News

Corbyn demands end of FE loans in new Labour push

The government will be pressured by Labour in the coming months to scrap advanced learner loans, its leader Jeremy…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Ofsted watch: Kendal College falls from grade one

This week brought disappointment for Kendal College, which lost its ‘outstanding’ Ofsted grade and dropped down to ‘good’. The…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

Learner satisfaction still highest with private providers

Private training providers have maintained their near 10-point lead over colleges in the government’s annual learner satisfaction survey, which…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Sharp rise in loans for EU students before Brexit

There was a sharp rise in the number of EU students taking up advanced learner loans this year despite…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofsted exposed over failure to monitor 1,200 subcontractors

Ofsted has completely failed to act on a change in its rules that allow it directly to inspect subcontractors…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

ESFA reveals timescales for provider access to £50m work placement pot

Further details of a £50 million pot for ‘capacity building’ work placements was announced this afternoon by the Education…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson


News

Ofsted to lose £15m funding by 2020

Ofsted’s inspection budget is expected to fall by nearly £15 million over the next three years, despite more than…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

FE champion Halfon elected chair of education select committee

The former apprenticeships and skills minister and FE champion Robert Halfon has stepped back into the education limelight, by…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

Exclusive: Date revealed for when DfE will publish revised 2014/15 achievement rate data

Long-awaited revised achievement rates for individual providers will be published on July 27, FE Week can reveal. The Department…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

All-party parliamentary group on apprenticeships calls for pay reform

Pay for apprentices should be far more flexible, increasing in line with their experience and level of qualification, the…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

Halfon hands out ladder flyers in bid to chair education select committee

Former skills minister Robert Halfon has been handing out flyers to MPs, illustrated with his favourite ladder of opportunity,…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

New minister backs construction industry’s double levy

The construction industry will not be released from the “double whammy” of levy charges it currently pays, the new…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke

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, 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