News

DfE confirms special treatment will be given to Learndirect

This evening the Department for Education said that it will not, as would typically be the case, serve a…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Government ‘making it up as they go along’ on non-levy tendering

The government has been accused of “making it up as they go along” on critical questions over non-levy tendering,…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Rejected appeal application looks like the beginning of the end for Learndirect

The country’s biggest training provider has had its desperate attempt to appeal against a judicial review flatly rejected –…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

A-Level results 2017 | Live blog

A-level results day is here!  Today’s the day when A-level learners up and down the country find out whether…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Special Investigation: Over 1,600 jobs at risk after Learndirect fails bid to overturn Ofsted ‘inadequate’

The country’s largest FE provider has lost a High Court bid to quash an as-yet unpublished ‘inadequate’ Ofsted rating,…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Ofsted watch: South Essex College bumped up to ‘good’ after 90-day wait

A major college has been bumped up from a grade three to a two by Ofsted, in a report…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


News

Over £1m of public money paid in grants for failed mergers

More than a million pounds of public money has been spent on mergers that subsequently collapsed, FE Week analysis…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Government sets December deadline in 16-to-18 data reporting crackdown

Colleges must publish vital 16-to-18 performance data by a strict December deadline, in a Department for Education crackdown apparently prompted…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

BREAKING: Area review transition grant details published

Details of all the area review transition grants awarded to date have finally been published by the Department for…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Ofsted watch: Private provider loses ‘outstanding’ rating

A private training provider lost its ‘outstanding’ rating in what was otherwise a sturdy week for FE providers. Heart…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Three month inspection report delay nearly over, Ofsted claims

An Ofsted report on a major college in Essex is still nowhere to be seen – despite the provider…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Area review waves four and five recommendations published

Reports into the final two waves of the area reviews of post-16 education and training have finally been published…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke

Must read

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, 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