News

Tender delay with single awarding organisation plan for prisons

Plans by the Ministry of Justice to appoint single awarding organisations for seven areas of study in prisons have…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Ex-learner guilty of rape at college criticised for safeguarding

A former student at a college that Ofsted identified as struggling from “endemic” sexualised behaviour has been found guilty…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

SPONSORED: Colleges should embrace blended learning

To remain competitive in an ever-changing FE landscape, colleges must provide an exceptional learning experience – which means investing…

Features Team
Features Team
News

Lewisham Southwark College’s Cinderella story

Just two years ago, Lewisham Southwark College suffered the dubious honour of being the first FE and skills provider…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

T-levels funded work placement plans criticised

New guidance on T-level work placements has been criticised by the Association of Colleges, which fears providers will struggle…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Ofsted watch: A ‘good’ week for FE as providers maintain grade twos

There was good news across the FE sector last week as both providers with reports published maintained their grade…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford


News

Merger at risk over naming row

Yet another area review recommended college merger could be in trouble – due to an argument about a name….

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News, WorldSkills 2017

Team UK all set for WorldSkills 2017 in Abu Dhabi

This week, 34 of the UK’s most highly rated young competitors will fly to Abu Dhabi for WorldSkills 2017,…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofsted plans to recruit staff with more experience of workplace training

A senior Ofsted figure has admitted the inspectorate needs to focus more on apprenticeship providers and will ask employers…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

Suffolk provider successfully contests Ofsted grade 4

A private training provider has successfully overturned an ‘inadequate’ Ofsted judgement after a nine-month battle which even saw inspectors…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Anne Milton to speak at AoC Conference

The skills minister will be speaking at this year’s Association of Colleges annual conference. Anne Milton’s address is guaranteed…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Barely half of eligible employers are on the levy system

Scarcely half of eligible employers have signed up to use the government’s apprenticeships system, new statistics published today suggest….

Jude Burke
Jude Burke

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