News

Competition opens for £15m of first new ESF contracts

Invitations to tender for almost £15m of long-awaited European Social Fund (ESF) cash were published today. Details of the…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Government lays out timeline for apprenticeship reforms

The government has laid out its timeline for implementing apprenticeship reforms over the next five years as it chases its…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Midland college FoI responses in spotlight

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is investigating a Midland man’s claim his local college is struggling with its legal…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

Rejected National Colleges plans ‘not sufficiently mature’

The teams behind two proposed National Colleges told their plans were “not mature enough” to proceed have told FE…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

NUS FE leader Shakira Martin backs MPs’ call for free apprentice prescriptions

A cross-party group of MPs has won the backing of NUS FE leader Shakira Martin (pictured) with their bid…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

Level three 19 to 23 entitlement remains

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has given more details of its plans to extend FE loans,…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke


News

Prime Minister unveils plans to ramp up public sector apprentice numbers

Prime Minister David Cameron is tomorrow expected to unveil plans for 2.3 per cent of staff in large public…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Channel Four programme claims high street giant Next saved £2.5m in wages employing hundreds of low paid apprentices

High Street giant Next slashed £2.5m off its wage bill by employing hundreds of low-earning apprentices, according to a…

FE Week
FE Week
News

Ofsted identifies improvement at horror youth prison

Ofsted inspectors who uncovered “degrading treatment, racist comments and care from staff under the influence of illegal drugs” at…

FE Week
FE Week
News

Funding cut for back-to-work support

Providers have been warned that government funding to help long-term unemployed people back into work was likely to be…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Unison to ballot workers in FE colleges in row over pay

Trade union Unison will ballot FE workers in England in the New Year, in the latest development of an…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

Annual Ofsted report exposes FE maths and English issues

Ofsted deputy director for FE and skills Paul Joyce has outlined how the story of the education watchdog’s 2014/15…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter

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