News

Tendering launch time for Institutes of Technology revealed

Tenders for developing the government’s new Institutes of Technology have been put off until the autumn, skills and apprenticeships…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofsted watch: Three providers branded ‘inadequate’

Three providers have been branded ‘inadequate’ in a tough week for the FE and skills sector. Land-based provider Easton…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Investigation update: Confusion as government refuses to say if all provider’s funding pulled

The future of a provider caught offering banned inducements to an employer remains in limbo, after the government refused…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Minister announces T-levels delay

The first T-levels will be delayed until September 2020 – a year later than planned – the government has announced…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

T-levels crisis: DfE report warns single awarding organisation ‘unviable’

The T-levels crisis has deepened after a new report claimed Lord Sainsbury’s recommendation to have one awarding organisation per…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Smith review calls for rethink on GCSE maths resit policy

The government’s controversial policy on post-16 GCSE resits should be rethought, according to the author of a new government-commissioned…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke


News

Ten things we learned from the SFA and EFA annual reports

The Skills Funding Agency and the Education Funding Agency have both released their annual reports and accounts for 2016-17…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Ofqual to investigate DCS qualifications fraud

The country’s exams regulator has begun an investigation into “direct claim status” in an attempt to tackle qualifications malpractice…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Breaking: Apprenticeship pay survey exposes rise in proportion paid illegal wages

Nearly a fifth of apprentices at level two and level three are illegally paid less than the minimum wage,…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Exclusive: T-Level crisis exposed as DfE fail to appoint any advisory panel members

More trouble has erupted in T-Level planning, after it emerged that no-one has yet been appointed to the advisory…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Mystery surrounds late Learndirect performance breach

The nation’s largest FE provider has finally been hit with a serious performance breach notice, a month after its…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Almost 400 staff face uncertain summer through post-merger job cuts plan

Nearly 400 staff at one of the largest colleges in the country face an uncertain future while post-merger restructuring…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

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