Colleges

Pensions ‘guarantee’ to save colleges £30m

Additional funding will also be handed to colleges to cover employer national insurance rises, estimated to be worth £100m

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Colleges, Ofsted

College celebrates second consecutive Ofsted ‘outstanding’

West Midlands group praised for ‘strong’ contribution to skills needs and ‘role model’ teachers

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
FE workforce

32 sixth form colleges vote to strike over ‘farcical’ pay situation

But no date for action has been set yet

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Apprenticeships, Long read

Gripped by fear of a special needs cash clawback

Most apprenticeship providers don’t claim apprentice support funding due to complexity and worries a mistake could wreck their finances,…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
Colleges

Colleges wanted to battle universities for royal prize

College leaders should realise they’re as worthy as HE institutions for Queen Elizabeth Prizes, says awards boss

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Colleges

Colleges call for equal funding for 14–16 students amid surge

School-age students are funded at a lower base rate if they study at a college

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel


Skills reform

1 in 4 SEND colleges trapped by VAT changes

‘There is no benefit to anybody’ says college leader

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Colleges

College unaware of suicidal teen’s mental state, coroner warns

Poor messaging between college and mental health services, coroner deems

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Colleges

Non-white college principals drops to 5%

Colleges must improve data collection and access to leadership training for BAME staff, experts say

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
News

Labour reviewing all of Eton’s proposed ‘elite’ sixth forms

Planned sixth forms in Dudley, Teesside and Oldham are part of a review of whether 44 free schools offer…

Samantha Booth
Samantha Booth
Ofsted

Ofsted to ditch one-word ratings for FE in September

Ofsted FE chief hinted at consultation in the new year for tailored inspection frameworks

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Colleges

Cash-strapped WCG stung by ‘significant’ clawback

The college group remains optimistic amid pressure from the ESFA and bankers

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor

Must read

Colleges, Long read

Inside FE’s lifeline for under-16s: Stepping in where schools fail

More and more anxious 14-16 year olds not in school are starting afresh in colleges, but they are under-recognised,…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
Colleges, Long read

Legrave’s last orders: build cash, challenge leaders and don’t ignore teaching

In her final interview, the outgoing FE Commissioner warns colleges not to mistake funding rises for financial safety

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Young people

Curriculum review: ‘Strengthen’ resit accountability and reduce T Level assessment burden

Review recommends already-announced V Levels, level 2 pathways and new pre-GCSE English and maths quals

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
News

Case dismissed: Marples loses High Court claim against DfE

A judge has dismissed a multi-million-pound claim brought by former training boss Peter Marples and his family against the…

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Skills reform

New law to bar ‘unsuitable’ FE leaders among skills white paper reforms

The government’s post-16 strategy has finally been unveiled

Billy Camden
Billy Camden and Shane Chowen
News

Revealed: V Levels incoming as axe looms for BTECs

New qualifications set to launch as ‘third route’ between A-levels and T Levels

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen