News

SFA criticised for failing to check ‘realism’ of ‘over-optimistic’ college financial forecasts

A report out this morning by the National Audit Office (NAO) has criticised the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) for…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Government reveals college cull plans as it launches national review of post-16 education

The government could cut the number of general FE and sixth form colleges in England in a bid to…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

City and Islington College and Westminster Kingsway College looking at merger

City and Islington College and Westminster Kingsway College aim to become “the main force for FE in central London”…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Gateshead College in two-grade rise to outstanding and ‘significant’ improvements at cash-strapped Weymouth College

Gateshead College has shot up two Ofsted grades to outstanding while Weymouth College is making “significant” improvements as it rebuilds from…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

BIS finds out National Colleges’ proposals as business plans handed in

The government today learned how National Colleges planned to spend their funding as the deadline closed for proposals to…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Woodcock warns against ‘churning out numbers’ at expense of quality in drive for 3m apprenticeships

Shadow Education Minister for Young People John Woodcock has warned the government against “churning out numbers at the expense…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter


News

Employer jailed over tragic death of 16-year-old apprentice as SFA looks into ‘implications of case’

An employer has been jailed for eight months over the death of an untrained 16-year-old boy who became trapped…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Former Deputy PM Clegg reveals careers guidance was subject of ‘profound disagreement’ in Coalition

Former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg revealed a “profound disagreement” over careers advice at the top of the last…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

FE providers ‘design and deliver their own quals’ in proposed new ‘sub-degree’ technical skills system

A report out today calls for a new system of accrediting “sub-degree technical education” in which FE colleges and…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

SFA to close payment system for move to ‘new supplier’ making provider data deadline impossible

Providers offering Trailblazer apprenticeships are in a race against time to submit their learner numbers after the deadline shifted…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

FE college staff in the dark over potential impact of new strike laws

FE staff will have to wait to hear whether proposed new strike laws will affect them after the government…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Shadow Education Minister for Young People Woodcock on panel to look at ‘big questions’ over 3m apprenticeships target

Shadow Education Minister for Young People John Woodcock (pictured above) features among an FE and skills Parliamentary panel that…

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