News

Provider’s grade four imperils hundreds of learner loans

Hundreds of learners on loans-funded courses are facing an uncertain future after their training provider received the lowest Ofsted…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Anne Milton: New skills minister’s first speech to sector and Q & A in full

New skills minister Anne Milton left many delegates quietly impressed – when she committed in her first major speech…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Ofsted watch: Week of extreme contrasts for providers

A week of extreme contrasts for FE saw the second college in two weeks scoop an ‘outstanding’ rating, while…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

Minister met with key studio school officials to discuss ‘review’ of model

Academies minister Lord Nash met with key officials from the studio schools programme to discuss a review of the…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

UTCs demand more funding than mainstream schools

The body behind the ailing university technical college model has called on the government to apportion more funding to…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Controversial 2014/15 achievement rate data will now be published

The government has U-turned on its decision not to publish controversial achievement rate data – after FE Week revealed…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


News

Anger as IfA’s apprentice panel presentation postponed

Fears are growing that apprentices may lose their voice at the top level, after the Institute for Apprenticeships deferred…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

Second FE college gets grade one Ofsted in two weeks

The sector may have had to endure an agonising 14-month wait for Ofsted to rate a general FE college…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

AEB contracts extended as tender results delayed further

The delay to results for the Adult Education Budget (AEB) tender will last until the end of July, the Education…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Area review ignored as central London set for second mega-college merger

A London college that had been set for a ground-breaking partnership with an adult learning provider has announced plans…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Recipe for confusion concern as IfA seeks up to 150 expert advisers

A call for up to 150 industry experts to join new Institute for Apprenticeships advisory panels, has prompted concerns…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Learndirect : One in ten staff could face redundancy at nation’s largest provider

The nation’s largest training provider is consulting on a new wave of redundancies – with its chief executive admitting…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord

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