News

Principal issues Ofsted complaint after two-grade fall from outstanding

A college that fell two Ofsted grades from outstanding has issued a formal complaint against Ofsted claiming it unfairly…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Hopes for a positive response to Business Secretary Javid letter

Sector leaders backed “radical change” and stressed that they do not want to “defend the status quo” in a…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

FE cuts petition signed by 42,500 handed over to 10 Downing Street

Sector leaders have this morning handed in a petition to Number 10 Downing Street that was signed by more…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Pensions write-off in EFA deal to shed cash-strapped college

The government paid a “one-off settlement” to write off the pension liabilities of a cash-strapped sixth form college as…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Former FE Funding Council boss lends weight to concerns for sector future

Former FE funding boss Sir David Melville (pictured above) has become the latest high-profile voice to express serious concerns about…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Trailblazer apprenticeship figures revealed for first time

Official figures for the government’s Trailblazer apprenticeship scheme have been published for the first time — and they show…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford


News

Government’s 3m apprenticeships target ‘largely unfunded’ — and rest of FE will pay, warns post-16 policy adviser Wolf

Government plans to create 3m apprenticeship starts by 2020 are “largely unfunded,” post-16 policy adviser Professor Lady Alison Wolf…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Boles justifies apprenticeships favour

Skills Minister Nick Boles has justified the government’s emphasis on apprenticeships at the cost of adult education by pointing…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Struggling Totton College opts to ‘join with’ national charity after Ofsted brands provision ‘inadequate’

A struggling sixth form college in Hampshire has announced plans to become part of a national crime prevention charity…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Spend apprenticeship funding ‘more effectively’ with training providers which identify demand, AELP urges government

Apprenticeship funding could be “more effectively spent” with independent learning providers which can provide evidence of additional demand from…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Adult learners’ struggles to achieve recognised at lavish annual awards ceremony

Adult learners who battled against the odds, against self-doubt and previous bad experiences to return to education were honoured…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Ofsted gets scrutiny boards after ‘transparency’ criticism

New regional scrutiny committees will consider complaints about Ofsted from September as the education watchdog acts to address transparency…

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