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


News

Struggling PM pledges to create best ever technical education system

Theresa May spelled out plans to create a first class technical education system for the first time in our…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Ex LeSoCo principal steps in at troubled Totton College

The leader of a troubled college has stepped down just 18 months into the job – and will be…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

NHS takes action against Learndirect Apprenticeships

Learndirect Apprenticeships Ltd has been removed from part of the purchasing system used by London hospitals, following a joint…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Milton wants flexibility, not ‘the dead hand of the state’

The skills minister has admitted she’s heard serious concerns about the government’s apprenticeship reforms, but claims there is “just…

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
News

National Audit Office to investigate Learndirect and the DfE

The National Audit Office has officially launched an investigation into Learndirect and the Department for Education following outcry from…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

AEB contracts boost will be paid from unspent £200m

Funding increases in adult education budget contracts for private providers will be paid from the massive underspend on adult…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

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’

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

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