Colleges

Leeds FE ‘capacity crisis’ risks leaving poorest behind

A local college leader says the DfE should redirect “unused” capital funds to where they are most needed

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Ofsted

Beauty and the best: Hair and beauty provider graded ‘outstanding’ across the board

Inspectors heaped praise on holistic curriculums and “role model” managers at Debut Training Academy

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Industrial action

UCU staff threaten ‘last resort’ indefinite strike action

Dispute between college teaching union and its staff over workplace racism and conditions escalates with threat of continuous strikes…

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Colleges

Moulton College exits financial intervention after seven years

College celebrates “turnaround that very few thought possible”

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Apprenticeships, Ofsted

Early years provider buzzing after ‘outstanding’ first inspection

Inspectors praised ‘highly motivated’ apprentices at Leicester’s Bright Bees Nursery

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Qualifications

Phillipson defends ‘risible’ partial level 3 defunding pause

Pausing 2025 and 2026 defunding plans could prejudice DfE review, education secretary says

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen


WorldSkills 2024

Final push for WorldSkills Lyon as Team UK ramps up training 

Competitors enter international pressure tests to train before WorldSkills Lyon

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
ITPs, Ofsted

Training provider slammed for ‘coaching’ students for assessments

Too many students pass assessments without understanding the course content, inspectors said

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Apprenticeships, DfE, ITPs

DfE accounts: Apprenticeship underspend and insolvent provider write-offs revealed

Nearly £20 million was lost last year to dissolved training providers

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Colleges

Labour snubs colleges in public sector pay awards

The Advanced British Standard has also been scrapped

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
ESFA

ESFA accounts: Major write-off for insolvent training provider

The agency’s new boss also took a 16 per cent pay rise

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Apprenticeships

Lifetime Training’s losses more than double to £21m

Poor financial position in latest accounts partly caused by £5m ESFA clawback

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

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