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
News

Fears for nearly 3,000 learners as large provider folding

A Northamptonshire-based training provider with a near £2 million government skills contract is closing down, leaving nearly 3,000 learners…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Carillion, largest employer of construction apprentices, goes into liquidation

The UK’s largest employer of construction apprentices has gone into liquidation, leaving the future of hundreds of 16 to…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

SPONSORED: How to prepare for the new data protection laws

Demand from our further education members for information and advice on the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has…

Features Team
Features Team

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