Funding

Revealed: The 8 colleges in DfE’s funding simplification pilot

Government hopes the trial will help decide how to roll out wider changes to funding rules

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Ofsted

Media provider praises ‘new era’ of inspection after jumping to ‘good’

The company went through a ‘traumatic’ Ofsted experience 18 months ago

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Politics

Luke Hall named new education minister

Follows the sudden resignation of Robert Halfon

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Politics

Robert Halfon resigns as skills minister

He will also stand down as Harlow’s MP in the upcoming general election

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Colleges, SEND

SEND colleges slam ‘unwieldy’ English and maths resit reforms

Dropouts likely to increase and stress made worse for vulnerable learners, leaders warn

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
AEB, Devolution, Ofsted

Manchester provider’s AEB contracts terminated early

Bootcamps contract also ended by combined authority but provider continues to deliver the scheme through its local council

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor


Ofqual

City and Guilds fined £200k for regulatory breaches

Ofqual found multiple ‘errors’ related to assessment materials and results

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
DfE

DfE snatches £1.5m from popular FE leadership and governance scheme

Government slimming down two-year leadership and governance training amid cuts

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Apprenticeships, Politics, Skills reform

IfATE plans staff cuts after DfE orders cost-saving measures

Apprenticeships and technical education quango opens voluntary exit scheme to all staff

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Mayors’ use of AEB powers ‘disappointing’, says ex No 10 adviser

Ex skills advisers Alison Wolf and Michael Barber will share their insider perspectives on how further education and skills…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
Apprenticeships

Halfon threatens low achieving apprenticeship providers

Minister warns of growth limitations and market exits for providers showing ‘insufficient improvement’

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Apprenticeships

National apprenticeship achievement rate rises to 54%

Slight increase leaves sector way off government target

Billy Camden
Billy Camden and Shane Chowen

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