News

Commons grilling for Elmfield, Syddall and SFA

Former Elmfield director Ged Syddall and Skills Funding Agency finance director Paul McGuire look set for a “no-holds-barred” grilling…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Nine in court over alleged A4e fraud

Nine former employees of welfare to work provider A4e have appeared in court charged with fraud. The six women…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Colleges hoping for VAT ‘anomaly’ end after MPs’ letter and PM pledge

Sixth form colleges could be about to see the end of a “longstanding inequality” on VAT after more than…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

The apprenticeship champion line-up

One of these three women will be crowned apprentice champion of the year. Chloe Gailes, aged 28, Karen Lowry-Hall,…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Agency restructure sees two directors remain but four out

Three directors and a chief information officer have been identified as among the first to go in a programme…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Baker’s Career Colleges ‘risk confusion’

Further education leaders have expressed concern at Lord Baker’s plans to establish “yet another” brand of vocational training colleges….

Nick Linford
Nick Linford


News

Government figures show 16 to 18 apprenticeships down nearly 15,000 in a year

Figures published this morning show a 12 per cent (14,600) fall in 16-18 apprenticeship starts, and a one per…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

SFA lifts blanket ban on new Elmfield learners after minister orders Ofsted revisit

The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) has lifted its blanket ban on new learners at Elmfield Training after an early…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

New FE faces for Labour

The new Labour FE faces are Liam Byrne, who takes Gordon Marsden’s place, and Rushanara Ali, who takes Tristram…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

It’s farewell to Marsden as Hunt rises to the top in Labour reshuffle

Former Shadow Skills Minister Gordon Marsden (Pictured at FE Week HQ for a roundtable on FE loans)  has paid…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Ofsted finds significant prison shortfalls

Ofsted FE and skills director Matthew Coffey has delivered a damning verdict on prison education and training in England…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Minister attacks FE for allowing learners to ‘give up’

Further education leaders have lined up to defend the sector after Liberal Democrat Schools Minister David Laws claimed new…

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