News

EXCLUSIVE: AoC reaches out-of-court settlement with DfE over sixth form judicial review

The Association of Colleges has agreed to a settlement before the first judicial review against the government in more…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Cost of Digital Apprenticeship Service revealed

The government expects to spend at least £12.5m on delivering its new Digital Apprenticeship Service, FE Week can reveal….

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

Special Westminster debate on apprenticeship cuts tomorrow

A special Westminster Hall debate called by campaigning MP David Lammy into FE Week’s exclusive revelations on apprenticeship funding…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Dip in higher-level courses holding up loan growth requests

The delay in advance learner loans is not down to a lack of resources, but has come about because…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Colleges warned off overseas ventures following collapse of AoC India after just four years

Colleges should be wary of betting the farm on big overseas ventures and learn the lesson from AoC India,…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

Insufficient progress for inadequate college

A college that nose-dived from ‘outstanding’ to ‘inadequate’ in March has been slammed by Ofsted again for making insufficient…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson


News

DfE bailing out colleges

The government has announced new rules which will allow it to repeatedly bail out failing colleges that go bust,…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Jaguar Land Rover red-faced by ‘poor’ Ofsted rating

Jaguar Land Rover, the British car manufacturer regularly lauded by ministers for its apprenticeship scheme, has been hit with…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Editor Asks: Apprenticeships minister Robert Halfon on government u-turn on funding cuts

As it turned out, my exclusive interview with the new apprenticeships minister Robert Halfon was conducted just hours after…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Rise in SFA contracts for small providers

Plans to cut the number of recipients of Skills Funding Agency cash have been shelved in an attempt to increase the…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

You’re fired! Lord Sugar could cut ties with DfE over apprentice champion role

The entrepreneur Lord Alan Sugar could be about to quit his role as the country’s apprenticeships champion after receiving…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Apprenticeship funding ‘u-turn’ – but how far does it really go?

Despite the very public “U-turn” the government made on proposed apprenticeship cuts on Tuesday, funding is still due to…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford

Must read

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
Adult education, ITPs

Mayors dump adult education cuts on independent training providers

Up to two-thirds axed from devolved procured budgets

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Bootcamps, Skills bootcamps

Coding firm caught charging students for free bootcamps

Ed tech provider ‘regretful’ after complaints and promises full refunds as bosses try to sue DfE over non-payments

Billy Camden
Billy Camden and Frances Read
Apprenticeships

Entrepreneur chased for millions after apprenticeship collapse

ESFA uncovers ‘fake’ taxi apprentices as liquidator reveals intercompany payments days after firm decided to shut

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Adult education

Fury as DfE cuts adult education budgets

Combined authorities told to expect reductions in ‘already deeply diminished’ adult skills funding

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen