News

FE Choices website set to close after three-and-a-half years

The FE Choices website is to shut next month after three-and-a-half years, it was revealed by the Skills Funding…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Post-16 area review plans geared at FE and sixth form colleges dismissed as ‘fundamentally flawed’

Sector leaders have warned that the government’s post-16 education and training area review plans are “fundamentally flawed” because they…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Future of nearly 40 colleges in question as BIS and DfE reveals those facing area reviews

Twenty two general FE colleges will be involved in the first round of post-16 education and training area reviews…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Government apprenticeship reform adviser Doug Richard charged with child sex offences

Government apprenticeship reform adviser and former BBC Dragons’ Den investor Doug Richard has been charged with sexual activity with…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

New quality and access to apprenticeship fund proposed by Niace

The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (Niace) has called for a new fund to help improve the quality and…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Colleges’ free school hopes dashed by DfE rejection

Two general FE colleges have had their free school plans thrown out by the Department for Education (DfE), FE…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter


News

Edition 145: Movers & Shakers

Among the country’s colleges, independent learning providers and other skills bodies, at least 14 have welcomed new leaders for…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

New adult and community learning boss Pember facing a mixed performance picture

With former government FE and skills boss Dr Sue Pember now installed at the helm of adult and community…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

College sector sees ‘unique’ step of registering as Trailblazer assessor

Leicester College has branched out from simply delivering apprenticeships in a college sector first by taking the “unique” step…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

New uni system in place for HE in FE learners

General FE colleges are hoping fears they could be overwhelmed with higher education gripes prove unfounded as they start…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

SFA contract joy as safeguarding ‘glitches’ disappear

An independent learning provider that faced losing its Skills Funding Agency (SFA) contract after an Ofsted inadequate rating over…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Lep boss tight-lipped on merger reviews funding issue

Council and business leaders have remained tight-lipped over financial support for college mergers as the FE sector continues to…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter

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