News

Lord Nash: Fifth of sixth form colleges have begun official negotiations for acadamy status

A fifth of sixth form colleges have started formal negotiations to convert to academy status, the academies minister has…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

IfA director role like ‘hand grenade with pin removed’, AELP warns

The director of assessment role for the new Institute for Apprenticeships has been likened to “a hand grenade with…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

DfE advertises for over 100 paid advisors to help with Sainsbury reforms

A job advert for more than 100 panel members to help develop new technical qualifications has been posted for the Department…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Unison: New labour market tsar must protect underpaid apprentices

The government’s new director of labour-market enforcement must protect apprentices from exploitation in the workplace, one of the UK’s…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

Wave three of area reviews produces four merger proposals

Just five mergers have been proposed in the latest area reviews to have completed – and with one of…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Ofsted watch: Poor start to the year for FE colleges

No college inspection report to have been published by the education watchdog since the beginning of the year has…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke


News

Active IQ unveils Level 3 Diplomas in Personal Training for Health, Fitness and Performance

Active IQ, the UK’s leading Ofqual-recognised awarding organisation for the active leisure, learning and wellbeing sector, has launched two…

Vik Bassi
Vik Bassi
News

Halfon denies picture ‘bleak’ for adult education in ‘night school’ debate

The skills minister has denied that the picture of adult education is “bleak”, as Labour MP David Lammy launched…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Misleading marketing of ‘industry-approved’ provider schemes exposed

Providers are at risk of being duped into believing they need to pay thousands to become “industry-approved” before they…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Adult Education budget procurement process set to launch

The first ever procurement process for adult education budget contracts has been given the ministerial green light and is…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

FE pays tribute to former SFA director Kim Thorneywork

The FE sector has paid tribute to Kim Thorneywork, the “distinguished” former chief executive of the Skills Funding Agency,…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

Bailouts for failing colleges reach £140 million says Halfon

College bailouts have cost the UK a whopping £140 million, the apprenticeships minister has admitted. Robert Halfon confessed to…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson

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