News

Crossrail apprentices get royal treatment as Queen pays visit

The Queen was presented with a plaque by Crossrail apprentices this week to commemorate the new railway being named…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Rebrand for British WorldSkills organisers

The organisation that oversees the selection process for the British WorldSkills team is dropping its old name. It is…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Sixth form college academisation ‘pressure’

> Principal breaks silence on ‘very short’ timescales for DfE applications > Government defends linking opportunity to area review…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Merger approved by Boles before college ‘runs out of cash’

A cash-strapped Cumbria sixth form college has been given the green light by Skills Minister Nick Boles to merge with…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Around 200 colleges hit with joint UCU and Unison strike

Around 200 colleges are expect to be hit with strike action today (February 24), as members of the University…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

New chief executive unveiled for Sixth Form Colleges Association

The current operational director at the Schools, Students and Teachers Network (SSAT) Bill Watkin has been appointed as the…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford


News

SFA will stop subcontracting of loan-funded provision

Provision paid for by advanced learner loans will have to be delivered directly by lead providers from the start…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Notices of concern more than double in wake of funding CRISIS

The number of notices of concern issued to FE providers by the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) has more than…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Morgan made controversial call over growth requests

Nicky Morgan, the Education Secretary, has made the controversial decision to only part-fund providers’ 16 to 18 apprenticeship growth…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Furious colleges and training providers slam 16-18 growth funding shortfall

Angry providers have slammed the government’s failure to fully fund all their apprenticeship growth requests as “appalling” and “destabilising”….

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Grant facility for small firms ‘fully committed’

Providers have been left waiting, as the Skills Funding Agency admits to having “fully committed” the budget for the…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Provider’s cashback query met with ‘grave concerns’ by SFA

One of the largest providers of apprenticeships has asked the Skills Funding Agency for permission to give cashback to…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford

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