News

College mergers on cards in Shrewsbury and East London

Two further mergers have been proposed for the college sector. Shrewsbury College, Shrewsbury Sixth Form College and New College…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

‘Remarkable how colleges have kept going’ says AoC chief Martin Doel

Ahead of the Association of Colleges (AoC) 2015 conference, chief executive Martin Doel tells FE Week reporter Alix Robertson…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

Concern at ‘tight’ 18-month ESF delivery timescale

Sector leaders have reacted with concern to a “tight” Skills Funding Agency (SFA) timetable for handing out £650m of…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Future of Fisss uncertain as BIS plans new system for apprenticeship certificates

The future of the Federation for Industry Sector Skills and Standards (Fisss) was today uncertain with the government looking…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

Sixth Form College Commissioner Peter Mucklow shares area review load with new advisers

These are some of the faces in Sixth Form College Commissioner Peter Mucklow’s new team as he shares the…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Professor Brian Cox on hand for £20m new Middlesbrough College Stem centre

Celebrity Professor Brian Cox was guest of honour at Middlesbrough College to open a new £20m science, technology, engineering…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford


News

Network for Black and Asian Professionals to close ‘due to lack of funding’

The Network for Black and Asian Professionals (NBAP) is to close “due to lack of funding,” FE Week can…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

College chairs’ bid to prevent Chancellor George Osborne raid on finances

More than 100 college governors’ board chairs put on a united front to Prime Minister David Cameron in a…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

Colleges face threat of further strike action as UCU looks to ‘next steps’ in AoC pay row

Colleges face the threat of further strikes after the University and College Union (UCU) told FE Week it planned…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

‘Re-inspect us’ — West Cheshire College principal’s fury over inadequate Ofsted rating

Cash-strapped West Cheshire College has lodged a formal complaint over its inadequate Ofsted rating and called on the education watchdog…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Colleges that ignore apprenticeships criticised

– Apprenticeships account for less than 5 per cent of Adult Skills Budget for some large FE colleges –…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

London principal hit with first inadequate GFE college rating under new Ofsted inspection regime

London’s Stanmore College has been handed the ignominious honour of being the first general FE college to be branded…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford

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