Apprenticeships, Politics, Skills reform

Halfon quizzed on levy funding gap, FSQ woes and 5% co-investment future

Skills minister also pressed on apprenticeship spending restriction discussions and EPA market

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Colleges

10 colleges honoured at 2023/24 AoC Beacon Awards

Winners of this year’s Beacon Awards have been announced as part of Colleges Week

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Apprenticeships

Reforms risk rise in NEETS, says youth education commission

Report calls for level 3 defunding pause and review of resits

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Long read, Prison education

Prison Education unlocked: The system that’s failing its learners

The prison population is estimated to pass 100,000 by 2030. With re-offending rates starting to increase and new prison…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill and Sophie Carlin
Apprenticeships

Labour’s levy won’t devalue apprenticeships, Malhotra claims

Shadow skills minister says reform plans present ‘opportunities’ for training providers

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Apprenticeships

UCAS aims for September 2024 rollout of apprenticeship tariff points

Admissions service will consult on the delayed plans by this May

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel


Apprenticeships

Scrap the levy transfer cap, say business leaders

Just 2.7% of apprenticeship levy payers have transferred funds to smaller businesses

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
News

Council tells students to study from home as it cuts transport

Measures could exclude vulnerable learners, says local principal

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
T Levels

Awarding body writes off £2.5m as T Level recruitment stalls

Lower than expected T Level student numbers have hit charity NCFE’s books

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Reclassification

Colleges facing long delays for severance pay approvals 

One college still awaiting for approval on a retrospective exit payment

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
News

No tolerance: The true cost of resit reforms

Provider fines to hit £45m a year without 5% tolerance threshold

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Skills reform

Destinations unknown: ILR data cut angers MCAs

Destination and progression submission requirement to end in 2024/25

Billy Camden
Billy Camden

Must read

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
Apprenticeships

Entrepreneur chased for millions after apprenticeship collapse

ESFA uncovers ‘fake’ taxi apprentices as liquidator reveals intercompany payments days after firm decided to shut

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Adult education

Fury as DfE cuts adult education budgets

Combined authorities told to expect reductions in ‘already deeply diminished’ adult skills funding

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen