News

Ofsted Watch: Three councils told adult learning requires improvement

Three local authorities have been told by Ofsted that their provision of adult and community learning ‘requires improvement’. Birmingham…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

Halfon: ‘Ofsted must start inspecting subcontractors’

The head of the Commons education select committee wants a “wholesale review” into why Ofsted is yet to inspect…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Greening ‘all talk’ on BAME apprenticeships

The education secretary has been accused of putting more talk than action into growing apprenticeships amongst ethnic minorities. Justine…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

‘Don’t forget FE in the budget’ demand sector leaders in open letter

Leading voices in FE have joined forces to demand more funding for the sector ahead of the autumn budget….

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

WEA Awards recognise achievement against the odds

Eight people who overcame all sorts of barriers to take their first steps towards teaching other adult learners have…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Huge spike in higher level apprenticeship commitments

Levy-funded apprenticeships at higher and degree-level jumped by a whopping 424 per cent in September, according to the latest…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke


News

Major home health care employer provider branded ‘inadequate’

Ofsted has rated a major home healthcare employer-provider ‘inadequate’ across the board, in a report that condemns its “woefully…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

ESFA plans new ‘trusted provider status’ for employer levy account management

The government revealed today that they are working on a plan to allow employers to hand over much of…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Off-the-job training rule hangs over AELP autumn conference

The government must urgently address employer resistance to the minimum off-the-job training apprenticeship rule, the AELP has said ahead…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

London’s biggest college group just got bigger

London’s biggest college group has spread itself even further across the capital with another merger, and it is looking…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

£10m adult flexible learning fund launches

Up to £10 million is now available to help providers develop new ways of supporting adults to progress or…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Ofsted boss worried about lack of subcontracting inspections

The head of Ofsted has acknowledged MPs’ concerns about how few subcontractors used by FE providers are inspected. Speaking…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross

Must read

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
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