Colleges, Politics

IFS: £300m boost only delivers real-terms FE funding freeze

Demographic bulge, inflation, pay gap, high staff turnover and labour market demands creating ‘perfect storm’ for colleges

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Adult education

AoC: Immigration charge on businesses should fund ESOL

£2.1 billion from employer tax should readdress decline in ESOL funding, new report recommends

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
News

SFCA drops judicial review after reaching pay ‘agreement’ with DfE

Sixth form college pay offer increases but strikes continue after union rejects the offer that is still ‘inferior’ to…

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Colleges

ESFA chief David Withey to become college principal

He will lead a college in the south west when the agency closes in March

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Lifetime lines up high street deals for ‘Big Apprenticeship Thank You’

Retailers and restaurants will offer discounts for ‘The Big Apprenticeship Thank You’

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
Ofsted

Ofsted chief faces new year committee grilling

Sir Martyn Oliver to face MPs over progress in addressing coroner’s concerns following death of Ruth Perry

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker


News

New year honours 2025: Who got what in FE and skills?

College leaders, governors and a leading apprenticeships researcher among 19 recognised

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
News

Former union chief Bousted made a Baroness

Mary Bousted will sit on the red benches as a Labour life peer

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
Inclusion

MPs launch inquiry to find SEND solutions

The education select committee want solutions that will fix the broken SEND system and improve outcomes

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Ofsted

Ofsted to trial ‘new inspection approach’ in January

Ofsted also published its first update on Big Listen actions

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Adult education

Bootcamps: Providers ‘pushed’ to prioritise job-ready learners

Demanding targets failed to take into account learners who were further from the job market

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Ofsted

‘Herculean team effort’ lands top Ofsted marks for Suffolk college

Inspectors praise social mobility focus in grade 1 report

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

Must read

Colleges, Long read

Inside FE’s lifeline for under-16s: Stepping in where schools fail

More and more anxious 14-16 year olds not in school are starting afresh in colleges, but they are under-recognised,…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
Colleges, Long read

Legrave’s last orders: build cash, challenge leaders and don’t ignore teaching

In her final interview, the outgoing FE Commissioner warns colleges not to mistake funding rises for financial safety

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Young people

Curriculum review: ‘Strengthen’ resit accountability and reduce T Level assessment burden

Review recommends already-announced V Levels, level 2 pathways and new pre-GCSE English and maths quals

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
News

Case dismissed: Marples loses High Court claim against DfE

A judge has dismissed a multi-million-pound claim brought by former training boss Peter Marples and his family against the…

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Skills reform

New law to bar ‘unsuitable’ FE leaders among skills white paper reforms

The government’s post-16 strategy has finally been unveiled

Billy Camden
Billy Camden and Shane Chowen
News

Revealed: V Levels incoming as axe looms for BTECs

New qualifications set to launch as ‘third route’ between A-levels and T Levels

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen