News

Jason Holt named Apprenticeship Ambassador Network chair

Jason Holt CBE, the chief executive of HoltsGroup, has been named chair of the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network, replacing its…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

National Apprenticeship Week 2018 celebrates best of earning and learning

The very best of what earning and learning means for learners and employers will be celebrated during the eleventh…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

College bankrolls failing schools in new academy trust

An ‘outstanding’ FE college is having to bankroll improvements to struggling schools in its new academy trust. Two of…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

UTC told to join ‘strong’ multi-academy trust amid ESFA investigation

A struggling UTC must join a “strong” multi-academy trust and improve its finances, after reports from a whistleblower prompted an…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

Ofsted Watch: Tough week for UTCs as two get ‘requires improvement’

University technical colleges have continued to struggle as two more received grade threes this week, while one FE college…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

DfE ‘plain sloppy’ at policing apprenticeship minimum wage adverts

Providers on the government’s apprenticeship search site are not being effectively policed to ensure they advertise legal wages –…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord


News

Job-switch plan stalls for former Carillion apprentices

Efforts to find alternative employers for former Carillion apprentices have stalled, because it’s proving difficult to match them with…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

IfA boss admits fears for tight T-levels timescale

The boss of the organisation that will be responsible for T-levels has admitted he has deep concerns at the…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

University technical colleges will start recruiting from year 9

Two university technical colleges will start recruiting students a year before the standard starting age of 14 from  September, and another…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

HMRC VAT crackdown spreads to subcontracting

HMRC has launched a major investigation into subcontracting that could result in tens of millions in fees and fines…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Public accounts committee wants top-slicing action by August

The government should publish guidance on how it expects management fees to be applied by August, the public accounts…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

That’s special treatment all right: Accounts committee lays into Learndirect

Learndirect was indeed given special treatment because the government considered it too big to fail, the Public Accounts Committee…

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