News

College leader expects no commercial benefit after paying “immaterial” £8,000 to join Charted Institute for FE

There is no commercial benefit to joining the Chartered Institute for FE, the principal of a college which has…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

National provider enters redundancy consultation with staff

Staff at the nation’s largest FE provider are on tenterhooks, as they wait to find out whether they will…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

College student named as Manchester bombing victim

A Lancashire college has expressed its “enormous sadness” at the death of one of its students in last night’s…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

What now for colleges that tried and failed to merge?

When they were launched in July 2015, the area reviews were expected to result in a huge number of…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

UTC founds feeder school against Baker trust’s wishes

A university technical college that has struggled to recruit students is opening an 11-14 feeder school next door. This…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Ofsted watch: Provider on apprenticeships register rated ‘inadequate’

A provider on the new apprenticeships register has been hit with an inadequate overall grade, in the only full…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke


News

Confusion for new providers on RoATP over compulsory training

Hundreds of training providers don’t know when they can start apprenticeship programmes, because the government has failed to inform…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Assessment organisations put to the customer service test in our mystery shop

End-point assessment has been a huge source of anxiety for providers across the sector this year, amid a growing…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

‘Alarming’: ESFA still giving one-man bands access to millions

Labour has demanded an investigation into the way providers are selected for the register of apprenticeship training providers –…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Glacial progress exposed for colleges’ apprentice delivery

Colleges deliver just one in five apprenticeships last year, meaning virtually no progress has been made in the 18…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Conservatives announce surprise pledge to let levy pay wages

A surprise move has been made by the Conservatives to allow large firms to use apprentice levy funds to…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Breaking: Conservative manifesto pledges for FE and skills published

The Conservatives’ long-awaited general election manifesto, called ‘Forward Together’, has just been launched, outlining its plans for FE and…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke

Must read

Colleges, Politics

Joe Docherty: Labour peer quit college role over ‘inappropriate conduct’

The former education executive has been suspended by the party weeks after being sent to the House of Lords…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill and Gabriel Pogrund
Colleges, Long read

Inside FE’s lifeline for under-16s: Stepping in where schools fail

More and more anxious 14-16 year olds not in school are starting afresh in colleges, but they are under-recognised,…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
Colleges, Long read

Legrave’s last orders: build cash, challenge leaders and don’t ignore teaching

In her final interview, the outgoing FE Commissioner warns colleges not to mistake funding rises for financial safety

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Young people

Curriculum review: ‘Strengthen’ resit accountability and reduce T Level assessment burden

Review recommends already-announced V Levels, level 2 pathways and new pre-GCSE English and maths quals

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
News

Case dismissed: Marples loses High Court claim against DfE

A judge has dismissed a multi-million-pound claim brought by former training boss Peter Marples and his family against the…

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Skills reform

New law to bar ‘unsuitable’ FE leaders among skills white paper reforms

The government’s post-16 strategy has finally been unveiled

Billy Camden
Billy Camden and Shane Chowen