that has received millions of pounds in government bailouts has announced plans to merge. Accrington and Rossendale…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

AoC Sport National Championships: The south-east triumphs again

The south-east took the glory for the second year running at last weekend’s AoC Sport National Championships, retaining the…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


News

Ofsted Watch: Royal Navy apprenticeships are ‘outstanding’

Everything about skills training at the Royal Navy is shipshape and Bristol fashion, after Ofsted judged the employer provider…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Mucklow tackles AEB devolution as director roles change at ESFA

The director of Young People and former sixth-form college commissioner has been given the mammoth task of devolving the…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Fresh round of redundancies at Learndirect as funding dries up

Learndirect Ltd appears to be on the brink of collapse, after a fresh round of redundancies belied the fact…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Special investigation: Why are colleges turning their backs on traineeships?

Colleges delivered less than a quarter of traineeships last year and nearly half across the country had no starts…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

UCU blasts 10% pay rises for ‘greedy’ college principals

College principals have been lambasted as “greedy and hopelessly out of touch” by the University and College Union, after…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

People 1st collapses, stunning the FE sector

People 1st, once a major sector skills council and a key player in the apprenticeship reforms, has entered administration,…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord

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