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 9y Billy Camden 9y 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 9y Alix Robertson 9y 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 9y Jude Burke 9y 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 9y Jude Burke 9y 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 9y Jude Burke 9y 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 9y Alix Robertson 9y 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 9y Billy Camden 9y 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 9y Paul Offord 9y 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 9y Jude Burke 9y News Exclusive 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 9y Alix Robertson 9y 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 9y Paul Offord 9y 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 9y Paul Offord 9y Newer 1 531 532 533 534 535 536 537 538 539 540 541 821 Older Must read Colleges, Long read 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 1mo Jessica Hill 1mo 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 2mo Jessica Hill 2mo Long read, Prison education Long read 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 3mo Jessica Hill 3mo Next 3 stories Apprenticeships, Politics Exclusive Phillipson to exempt young people from level 7 apprenticeships funding axe Education secretary makes ‘important concession’ amid backlash from other government departments Billy Camden 4mo Billy Camden 4mo Colleges, FE Commissioner Exclusive 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 4mo Anviksha Patel 4mo 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 4mo Anviksha Patel 4mo