News

Sector stumps up £11k for charity at conference auction

More than £11,000 was raised for the Helena Kennedy Foundation at the FE Week annual charity auction. The great…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Boles in FE loans expansion hint in digital skills hearing

Skills Minister Nick Boles has hinted that the FE loans system was heading for expansion — as the sector…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

ETF reviews maths and English

The Education and Training Foundation (ETF) is to review teaching and accreditation of maths and English for learners unable…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Colleges should lead skills gap charge

Colleges need to “face up to their responsibilities” and make FE the sector one that “gets people into work,”…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Beacons of the sector

Fourteen FE colleges were winners at the Beacon Awards, They were announced at the Association of Colleges (AoC) conference…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Thinktank calls for policy road map for digital techonology

The FE sector needs a “policy roadmap” to ensure best use of digital technology, a report launched last week…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter


News

Leps Network chair warns of closure after over-worked chief executive resigns amid lack of resources

The organisation that oversees the work of Local Enterprise Partnerships (Leps) is in crisis following the resignation of its…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Traineeship ‘evolution’ announced as Boles rejects new funding system plan

Plans for a new traineeship funding system, in which providers could be paid based on learner job outcomes for…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

‘Don’t abandon expensive subjects to balance books,’ FE Commissioner warns

Colleges have been warned against abandoning expensive subjects like science and engineering as they attempt to balance their books….

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Fetl launches £100k collective grants

Further education organisations can apply for new £100k research grants from the Further Education Trust for Leadership (Fetl). It…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Art space in £50m DfE refurb

A £50m tender to refurb the new Department for Education (DfE) HQ in London includes a gym and the…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

College issued warning over ‘hand-to-mouth’ finances

A Midland college has been warned about its “hand-to-mouth” financial situation by FE Commissioner Dr David Collins. Dr Collins…

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