News

AEB contracts boost will be paid from unspent £200m

Funding increases in adult education budget contracts for private providers will be paid from the massive underspend on adult…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Somerset provider reopens courses after major AEB increase – but it’s still £1m short

A large community learning provider in Somerset has reopened courses today after the government granted it substantial extra emergency…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Greening announces 27 new degree apprenticeship projects, but no new money

UPDATE: HEFCE has now announced details of the 27 projects on its website.  We’ve alerted the DfE ———————————————————————————————————— Justine Greening…

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
News

DfE confirms HE fee policy change WILL apply to FE loans

The government’s proposed rise in the repayment threshold for student loans will apply to FE loans, it has been…

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
News

ESFA finds additional AEB funding in effort to solve tender chaos

The ESFA has confirmed it has found additional adult education budget funding and sent out letters to relevant independent…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

DfE to announce solution to AEB tender chaos later today

UPDATE: An hour after publishing this article the ESFA sent out electronic letters confirming the additional AEB funding (click…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


News

Review of apprentice provider list planned

The government is already planning to review its register of apprenticeship training providers, but not until the new window…

Pippa Allen-Kinross
Pippa Allen-Kinross
News

Editor asks: Can mega colleges ever be too big to fail?

With colleges across the country pressured into mega-mergers and the government dishing out special treatment to the ailing FE…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Details of new T-level tendering timeline revealed

The Department for Education is moving forward with a detailed new timetable for the implementation of T-levels, FE Week…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

First4Skills: what happened after its disastrous collapse?

The apprenticeships giant First4Skills went bust in March after its skills funding was pulled due to an ‘inadequate’ Ofsted…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Revealed: £200m adult education budget underspend

FE providers failed to spend a giant chunk of the adult education budget over the past academic year. A…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Learndirect Apprenticeships tries to avoid the past with major rebrand

A firm set up by Learndirect as a separate entity to run its apprenticeships division has begun a significant…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

Must read

Colleges, Long read

Legrave’s last orders: build cash, challenge leaders and don’t ignore teaching

In her final interview, the outgoing FE Commissioner warns colleges not to mistake funding rises for financial safety

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
16-19

Curriculum review: ‘Strengthen’ resit accountability and reduce T Level assessment burden

Review recommends already-announced V Levels, level 2 pathways and new pre-GCSE English and maths quals

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
News

Case dismissed: Marples loses High Court claim against DfE

A judge has dismissed a multi-million-pound claim brought by former training boss Peter Marples and his family against the…

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Skills reform

New law to bar ‘unsuitable’ FE leaders among skills white paper reforms

The government’s post-16 strategy has finally been unveiled

Billy Camden
Billy Camden and Shane Chowen
Qualifications

Revealed: V Levels incoming as axe looms for BTECs

New qualifications set to launch as ‘third route’ between A-levels and T Levels

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Politics, Skills reform

DWP will take over apprenticeships, minister confirms

Shifting adult skills and apprenticeships policy will give “bigger emphasis on skills”, Jacqui Smith claims

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel