News

Team UK selection for WorldSkills Abu Dhabi underway

Around 70 of the country’s top skilled young people are this week taking part in a five-day competition that…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

First inadequate Ofsted rating for loans-only provider

The first inadequate-overall Ofsted rating has been handed out to a loans-only provider, which complained it had been unaware…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

The Skills Show 2017 dates announced

The country’s biggest skills and careers event is back and is confirmed to take place from November 16 to 18…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Minister slams ‘financial crisis’ college’s oversight of doomed First4Skills

A college facing “financial crisis”, which posted a 2015/16 group deficit of over £15 million, has come in for…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Job advertised for new Education and Skills Funding Agency boss

The search has begun for Peter Lauener’s replacement as head of the Education and Skills Funding Agency. The job…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Lords amendment to extend child benefit entitlement for apprentices

Peers have passed an amendment to the Technical and Further Education Bill, which would extend child benefit and financial…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord


News

First major principal leadership programme unveiled since LSIS closure

A new FE principals’ leadership programme has been announced – backed with more than £1 million of government cash….

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Government decides to retain Applied General qualifications

A serious blow has potentially been dealt to plans for a rigid post-16 divide between academic and vocational education,…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Exclusive: DfE will scrap forced resits for GCSE English and maths

The government will make a major u-turn over the much-derided condition of funding rule, FE Week can reveal. From August 2015…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Breaking: SFA and EFA merger confirmed and Lauener retiring

The Skills and Education Funding Agencies are merging and Peter Lauener is stepping down as boss of both, the…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Whole FE sector backs #SaveOurAdultEducation campaign

A who’s who of major FE organisations have thrown their support behind FE Week’s #SaveOurAdultEducation campaign. Big names on…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Training providers spend thousands on consultants to get on new apprenticeship register

Consultants are raking in thousands of pounds writing bids for training providers desperate to make it onto the new…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord

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