News

Exempted — trainees freed from Job Seeker’s Allowance 16-hour rule

Traineeships are to be exempted from a benefits rule that was “compromising” the programme. The Department for Work and…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Confirmed — employers will take ownership of apprenticeships in a new HMRC funding system

Apprenticeship funding will be redirected from providers to employers — but they will have to make a “significant” cash…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Stress rockets as SFA software fails

Further education data staff have spoken out about the stress and extra work caused by continued problems with Skills…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Warning of more strikes over pay

More pay strikes could be set to hit colleges following industrial action on Tuesday (December 3), the University and…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

All-age apprenticeships in first full-year drop since 2005

The number of apprenticeship starts in England has fallen for the first time in seven years, according to new…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Wheels come off Kwik Fit traineeships

Kwik Fit has stopped running its controversial traineeship programme after Ofsted inspectors said it was no longer an outstanding…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford


News

Osborne looks to tax credits and mandatory employer cash contributions for apprenticeships

Chancellor George Osborne confirmed the government will introduce an HMRC-based funding system alongside a mandatory employer cash contribution for apprenticeships through…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Traineeships exempted from 16-hour benefits rule

The government is to allow job seeker’s allowance (JSA) claimants to do more than 16 hours’ study a-week as…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

FE Week Charity Auction

UPDATE: Due to our website being down for over 48 hours, towards the end of this auction, we have…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

National Skills Academy Logistics goes into liquidation after SFA cancels funding

The National Skills Academy Logistics (NSAL) has been put into liquidation after its financial support was pulled by the…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

College staff strike over pay after last-minute talks fail to avert industrial action

Colleges across the country have been hit with industrial action as staff took part in strikes over pay. Members…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

AoC chief Martin Doel warns Vince Cable against FE raid to fund HE shortfall as Budget looms

The chief executive of the Association of Colleges has warned Business Secretary Vince Cable against raiding the FE budget…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford

Must read

Colleges, Long read

Colleges on the frontline of a divided nation

As social media algorithms fuel intolerance and binary thinking, college staff increasingly find themselves dealing with the fallout. Jessica…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
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