News

Third early monitoring report a success – but provider targeted isn’t ‘new’ to apprenticeships

Ofsted’s third early monitoring visit to a new levy-funded apprenticeship provider has uncovered a “clear focus” on delivering high-quality…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

DfE launches consultation ahead of college campus performance reporting

The government has launched a consultation on proposals to “strengthen” public reporting on performance for colleges which are in…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

College restructuring support update: £300m for 19 ‘significant’ applications approved

The government has approved more than £300 million to cover the cost of implementing post-area review changes, although the…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Army recruits: IfA boss appoints his second-in-command

The Institute for Apprenticeships has appointed another military man as its second-in-command, following a “fair and open competition”. Robert…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Institute for Apprenticeships boss blasts AELP for ‘inflammatory’ end point assessment concerns

The boss of the Institute for Apprenticeships has hit out at the Association of Employment and Learning Providers for…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Ofsted watch: Private providers shine while colleges falter

Private providers fared best out of the whole FE sector this week as three achieved ‘good’ ratings. There wasn’t…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


News

Revealed: Ofsted’s second report into ‘new’ apprenticeship providers

The second of a new wave of Ofsted early-monitoring visit reports keeping a close eye on newcomers to directly…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Learndirect did not get ‘anywhere near’ winning legal battle against Ofsted, judge says

The country’s largest FE provider didn’t get “anywhere near” quashing its now infamous ‘inadequate’ rating during its legal fight…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Government should do more to increase 16 to 18 apprenticeships, new report urges

The government should do more to boost the number of 16- to 18-year-olds doing apprenticeships due to the “overwhelming”…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Minister sets out success measures for FE Commissioner

The FE commissioner’s performance will be judged by the number of colleges falling into intervention among other measures, according…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Three-time ‘inadequate’ college merger completes

A college that was recently rated ‘inadequate’ for the third time in five years has finally completed a merger….

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Launch of apprenticeship levy transfer limited to just one receiving employer

Employers who are gearing up to transfer apprenticeship levy funds to other organisations from next month will only be…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

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