News

Apprentices ‘discouraged’ by schools demand better careers advice

Apprentices should be sent into classrooms to tell school pupils about vocational career and training options, according to two…

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
News

Halfon plays down apprenticeship levy ‘gaming’ fears

The apprenticeships minister Robert Halfon has sought to play down fears in the business community that some companies will “game”…

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
News

Computer skills to be fully funded through existing Adult Education Budget

Plans have been unveiled to fully fund IT courses for adults, putting ‘digital literacy’ on a similar footing to…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Council wants small-school sixth forms to merge or close

Brighton and Hove council wants to merge or close its small-school sixth forms, it has announced following a review…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Ofsted considering climbdown over logo use

Ofsted could be heading for an embarrassing U-turn over its surprise decision to threaten providers with legal action over…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Financial notice to improve for Heathrow Aviation Engineering University Technical College

A financial notice to improve has been issued to The Heathrow Aviation Engineering University Technical College by the Education…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson


News

Ofsted picks Damar to train its apprentices

Ofsted is using just one training provider for its new cohort of 31 apprentices, FE Week can reveal. The…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Funding reform roll-out in 2017 still on track, insists DfE

There will be no delay to apprenticeship funding reforms, the government has insisted, despite growing concerns in the sector…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

TV’s Reggie Yates announced as AoC conference speaker

Reggie Yates has been unveiled as the latest star speaker for the Association of Colleges’ annual conference. The actor,…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

MP renews spat with college over planned job cuts

A senior MP has vowed to fight Hull College all the way over a string of job losses it…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Bosses ‘switch’ firms leaving huge student and company debt

Serious questions are being asked of the Skills Funding Agency, after it allowed directors to switch the ownership of…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Concerns raised over Lauener’s new IfA post

Concerns have been raised about the impartiality of the Institute for Apprenticeships, following the announcement that senior civil servant…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson

Must read

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
Jessica Hill
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