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
News

Consultation launches on FE residential safeguarding standards

The government has opened its consultation on new national minimum standards for residential accommodation for 16- to 18-year-olds in…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord


News

Milton appears to back subcontractor inspections

The skills minister has appeared to agree that Ofsted should inspect subcontractors during an exchange at education questions in…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Extra-curricular and student support cuts exposed

Two thirds of colleges and schools have had to cut extra-curricular activities and student support services due to crippling…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
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

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’

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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

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