News

Scrap the Institute for Apprenticeships, says Lords report

The Institute for Apprenticeships should be scrapped, according to an influential committee that sits in the House of Lords….

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Queen’s birthday honours 2018: Who got what in FE and skills?

The FE and skills sector is well represented in the Queen’s birthday honours list this year, in which Ofsted’s…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Army recruits (again): IfA appoints deputy director to oversee T-levels

The Institute for Apprenticeships has appointed yet another military person to its leadership team – and they’ve been given…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

IfA extends T-levels consultation deadline AGAIN

The deadline on the latest T-levels consultation has been extended yet again, and the Institute for Apprenticeships will now…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofsted watch: Success for employer-provider but college falls two grades from ‘outstanding’

An employer-provider has boosted its grade to ‘good’ in a mixed week for the FE sector, as Highbury College…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Council accused of SEND transport discrimination

A local authority has been accused of breaking government guidelines on college transport charges, and parents of children with…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord


News

UCU college strike action continues to win concessions

The University and College Union is continuing to win concessions in the current round of college strikes, as it…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Only a quarter of prospective T-level pioneers were successful

Only a quarter of the providers which applied to offer T-levels in 2020 were successful, and many of those…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Hull College’s vast debts exposed

An impoverished college which took a £54 million bailout did so after declaring a deficit of close to £13…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Big five awarding giants compete for T-levels

The big guns of the awarding organisation world are drawing the battle lines in the imminent struggle for ownership…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Colleges recognised for outstanding higher education provision

Two colleges have received gold medals recognising their outstanding higher education provision in the latest Teaching Excellence Framework ratings….

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Highbury College tumbles two grades from ‘outstanding’

Highbury College has dropped two grades from ‘outstanding’ in an Ofsted report that brands its teaching “uninspiring” and raises…

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