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
News

New name and new ‘ambitions’ for 157 Group

The 157 Group is set to rename and announce new ‘ambitions’ next month, less than a year after completing…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Concern over FE Week funding cuts findings raised by shadow minister

Serious concerns about funding cuts for 16-18 year old apprentices have been raised by shadow skills minster Gordon Marsden,…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

Tougher quality rules needed for apprenticeship providers, says AELP

Tougher rules surrounding the quality requirement for apprenticeship providers have been called for by the Association of Employment and…

Paul Offord
Paul Offord
News

Employers seeking ‘payment for access’ to their apprenticeship levy pot

Large employers are auctioning access to their future apprenticeship levy pot to the highest bidding training provider, the Association…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Teaching ban for inappropriate messages to college student

An indefinite teaching ban has been imposed on a former Bournemouth and Poole College lecturer — after he was…

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