News

Support for agency chief in cancer fight

Warm tributes have been paid to Skills Funding Agency chief executive Kim Thorneywork after it was announced she was…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Elmfield staff ‘still in dark’ on future as administration looms

Hundreds of Elmfield Training staff could still be in the dark about their futures more than a week after…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

AoC stands firm over unqualified lecturers

The Association of Colleges (AoC) maintained its support for allowing member colleges to recruit unqualified lecturers, despite some college…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

SFA notice at City Coventry College remains despite ‘progress’

The Skills Funding Agency will not remove City College Coventry’s Notice of Concern, despite Ofsted ruling it had made…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Rejection for family learning plan proposal

The Department for Education (DfE) has rejected calls by the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (Niace) for a…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Agency strips provider of £2.5m contract

A Lancashire-based training provider has been stripped of its £2.5m Skills Funding Agency contract following a damning Ofsted grading…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford


News

Apprenticeships make up just half a per cent of FE loan applications

Figures released this morning show just 239 loans for apprenticeships have been applied for  since the scheme began — 162 in September. The figures…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Funding software delay ‘getting serious,’ 157 group tells SFA

The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) has been hit with further criticism over “serious difficulties” faced by colleges because of…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Foundation appoints permanent chief executive

A policy director at the Department for Education (DfE) will become the Education and Training Foundation’s (ETF) first permanent…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Government publishes its ‘radical and far-reaching’ apprenticeship plan

The government has this morning confirmed in a newly-published implementation plan that it would put apprenticeship design in England in the hands…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Fresh concerns raised over Barnfield College

Teaching unions have raised further concerns about the governance and management of a troubled college which is being investigated by the…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Association of Colleges calls for action on funding software

The Association of Colleges’ boss has written to the Skills Funding Agency expressing concerns over software funding delays and…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter

Must read

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
Adult education, ITPs

Mayors dump adult education cuts on independent training providers

Up to two-thirds axed from devolved procured budgets

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Bootcamps, Skills bootcamps

Coding firm caught charging students for free bootcamps

Ed tech provider ‘regretful’ after complaints and promises full refunds as bosses try to sue DfE over non-payments

Billy Camden
Billy Camden and Frances Read