News

College principal set to retire after record 33 years at the helm

The longest-serving FE college principal in the country will finally retire next year, after more than 33 years in…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

How easy is it to become a registered training provider?

The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) was scheduled to open a new, ‘tougher’ Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers (RATP) to…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

Two new super-colleges set to be created in north-west

Two new super-colleges are set to be created in the north-west through mergers involving six colleges and one university….

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Decision on FE maintenance loans put off until November despite strong support

The government has stalled on making a decision about providing maintenance loans for higher level learners studying technical education…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

Save our apprenticeships campaign

Click here to download the campaign event briefing.   Our first ever official campaign will oppose damaging cuts to…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Skills minister dismisses calls to delay apprenticeship levy launch

The new skills minister has dismissed widespread calls to delay the apprenticeship levy launch, even after 10 major professional…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord


News

NCG fighting to avoid dropping to a damaging Ofsted grade 3

An Ofsted report into the nation’s largest college has still not been published more than four months after it…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

College investigated head of curriculum’s racist tweets yet he kept his job until FE Week started asking questions

A curriculum head at one of London’s largest colleges sent a string of racist, homophobic and abusive tweets but…

Jess Staufenberg
Jess Staufenberg
News

UTC will not open despite DfE spending over £8m

A University Technical College (UTC) developed in partnership with Burton and South Derbyshire College will never open, despite the…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

Greening challenged over apprenticeship funding cuts

The first day back from parliamentary recess saw education secretary Justine Greening challenged over widespread apprenticeship funding cuts uncovered…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

NAO apprenticeship report warns of history repeating itself over fraud

The apprenticeship reform programme risks repeating the fraud that plagued Individual Learning Accounts without more robust risk planning, the…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

MPs use FE Week analysis to demand funding cuts reversal

More than 50 Labour MPs have urged skills minister Robert Halfon to reverse apprenticeships funding cuts exposed by FE…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson

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