News

Strike action escalates on a second day of college walkouts

More than 1,500 staff from colleges are expected to take part in a second day of strike action, and…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Stockport College earns its third Ofsted ‘inadequate’ in five years

A college has been hit with its third ‘inadequate’ Ofsted rating in the space of just five years. The…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Low-paid sixth-form college teachers get 2% payrise

Teachers in sixth-form colleges in England will get a pay rise of up to two per cent, backdated to…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Ofsted confirms new stricter rules for grade 3 providers

Ofsted has confirmed it will apply stricter rules to FE providers judged ‘requires improvement’, and will now carry out…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

DfE doubles ‘advanced maths premium’ funding incentive

The government has doubled the amount of money on offer to encourage more schools and colleges to offer maths…

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
News

IfA boss hits back at ‘vested interests’ against apprentice reforms

The Institute for Apprenticeships’ new boss has hit back at “vested interests” who he claims want to see the…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord


News

‘Ghost learner’ football scammers jailed for over 25 years combined

Two former professional footballers and four of their colleagues have been sentenced to a total of over 25 years…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

DfE hands out £2m for more levy research

An FE-focused research centre has been given the ministerial nod to continue its work until 2020, and the apprenticeship…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Employer satisfaction surveys to be audited for the first time

The government will audit the results of its employer satisfaction survey for the first time, due to concerns over…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofsted Watch: First inspection since merger produces ‘good’ result

A college inspected for the first time since a merger was rated ‘good’ in a week that saw local…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

College group giant welcomes move to campus level inspection

The nation’s largest college group has welcomed a change in how it collects data on learners and it is…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Ofsted accused of waste over inspection for just 7 learners

Ofsted has been accused of wasting scarce resources on an inspection that only took into account seven learners. Leicester-based…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord

Must read

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
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