News

Two in every three colleges using zero-hour contracts, research suggests

Nearly two out of every three colleges have teachers on controversial zero-hour contracts, research from the University and College…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Sir Geoff Hall quits as foundation chief – Peter Davies to ‘pick up the baton’

Sir Geoff Hall has quit as interim chief executive of the Education and Training Foundation after just three months…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Apprenticeship guidance plea despite growing application numbers

Guidance on apprenticeships needs a “no-holds-barred” review, NUS president Toni Pearce has claimed despite official figures indicating application numbers…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Underpaying apprentice bosses face increased name-and-shame threat

Underpaying apprentice bosses will be publicly named and shamed under government plans to make it easier to clamp down…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Firms behind every other English college’s internal audit to become one

Two firms who between them carried out internal audits for nearly 50 per cent of England’s colleges in 2011/12…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Apprenticeships director to step down

England’s apprenticeship boss, David Way, has announced that he is to step down at the end of the month….

Nick Linford
Nick Linford


News

Department for Education warned about FoI response times despite ‘improvements’

The Department for Education (DfE) has been warned about its response times to Freedom of Information requests after it…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Young people’s jobless figures draw union criticism for government

A tiny fall in the number of young people not in education, employment or training (Neets) has failed to…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Former AoC president takes governor post at college mauled by Ofsted

A former Association of Colleges president has become City College Coventry’s new governors’ chair after a disastrous Ofsted report…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Government’s ‘£11m’ privately-run FE website service could be sold on

The contract to run the government’s FE course directory could be sold on as part of a deal that…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Government appoints FE Commissioner advisers

Four advisers, including a former 157 Group chair and an ex-college finance director, have been appointed to the new…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Short-term apprenticeships fall ‘dramatically’ after government action

The number of apprenticeships lasting less than a year has fallen “dramatically” after they were outlawed over fears about…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford

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