News

The six main findings from the NAO’s report into Learndirect

The National Audit Office has today published its report into the circumstances surrounding the monitoring, inspection and funding of…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Skills to be at the heart of social mobility plan

FE and skills will have a major role to play in a new social mobility action plan being launched…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

NAO report: So which minister signed off on Learndirect’s special treatment?

The special treatment afforded to Learndirect after its infamous grade four from Ofsted was actually a ministerial decision, even…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Public Accounts Committee to call Learndirect hearing in wake of NAO investigation

The public accounts committee has scheduled a hearing to review the Learndirect saga on January 15 in the New…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofsted annual report: Paul Joyce backs campaign for more 16-to-18 cash

Ofsted’s deputy director for further education and skills spoke to FE Week after its annual report was unveiled this…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Learndirect set to lose rights to run Home Office citizenship test

Learndirect’s multimillion-pound contract to deliver the Home Office’s Life in the UK test is to be put out to…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


News

AELP urges Greening to review ‘controversial’ non-levy tender

The AELP wants the education secretary to review the “controversial” outcome of the non-levy tender before ‘good’ and ‘outstanding’…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

No provider is too big to fail, warns Ofsted annual report

The first annual Ofsted report delivered by Amanda Spielman has warned that the ignominious fall of Learndirect shows that…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofsted warned before annual report of worsening employer provider performance

Ofsted has been warned before the launch of its annual report that it will need to “work hard” to…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

Takeover planned for provider that slumped to ‘inadequate’

An independent training provider that has slumped two grades to ‘inadequate’ is trying to get taken over. Chesterfield-based NLT…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

SPONSORED: Search for providers to support India’s skills development

NOCN Group has launched a nationwide search for UK organisations that can provide technical and implementation support for skill…

Features Team
Features Team
News

Snow news day: Prankster fakes college shutdown… before it closes for real

A prankster has caused confusion by setting up a fake Twitter account for a college and claiming it had…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord

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