News

Government announces vocational measure

Plans for a new Tech Bacc were announced by the government today. It will be introduced for courses beginning…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Traineeships are ‘go’

Skills Minister chooses Manchester meeting to ‘launch’ programme The 11-month wait for an outline of the government’s plans for…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Apprentice wage cheats crackdown

Business Secretary Vince Cable has promised “tough new measures” to tackle employers who pay apprentices below the legal minimum,…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

FE Guild go-ahead

Government funds of £18.8m a year to get a new FE body off the ground have been welcomed, although…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Agency backtracks on awards cull

Plans to stop government funding for qualifications aimed at helping the unemployed have been shelved. The Skills Funding Agency…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford


News

Plea for equality on sixth-forms

The head of the Association of Colleges (AoC) has called on Education Secretary Michael Gove to ensure schools opening…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

FE commissioner’s powers need ‘consideration’

Further education leaders have told of concerns about the proposed FE Commissioner’s two-week timescale for deciding the fate of…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Let’s have balance at the top, says FE

The lack of female politicians responsible for FE has been criticised following a mini-reshuffle. The departure of Karen Buck,…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

New president for colleges’ association

The Association of Colleges has named Yorkshire principal Michele Sutton OBE as its new president (pictured). The Bradford College…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Guild given ministerial green light

Plans for a new FE body to support the sector have been given the go-ahead. The Department for Business,…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Ofsted success leads to government support call

The government has been urged to do more to promote sixth-form colleges after the sector’s second outstanding grade under…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter

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