DfE

DfE has made the FE pay case ‘strongly’ to Treasury, says skills minister

Jacqui Smith tells Labour Party conference delegates to ‘wait and see’ what the budget holds

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel and Billy Camden
Apprenticeships, Long read

Why learning from neighbours could guide our apprenticeship reforms

Reforms are coming to the apprenticeship system in England and the Labour government has been showered with suggestions about…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
News

Apprenticeship provider goes bust after surviving grade 4 Ofsted

A specialist engineering apprenticeship training provider has gone bust, leaving behind debts of more than £350,000 to several colleges….

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Skills reform

Revive Sector Skills Councils alongside Skills England, says C&G

Skills England is ‘not a new idea’ for English skills development, report finds

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Strikes

UCU staff strike called off as talks continue

Individual public statements also banned until dispute is settled, which sparks hypocrisy accusations

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Pay

AoC warns of 2% limit to college pay recommendation for 2024/25

FE workers still in limbo on 2024/25 pay rise

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel


News

Apprenticeship levy reform is like opening ‘Pandora’s box’, Labour warned

FE Week explores where the proposed growth and skills levy has got to ahead of the party’s conference next…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

SEND students now allowed to listen to music during exams

Mental health support service referral letters can also used to apply for extra support from this year

Samantha Booth
Samantha Booth
Skills bootcamps

£500m skills bootcamps failing to boost job prospects

Results data for 2021-22 finally published ahead of crunch budget decision

Billy Camden
Billy Camden and Josh Mellor
Assessment

AI can pass almost all level 3 assessments, study finds

OU recommends that institutions should focus on question design rather than detecting AI misuse

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
skills

Stop construction skills training duplication, charity urges government

Increasing the supply of construction workers is critical to the government’s 1.5 million new homes pledge

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Skills bootcamps

Charity’s online skills bootcamps applauded by Ofsted

Inspectors highlight ‘transformational effect’ for adults struggling to find work

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel

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