News

Third of employers paying levy in April don’t know it exists yet, according to new report

A third of employers who will have to pay the new apprenticeship levy from April are not even aware…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

FE Commissioner intervention report exposes financial turmoil at Hull College Group

A new FE Commissioner intervention report has exposed the grave financial problems facing Hull College Group. Commissioner Richard Atkins’…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Ofsted watch: No overall-improvement recognised in tough week for FE

A major adult and community learning provider has fallen to ‘inadequate’, in a week of reports on FE and skills…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Gove admits the UTCs experiment has failed

The key ministerial architect of the government’s fast-unravelling policy on university technical colleges has admitted the experiment has failed….

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Digital Apprenticeship Service to be renamed prior to launch

The Digital Apprenticeship Service (or DAS) is due for launch later this month, but will be renamed the ‘apprenticeship…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Grimsby Institute wins top AoC Beacon award

The overall Leading Light winner from the prestigious national Association of Colleges (AoC) Beacon Awards has gone to the…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord


News

IfA to charge assessment organisations for quality assurance

The Institute for Apprenticeships will charge apprenticeship assessment organisations for external quality assurance of new standards – despite Ofqual…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

Greater Manchester UTC is seventh to announce closure

The Greater Manchester University Technical College (UTC) will close at the end of this academic year, becoming the seventh…

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
News

Essex County Council learning branded ‘inadequate’

A major local authority which delivers adult education to more than 12,000 learners has been rated ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted….

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Colleges rely on A&E to help students with serious mental health issues

Colleges are increasingly sending students who reach “crisis point” to accident and emergency, an FE Week investigation has heard….

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

Two principals on IfA’s board – but what happens to their £15k paycheques?

One of the two college principals who will sit on the board at the Institute for Apprenticeships has refused…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

DfE silent on FE commissioner intervention reports

A stop appears to have been put on publication of FE commissioner intervention reports, despite growing numbers of failing…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke

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