News

Epping Forest College hires finance director despite £338k IT scandal

The deputy chief executive of a major London college who abruptly left his post last summer over financial irregularities…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

Government pushes for more over-60s apprentices

Over-60s are being encouraged to do more apprenticeships, in a new government report looking at how to boost employment…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

AoC: Membership fees overhaul consultation to avoid £1 million overspend

A consultation on the future of the Association of Colleges has set out plans for an overhaul of membership…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

First ever procurement process for adult education budget contracts finally launched

The first ever procurement process for adult education budget contracts has finally been launched by the Skills Funding Agency….

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Ofsted rates Birkenhead Sixth Form College as outstanding in all areas

A sixth form college in the north west has become only the second in the country to be rated…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

IFS calls for minimum public sector workforce apprenticeship target to be scrapped

The new minimum target for public sector bodies to employ at least 2.3 per cent of their workforce as…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord


News

Apprenticeship funding rule requiring 20 per cent off-the-job training ‘not going away’

Help is being offered to the government in an effort to define the minimum 20 per cent off-the-job training…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Halfon: Careers advice at colleges ‘state of the art’ but schools not good enough

The skills and apprenticeships minster has hailed the “state of the art” careers advice that colleges deliver, but called…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Parent anger over Daventry UTC closure

An angry parent of a student “devastated” by the news that her university technical college would close in the…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Institutes of technology £170m windfall going to existing providers

The extra £170 million the government has promised to set aside for a new wave of “prestigious” institutes of…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

‘Inadequate’ Gateway SFC pulls back from Leicestershire area review

A struggling sixth form college has pulled out of its ongoing area review, after a special intervention by sixth…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Ofsted watch: West Cheshire College no longer ‘inadequate’

A mostly encouraging week for FE, with regards to Ofsted reports, saw West Cheshire College shed its inadequate tag….

Jude Burke
Jude Burke

Must read

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
Adult education, ITPs

Mayors dump adult education cuts on independent training providers

Up to two-thirds axed from devolved procured budgets

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Bootcamps, Skills bootcamps

Coding firm caught charging students for free bootcamps

Ed tech provider ‘regretful’ after complaints and promises full refunds as bosses try to sue DfE over non-payments

Billy Camden
Billy Camden and Frances Read
Apprenticeships

Entrepreneur chased for millions after apprenticeship collapse

ESFA uncovers ‘fake’ taxi apprentices as liquidator reveals intercompany payments days after firm decided to shut

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Adult education

Fury as DfE cuts adult education budgets

Combined authorities told to expect reductions in ‘already deeply diminished’ adult skills funding

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen