News

Student services leader criticises DfE over ‘costly’ handling of FE free meal top-ups

Education Secretary Nicky Morgan has felt the full force of college student service leaders’ frustration over her department’s handling…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Fraudster cash goes toward apprenticeships return

A council in Bedfordshire will use the ill-gotten gains of a junk mail fraudster to bring back its apprenticeship…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Minister to rule on Barnfield split after public say

Skills Minister Nick Boles will rule on plans for Barnfield College to leave the Barnfield Federation once a public…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

BREAKING: AoC goes ahead with pay deal despite UCU opposition

The Association of Colleges (AoC) is to proceed with its pay deal despite plans by the University and College Union…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

REVEALED – the new FE Insider columnist for FE Week

Like the next Dr Who or latest James Bond, the world has been waiting with bated breath to learn…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

DfE U-turn on FE free meals policy puts top-ups back on menu

The Department for Education (DfE) today revealed a U-turn on its FE free meals policy, allowing providers to boost…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford


News

UCU announces strike and possible further action as members reject 1 per cent pay rise

College staff have voted to strike next month in the latest of a series of strikes over pay, the…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

College rips up ‘not fit for purpose’ UTC action plan

An improvement plan aimed at turning around the fortunes of an inadequate-rated university technical college (UTC) has been ripped…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Education Secretary under pressure to establish ‘careers hubs’

Education Secretary Nicky Morgan has come under pressure from FE sector leaders to reform careers advice and guidance by…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Inspectors to take closer look at under fire study programmes

Study programmes will be “central to inspections” from this week as Ofsted seeks to challenge a slow response to…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

GCSE failure as Wilshaw sounds alarm bells

Ofsted boss Sir Michael Wilshaw has told of his shock at GCSE English and maths attainment levels and teaching…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

ETF passes £20m contracts milestone

The Education and Training Foundation (ETF) has broken through the milestone of £20m in sector contracts. It gave out…

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