News

BREAKING: Apprenticeship starts continue to fall sharply six months after introduction of the levy

Total apprenticeship starts fell 41 percent for the six months since May when the levy was introduced, compared to…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Skills Commission: Young apprentices need travel subsidies now

The government is harming young and disadvantaged people with its failure to ease their travel costs, according to a…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

David Meller resigns from DfE board following Presidents Club allegations

David Meller, the co-chair of the controversial Presidents Club charity dinner that has been rocked by allegations of sexual…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

DfE director and apprenticeship group chair Meller’s ‘Presidents Club’ dinner rocked by sexual harassment allegations

A charity fundraising dinner run by a Department for Education director and academy trust founder has been rocked by…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Urgent government action needed to save traineeships, AELP claims

Traineeships are in decline and could die without more support from the government, the Association of Employment and Learning…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Education secretary Damian Hinds commits to finding new employers for all Carillion apprentices

The new education secretary will ensure that every apprentice affected by the collapse of outsourcing giant Carillion will be…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


News

FE commissioner Richard Atkins: ‘Funding for FE is unfair’

The sector’s funding is “unfair”, the FE commissioner has told a parliamentary hearing. Richard Atkins was asked about the…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Former ESFA boss Peter Lauener to chair NCG

Peter Lauener, the busiest man in FE, has bagged himself yet another job, this time as chair of one…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Cornwall College gets £3.5m to help cashflow problems

A cash-strapped college has received £3.5 million in emergency funding, according to its accounts. Cornwall College Group received exceptional…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Exeter College brings the big guns in its non-levy tender battle

A high-profile ‘outstanding’ college has asked its influential local MP to help it overturn the decision not to give…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofsted watch: Trio of providers lose ‘outstanding’ grades

Three providers have lost their ‘outstanding’ grades this week – while another earned the lowest possible grade at its…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

New IfA boss reveals how he got the job

Sir Gerry Berragan only has two years as chief executive of the Institute for Apprenticeships because he did not…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord

Must read

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
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