News

FE commissioner: Funding for Institutes of Technology is ‘too modest’

The £170 million funding pot for new Institutes of Technology will not enable them to have a significant impact…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofsted announces tougher approach to monitoring subcontracting

Ofsted will increase its focus on management and quality in subcontracting, according to its most senior director for FE…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Off-the-job qualifications can be included in apprenticeships, IfA confirms

Off-the-job technical qualifications can now be included in apprenticeships, the Institute for Apprenticeships has officially announced, confirming a significant…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Professional footballers found guilty of £5m apprenticeship subcontracting fraud

Two former professional footballers and two other men have been found guilty of scamming colleges out of £5 million…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

FE and social justice: Top six education committee chair recommendations

Robert Halfon is set to give the keynote address on the theme of social justice and skills at an…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

College still allowed to provide apprenticeships despite ‘inadequate’ Ofsted

A college rated ‘inadequate’ for its apprenticeship provision more than seven months ago was given special dispensation to remain…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke


News

IfA approves quality assurer that is scheduled to close

A company approved to provide external quality assurance for digital apprenticeships will fold in September, in a situation described…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Ofsted watch: Top grade for independent learning provider

An independent learning provider has boosted its grade to ‘outstanding’ – reversing a trend that has seen a number…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Enforcement measures proposed to keep kids in education until 18

Enforcement measures should be introduced to make sure that 16-to-18-year-olds participate in education and training, a leading sector figure…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Carillion update: £1.4m apprentice rescue package

Cash incentives of £1,000 are being offered to every employer who takes on apprentices caught up in the collapse…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Revealed: Gove was forced to create UTCs

As education secretary, Michael Gove was “forced” to create university technology colleges by George Osborne and David Cameron, a…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Learndirect enters redundancy talks

Learndirect has entered redundancy talks with an unknown amount of its staff. A consultation on job losses was launched…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

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