News Long read ‘Wait for the fireworks’: Marples vs DfE trial begins Day one sees email revelations, claims of ‘non-existent powers’ and the first witness take the stand Billy Camden 2w James Sharp and Billy Camden 2w Apprenticeships Cap online learning for apprentices, says social mobility charity Sutton Trust claims apprenticeship system is ‘riddled with poor quality training’ Billy Camden 3w Billy Camden 3w Colleges Government ends college decarbonisation grants scheme Programme to lower college energy bills will not be awarding any more grants, it has been confirmed Shane Chowen 3w Shane Chowen 3w News King’s Birthday Honours 2025: Ex-ESFA CEO Peter Lauener knighted More than 20 people with links to FE recognised including an OBE for former principal Verity Hancock Josh Mellor 3w Josh Mellor 3w DfE Exclusive UK withdraws entries from WorldSkills after DfE grant cut The Education and Training Foundation and the Careers and Enterprise Company have also been told to economise Josh Mellor 3w Josh Mellor 3w Apprenticeships Skills chiefs in court for Marples v DfE battle List of witnesses revealed as days count down to high-profile legal battle Billy Camden 3w Billy Camden 3w 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 3w Jessica Hill 3w Colleges, Skills reform How to become a technical excellence college Eligibility criteria include ratings for teaching quality, financial health and construction credentials Shane Chowen 3w Shane Chowen 3w Colleges, Ofsted ‘Inadequate’ Ofsted rating during Ramadan sparks complaint Apprenticeship provider questions watchdog’s ‘lack of cultural sensitivity’ after March inspection Anviksha Patel 3w Anviksha Patel 3w Ofsted ‘Reckless and ridiculous’: Ofsted’s report card plan delay slammed Phillipson criticises ‘disappointing’ consultation response delay, while unions say report card roll-out now ‘nonsensical’ Lydia Chantler-Hicks 3w Lydia Chantler-Hicks 3w Politics Spending review 2025: What the chancellor announced for FE and skills ‘Additional’ £1.2bn on its way as DfE vows to find at least 5% of savings and efficiencies Billy Camden 3w Billy Camden 3w Colleges Turing Scheme funding cut by 29%, DfE reveals £78 million made available for extended year of Turing scheme Anviksha Patel 3w Anviksha Patel 3w Newer 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 816 Older 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 3w Jessica Hill 3w Long read, Prison education Long read 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 2mo Jessica Hill 2mo Apprenticeships, Politics Exclusive Phillipson to exempt young people from level 7 apprenticeships funding axe Education secretary makes ‘important concession’ amid backlash from other government departments Billy Camden 2mo Billy Camden 2mo Next 3 stories Colleges, FE Commissioner Exclusive 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 2mo Anviksha Patel 2mo 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 3mo Anviksha Patel 3mo 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 3mo Anviksha Patel 3mo