News

Don’t ‘punish’ young people with mandatory T-level work placements, AoC pleads

The Association of Colleges has asked the government not to “punish” young people by making 315-hour work placements mandatory…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

AoC boss talks tough over management apprenticeships

David Hughes has “serious concerns” about the unstoppable rise of management apprenticeships and the consequent lack of opportunities for…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Exclusive: Ofsted ratings decline for colleges exposed as funding cuts bite

More than one third of English colleges are currently rated less than ‘good’ by Ofsted, whose boss has refused…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

Ofsted proposes to publish monitoring visits of grade 3 providers

Ofsted is seeking views on a proposal to carry out monitoring visits to FE providers judged ‘requires improvement’ and…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Area review restructuring fund shortfall prompts extension

Around £600 million of the cash available to colleges for post-area review restructuring remains unallocated – prompting the Department…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

SPONSORED: JTL is recruiting trade and training professionals

What happens when you combine a booming construction industry, a shortage of skilled trade professionals and a fall in…

Features Team
Features Team


News

Third FE college in six months rated Ofsted outstanding

A third general FE college has been rated ‘outstanding’ in the space of six months. Fareham College was recognised…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Exclusive: Sixth form college performance fell 8% points, Ofsted expected to say

Sixth-form colleges have been driven to “tipping point” through repeated funding cuts, the body that represents them has said,…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

ESFA boss Peter Lauener to lead Student Loans Company

Peter Lauener will take over at the Student Loans Company later this month, after its chief executive departed suddenly…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Milton reveals four pillars of new careers strategy

The four main themes of the government’s widely anticipated careers strategy have been set out by the skills minister,…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Peers force senior civil servants to defend FE funding

Senior government figures have been forced to defend whether further education is getting its “fair share” of funding during…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

Learndirect accounts reveal huge debts and an uncertain future

The long-term survival of Learndirect will hinge on the success of its sister companies, including Learndirect Apprenticeships, over the…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

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