News

DfE doubles ‘advanced maths premium’ funding incentive

The government has doubled the amount of money on offer to encourage more schools and colleges to offer maths…

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
News

IfA boss hits back at ‘vested interests’ against apprentice reforms

The Institute for Apprenticeships’ new boss has hit back at “vested interests” who he claims want to see the…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

‘Ghost learner’ football scammers jailed for over 25 years combined

Two former professional footballers and four of their colleagues have been sentenced to a total of over 25 years…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

DfE hands out £2m for more levy research

An FE-focused research centre has been given the ministerial nod to continue its work until 2020, and the apprenticeship…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Employer satisfaction surveys to be audited for the first time

The government will audit the results of its employer satisfaction survey for the first time, due to concerns over…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofsted Watch: First inspection since merger produces ‘good’ result

A college inspected for the first time since a merger was rated ‘good’ in a week that saw local…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross


News

College group giant welcomes move to campus level inspection

The nation’s largest college group has welcomed a change in how it collects data on learners and it is…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Ofsted accused of waste over inspection for just 7 learners

Ofsted has been accused of wasting scarce resources on an inspection that only took into account seven learners. Leicester-based…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Mayors raise concerns over weak adult education budget devolution powers

The six regional mayors tasked with overseeing devolution of the adult education budget have met the Department for Education…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

Stoke-on-Trent silent on severance pay for job-switch CEO

A cash-strapped college will not explain why it paid thousands of pounds in severance to its former chief executive…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Adult education budget used to bail out struggling colleges

The adult education budget is being used to cover the cost of emergency handouts to struggling colleges – causing…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

FE commissioner forces merger at Guildford College

A financially challenged college is being forced into a merger as it becomes only the second institution to be…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke

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