Colleges

AoC calls for new skills body and awarding powers for colleges

The AoC’s proposal appears to echo Labour’s pledge to set up Skills England, a “taskforce” which would ensure accountability…

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Ofsted

‘Inadequate’ provider slammed for ‘poorly planned’ training

Inspectors said most apprentices had one hour of online learning ‘once or twice a month’

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Colleges

Lecturer wins £44k payout after five-year safety row with college group

Employment tribunal orders Capital City College Group to pay former lecturer who complained about workshop flooding

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Ofsted

Former Ofsted chief to lead watchdog’s independent review

Inquiry will look at whether watchdog’s policies for responding to tragic incidents need to be revised after Ruth Perry…

Lucas Cumiskey
Lucas Cumiskey
News

Ofsted rolls out key complaints process changes

Watchdog also beefs up its policy on pausing inspections

Lucas Cumiskey
Lucas Cumiskey
Ofsted

Keegan refuses to retract remarks about punching Ofsted inspectors

Education secretary says comment was ‘light-hearted’ and she ‘clearly would not be punching anyone, or advocating anyone else do…

Lucas Cumiskey
Lucas Cumiskey


News

Who is Luke Hall? 11 facts about the new skills, apprenticeships and HE minister

He replaces Robert Halfon who suddenly resigned last week

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Apprenticeships, Ofsted

Ofsted upgrades ‘resilient’ emergency care provider from ‘inadequate’ to ‘good’

Medipro staff were thanked for their ‘fortitude’ after sudden and complex influx of apprentices

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Colleges, Long read

Resilient Ricketts: How Brooklands was saved from going broke

The story of a college’s fight for survival after a subcontracting scandal left it on the brink of insolvency

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Exams

Special exam requests soar in colleges

Staff are being stretched and campuses closed in some cases

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
News

The court ruling that ‘cast a long shadow’ over college VAT

Multiple colleges lodge HMRC tax assessments after landmark decision

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
AEB, Devolution

Mayoral authorities can’t afford new national adult ed funding rates

Greater Manchester claims new rates would lead to 22% drop in learner volumes

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor

Must read

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
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