News

20% off-the-job rule divides opinion again

The director of the National Apprenticeships Service has mounted a strident defence of the controversial 20-per-cent off-the-job training requirement….

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Ofsted appears to back colleges in Progress 8 battle

The credibility of a major new government progress measure is at stake after a college labelled as one of…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Merger bulletin: the colleges in need of a partner

The area reviews of post-16 education and training ended last March. They were designed to establish “fewer, often larger,…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News
prison

Ofsted to ‘expose’ rip-off subcontracting top-slices

Ofsted will expose training providers who rip-off apprentices by collecting subcontracting management fees without taking “responsibility for quality”, the…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

AAC2018: CBI demands urgent levy upheaval

The apprenticeship levy is “not fit for purpose” and the sector needs much more flexibility on spending the cash…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Apprenticeship achievement rates up for 2016/17

Apprenticeship achievement rates have been shown to have risen for 2016/17, in the latest statistics released by the Department…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Twelve providers now have chartered status

A twelfth provider has achieved FE chartered status: Manchester’s Mantra Learning. The floodgates have seemingly started to open at…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

AAC2018: Some apprentices might not have an end-point assessor this year, IfA admits

A “very small number” of apprentices could reach the end of their course in the next year without an…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Damian Hinds casts doubt on Anne Milton’s FE funding review

The review into FE funding announced just two days ago by the skills minister might not actually go ahead…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Consultation launches on post-18 education and funding review

The government’s consultation on its review of Post-18 education and funding has launched today, to close on May 2. It…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

DfE announces which providers will be protected from AEB devolution

The providers that will be protected from adult education budget devolution have been announced. Certain providers will continue to…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Anne Milton announces FE funding review

The government is launching a review into how the current system of funding for FE meets the costs of…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

Must read

Colleges, Long read
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
Long read

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
Exclusive

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
Exclusive

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