News

College in difficulties drops back to ‘inadequate’ Ofsted rating

City of Bristol College has slumped back to an ‘inadequate’ Ofsted rating, following an inspection in late January. The report…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

Former OCR boss Mark Dawe appointed to run AELP

Former chief executive of awarding organisation OCR Mark Dawe has been appointed as the new boss of the Association…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Exclusive: AoC struggles to find new chief executive

The Association of Colleges (AoC) will have to re-advertise for a new chief executive after failing to find a…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Invitation to tender for London ESF Youth Programme launched

Invitations to tender for the European Social Fund (ESF) Youth Programme in London have been launched by the Skills…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Preferred candidate for new chief regulator unveiled

The preferred candidate to take over as Ofqual’s chief regulator has been revealed. Education secretary Nicky Morgan confirmed, in…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Shadow chief exec appointed of new Institute for Apprenticeships

Rachel Sandby-Thomas (pictured above) has been appointed to the role of shadow chief executive of new Institute for Apprenticeships…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford


News

Colleges dispute findings of union report showing “significant” gender pay gap

A row has broken out between the University and College Union (UCU) and providers that dispute the findings of…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Boles says UTCs ‘stronger’ in multi-academy trusts

University Technical Colleges (UTCs) should function as part of multi-academy trusts (MATs) to make them “stronger”, the skills minister…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Two new ‘good’ rated colleges join 157 Group

South Staffordshire College and South Thames College have joined the 157 Group, the body has revealed. The announcement was…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

BIS Sheffield ‘brain drain’ plans pushed back after outcry

The Government has pushed back its consultation over plans to close the Sheffield base for hundreds of civil servants…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

College closures and debts in Saudi Arabia — just how bad is it?

In 2013-14 a host of UK providers jumped at the chance to take part in a programme in Saudi…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Teachers’ union hits back at SFCA over March strike

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) has defended itself after the Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA) said an upcoming…

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