News

Adult college ‘changes lives’

Working Men’s College, a specialist designated institution in North London, is celebrating an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted grade. Rebecca Cooney reports …

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

NAS investigates apprentices’ hours

The National Apprenticeship Service is investigating claims that apprentices are regularly working “over and above their contracted hours”. UnionLearn,…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

New website misses national providers

A newly-launched apprenticeship website aimed at employers could be leaving out national providers, it has been claimed. A mandatory…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Principal questions local merger

Two Midland colleges planning to merge have been accused of “ignoring” guidance from Skills Minister Matthew Hancock. Stourbridge and…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

SFA ‘moves goalposts’ for small contracts

The future of the Skills Funding Agency’s minimum contract level policy has been called into question after it emerged…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Traineeships launched, but only for some

The 11-month wait for a government outline of traineeships is over — but “disappointment” has been expressed about who…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford


News

Guild to meet at Windsor Castle for ‘complex thinking time’

Twenty-nine “key people” from FE have been invited to eat, drink, sleep and “think” in secret at Windsor Castle…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

New chief executive at the Association of Employment and Learning Providers

The incoming chief executive of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers has told how apprenticeships will be at…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Governor backs defiant Taylor

‘It’s a comfort to be asked to stay on,’ says Coventry principal The chair of City College Coventry’s board…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Minister okays college merger

The troubled merger of two colleges in the Midlands has been given the nod of approval by Skills Minister…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Provider’s ‘appalling’ pass rate

Just 6,375 out of 13,420 adult retail apprentices succeeded England’s biggest apprenticeship provider has come under fire from the…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

New audit reviews cause ‘major concern’

A new audit system from the Skills Funding Agency has caused “major concern” within the FE sector. Accountability reviews…

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