News

UCU college strike – dates set for a second wave of action

Dates have been set for a second walk-out by members of the University and College Union at a number…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Chancellor announces £80m to support small businesses with apprentices

There will be an extra £80 million released to help small businesses recruit apprentices, the chancellor has announced in…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

‘Outrageous and unjustifiable’ subcontracting has become a ‘money-maker’, experts tell MPs

The government needs to get a grip on the “outrageous and unjustifiable” subcontracting market which has become a “money-maker”…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

The National Retraining Scheme ‘should not be run by employers’

Employers should not be handed the keys to the National Retraining Scheme if the government is serious about supporting…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

95% of apprenticeships agreed at full cap price, despite negotiation ‘experiment’

The government should drop its “experiment” with negotiated apprenticeship prices, after it emerged that almost every single one is…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Over two thirds of UTCs rated less than ‘good’ in the last year

More than two thirds of the university technical colleges visited by Ofsted in the last year received ratings that…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


News

Bolton pilots new college-university merger model

A college is joining a university using an “innovative” new merger model that’s acting as a pilot for future…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Government departments falling short on public sector apprenticeships target

Widespread failure has been exposed across Whitehall with hitting the government’s own target for apprentices employed by public bodies….

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Ofsted watch: A week of contrasts in apprenticeship provision

National Apprenticeship Week has proved to be a time of contrasting grades for this type of provision – with…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Barnfield College suspends its recruitment of apprentices

Barnfield College has suspended its recruitment of new apprentices, after it received an ‘inadequate’ rating for this provision from…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Milton not budging on 20% off-the-job training rule

The 20-per-cent off-the-job training rule is the biggest barrier to apprenticeship recruitment according to an FE Week survey –…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Thirteen providers added to RoATP after appeals

Thirteen organisations, including a Welsh college and the furniture retail giant DFS, have been unexpectedly added to the register…

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