Colleges

Weston College finally appoints permanent principal

Bedford College Group deputy CEO Pat Jones will lead Weston College from July

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Training Providers

ITPs choose small provider reps on AELP board

Bosses of Learn Plus Us and TTE Training have been elected to represent small training providers

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
T Levels

DfE launch T Level reviews amid ‘worrying’ drop-out rates

New figures confirm a third of 2021 T Level entrants dropped the course

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
News

Politicians and media would ‘draw own conclusions’ if Ofsted grades scrapped – DfE

‘The priority is to look for ways to improve the current system rather than developing an alternative to it’

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
AI, Ofsted

Ofsted to explore how AI can help it make ‘better decisions’

Exams regulator Ofqual also publishes AI strategy, revealing ‘modest numbers’ of coursework malpractice

Samantha Booth
Samantha Booth
Colleges, ITPs, Skills reform, Universities

Publish performance data for university franchise providers, MPs tell OfS

Public Accounts Committee warns of system abuse and oversight flaws

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor


Colleges, ITPs, Politics, Skills reform

‘Grossly unfair’: DfE excludes ITP teachers from £6k bonus scheme

Ministers have extended ‘levelling up premium’ payments to FE, but only for colleges

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Long read, Students

What’s behind the rise in bad student behaviour in colleges?

Colleges are inheriting rising levels of bad behaviour from schools. FE Week investigates the consequences and finds out what…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
News

DfE: ‘No plans’ to change single-phrase Ofsted judgments

The government will respond to MPs’ concerns this Thursday

Lucas Cumiskey
Lucas Cumiskey
Colleges

College told to consider merger after pricey subcontracting fiasco

Leaders also launch legal action against partners amid ‘significant’ ESFA clawback

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Adult education, Devolution, Politics

Local elections: What mayoral hopefuls have to say on skills

Elections are set to take place on May 2

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
DfE

Recognise young carers on the ILR to better support their needs, DfE urged

Calls amplify for ILR data field for young carers to close ‘gaping hole’ in data collection

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel

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