News

Long-distance merger cleared despite council concerns

A controversial long-distance merger has been signed off by college governors, despite grave concerns from a London borough council….

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Costs in question after Labour apprentice pledge

The financial implications of Labour’s pledge to cover apprentices’ travel costs have been called into question, after the Conservatives…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Ofsted watch: Three colleges slide to grade three

Three colleges dropped from Ofsted ‘good’ to ‘requires improvement’ this week, in a bad week for FE. The only…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Allocations shock: ESFA ‘mistake’ sees massive firms listed as small

The allocations “horror show” has got even more alarming, after FE Week found the government has been wrongly categorising…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Draft Labour Party manifesto FE section in full

A copy of the Draft Labour Party manifesto was leaked to FE Week yesterday. Here’s the section on further…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Campaign launched to protect vulnerable learners from Brexit cuts

A campaign has been launched today to prevent huge Brexit-induced cuts to FE funding, which supports learners who “fall…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke


News

Breaking: AoC manifesto calls for employer levy funding restrictions

The Association of Colleges’ manifesto has called for new levy funding restrictions on employers. The document was unveiled this…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Labour spells out plans to drive apprenticeships quality to FE Week

Labour has exclusively spelled out its plans to drive up the quality of apprenticeships to FE Week. It comes…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Lib Dems commit to defending 16 to 19 funding

A “real-terms” commitment to protect 16 to 19 FE funding per pupil has been announced by the Liberal Democrats….

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Labour pledge to stop adult learner fees would mean scrapping FE loans

A pledge to stop fees on courses for adult learners, which FE Week has learned would involve scrapping advanced…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Exclusive: Election delay for results of first adult education budget procurement

The announcement of results of the first ever procurement process for the adult education budget has been delayed until…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
Advertisements, News

Paying training bills by Direct Debit could be key to apprenticeship levy success

Taking on apprentices has long been off-putting for businesses because many believe that trainees’ courses are expensive and the…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter

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