News

‘Be brave and stand’ says AoC president as election process for new leader gets under way

Principals have been urged to “be brave and stand” as the Association of Colleges today (AoC) begins the hunt…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Ofsted pushes ahead with unified inspection plan for FE and skills, schools and early years

Ofsted today confirmed it was pushing ahead with “some of the most significant changes to the inspection of education…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

FE leaders criticise ‘disappointing’ and ‘disgraceful’ decision to deny FE funding ringfence

A decision by the Conservative Party not to pledge the same funding protection for FE as is afforded to schools has…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Threefold increase in sixth form college commissioner visits

A threefold increase in the number of inspections by Sixth Form College Commissioner Peter Mucklow this academic year is…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

‘Open traineeships up’ plea after starts hit 5k in first quarter

The government has been urged to open traineeships up to more providers after the programme was boosted with figures…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Law change ‘could lead to HE in FE complaints rise’

Student complaints about FE colleges offering degrees could rise with a proposed new law putting them under the universities…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter


News

A sector in freefall? English and maths take their toll

    The FE and skills sector is performing worse in Ofsted inspections this academic year than last year,…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Director defends subcontracting with 120-plus providers

A director of a general FE college has defended its quality assessment procedures after FE Week research found it…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Learner needs top in functional skills revamp

Learner needs for “frequent retakes” need to be taken into account amid Ofqual-recommended improvements to Functional Skills, Federation of…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Research on creative leadership case study: Ruth Allen

The Further Education Trust for Leadership (Fetl) last week unveiled the four people chosen for its first wave of…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Tables joy for duo on A-levels and vocational study

Truro and Penwith College and Runshaw College dominated this year’s league tables for general FE (GFE) and tertiary colleges,…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Principals on board with voting principle

College principals have been enlisted in the effort to register learners to vote in May’s general election. The Electoral…

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