News

DfE confirms Richard Atkins CBE as new FE Commissioner

Richard Atkins’ appointment as the new FE commissioner has been confirmed by the Department for Education – almost a…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Sussex college merger plans unveiled

Plans for a merger between two Sussex colleges that aims to boost apprenticeships and higher level skills in the…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Council u-turn on outsourcing adult education

Councillors have U-turned on their decision to outsource local authority adult learning services – citing the current area reviews…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

First two national colleges open their doors to students

The first two of five planned new government-backed national colleges have opened their doors to students, after £80 million…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

All private training providers told current adult education contract will terminate next July

Private training providers have been told their current adult education contracts will end next July – rather than be…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Transparency questions raised over cash for consultants

Consultants working with colleges on FE and skills area reviews have been paid £3.5m in ‘transition grants’, FE Week…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke


News

Majority of sixth-form colleges look to academise

Around 70 per cent of sixth-form colleges have registered an interest in converting to an academy with four already…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Marsden survives Labour party reshuffle

The “indefatigable” shadow minister for higher education, FE and skills has kept his post, following a Labour party reshuffle….

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

Hull College strike postponed following ‘positive talks’

A long-running dispute over redundancies between Hull College and the University and College Union took another twist this week,…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Employers more satisfied with private training providers than colleges

Private training providers will be patting themselves on the back this week, following Skills Funding Agency research that revealed…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

Lack of assessment organisations ‘disrespectful’ to apprentices

A former top skills civil servant has turned on “diabolical” government planners, after exclusive FE Week analysis showed there…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

MPs given clearest public indication yet of u-turn on apprenticeship funding cuts

Top skills mandarins have given the clearest public indication yet that they will reverse huge apprenticeship funding cuts exposed by…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke

Must read

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
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