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
News

‘Government should say more about how it will promote vocational routes’ says Ofsted boss Sir Michael Wilshaw

Ofsted chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw told the House of Lords Social Mobility Committee today that government should do more…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Business Secretary Sajid Javid ‘talks a good game’ says BIS select committee chair Iain Wright in apprenticeships clash

Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee chair Iain Wright accused Business Secretary Sajid Javid (pictured above) of “talking a…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

EXCLUSIVE: SFA reveals ‘tight’ timetable for delayed £650m ESF launch

The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) today unveiled its “tight” timetable for handing out £650m of delayed European Social Fund…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Labour predicts four-in-ten colleges under threat from Conservative spending plans

Four-in-ten sixth form colleges and GFE colleges could close under Conservative spending plans, Labour said new House of Commons Library…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford


News

Prime Minister David Cameron seeks levy help as Tesco boss tells CBI conference it would ‘wipe out’ their training budget

Prime Minister David Cameron today called on businesses to back the apprenticeship levy — only for Tesco chief executive Dave…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Learning tech leader Dr Maren Deepwell set for MPs’ digital economy questions as Ofsted boss Sir Michael Wilshaw prepares for Lords social mobility inquiry

Association for Learning Technology chief executive Dr Maren Deepwell (pictured above left) will be among a number of witnesses…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

More than 200 colleges expected to be hit by UCU strike action

More 200 colleges could be hit with strike action tomorrow (November 10), as members of the University and College…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

‘Fill your classrooms and don’t spend money on marketing to compete with neighbouring colleges,’ FE Commissioner tells principals

Too few learners per classroom and marketing strategies that pit college against neighbouring college are among the issues preventing…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

‘Either apprenticeships or universities for almost everybody’ – David Cameron tells employers at CBI conference

Prime Minister David Cameron today outlined his vision of post-16 education and training as one in which learners are…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Skills Minister Nick Boles rules out new UTCs ban in area review regions

Skills Minister Nick Boles has ruled out a blanket ban on new university technical colleges (UTCs) where post-16 education…

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