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
News

Ofsted watch: Outstanding rating highlight of positive week for FE

The new year’s first outstanding Ofsted verdict for an FE provider was handed out this week, with two independent…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Education leaders call for co-ordinated national ESOL strategy

Two of the country’s most senior educators have called on the government to produce a coherent national strategy for…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson


News

FE Week victory: apprenticeship rules ban brokerage

Public funds cannot be used to pay brokers’ fees, the Skills Funding Agency has officially ruled. In its final…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofsted denies going soft on employers despite IfA notes

Ofsted has been forced to deny it would reduce its inspections of apprenticeships employer-providers to “samples”, despite the secret…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Carlisle College becomes NCG fifth FE college member

NCG has confirmed it will absorb yet another provider in the north following months of talks. Further consolidation is…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
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

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