News

Investigation: Agency accused over ‘tax avoidance’ levy advice

An apprenticeship and graduate recruitment agency for schools has been accused of exploiting a tax incentive scheme after it…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

Revealed: Low pupil numbers forced nearly every UTC to hand funding back

Almost all the university technical colleges have missed their recruitment targets and were overpaid by the government last year,…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

FE sector steps in to help stranded Carillion apprentices

FE providers are rallying to help more than 1,000 apprentices affected by the collapse of the outsourcing giant Carillion,…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Prisons careers advice contracts ‘termination’ fears

Contracts to provide careers advice to prisoners appear to have been terminated without any replacement, according to a pressure…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

SPONSORED: NCFE Study Programmes help your 16-19 learners succeed

We know and understand that choosing the right qualifications to fit your 16-19 cohort and build your vocational curriculum…

Features Team
Features Team
News

Milton attempts to reassure SFCs’ cash concerns

Funding concerns will be acknowledged in a speech from the skills minister, who is to assure delegates at the…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord


News

ESFA seeks providers to pioneer T-levels

Providers can now bid to become one of the first to deliver T-levels, the Education and Skills Funding Agency…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Top DfE official admits FE not represented on Office of Students board

FE has “no representation” on the board of the new higher education regulator, a leading figure at the Department…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

Ofsted can’t keep up with the growth in apprentices, MPs hear

Fears that Ofsted can’t keep up with the UK’s massive apprenticeships expansion have been raised before MPs, a day…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Learndirect boss reveals ‘surprise’ at £45m allocation following AEB tender withdrawal

Learndirect’s boss has admitted he was “surprised” his provider was handed such a large allocation in the adult education…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Struggling college ‘expects’ £25 million bailout as university merger hits buffers

Lambeth College, which was served with a notice of concern for financial control by the Education and Skills Funding…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Super injunction meant Learndirect gagged Ofsted from speaking to ESFA

Learndirect was “bizarrely” granted a super injunction during its judicial review against Ofsted which suppressed the inspectorate from speaking…

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