News

Strikes off at Sandwell College after improved pay offer

Staff at a college who had been due to go on strike for four days this week have called…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

IfA defends slowdown on apprenticeship standards

The number of new apprenticeship standards approved for delivery declined dramatically in March and April, FE Week analysis has…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Rapid increase in providers forces expansion of ESFA audit team

The Education and Skills Funding Agency is beefing up its audit team amid mounting concerns about new providers entering…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

ESFA misses own deadline to update providers on T-levels

The Education and Skills Funding Agency has missed its own deadline to let providers know if they will be…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Ofsted Watch: So close yet so far for grade three college

A college in Hertford will be kicking itself this week after Ofsted praised it for “much improvement” since its…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Special Interview: Lord Baker defends UTCs as problems pile up

Lord Baker has mounted a robust defence of university technical colleges, despite the growing list of setbacks to befall…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


News

Bitter pay dispute between unions and AoC escalates

An argument over pay between unions and the Association of Colleges has worsened, after the latter refused to enter…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Apprenticeship provider’s ban lifted after just two months

An apprenticeship provider whose training was branded “not fit for purpose” just two months ago has been allowed to…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Employers clash with Institute for Apprenticeships over FE teacher funding bands

The group developing three long-delayed FE teaching standards is in a bitter stand-off with the Institute for Apprenticeships, claiming…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Union fury as college boss gets 31% pay rise

The boss of a college that saw its turnover slashed last year was given a huge 31-per-cent salary increase…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Beleaguered NCG faces another full Ofsted inspection

It is crunch time at the nation’s largest college group, which is cutting staff and faces the return of…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

National Audit Office slams DfE oversight of Student Loans Company

The Department for Education has been heavily criticised for its oversight of the Student Loans Company during the tenure…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke

Must read

Colleges, Long read

Colleges on the frontline of a divided nation

As social media algorithms fuel intolerance and binary thinking, college staff increasingly find themselves dealing with the fallout. Jessica…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
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