News

Colleges miss out on traineeship cash

Colleges look set to miss out on £12m handed over to the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) for traineeships, FE…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Think-tank calls for the return of polytechnics

The Association of Colleges has questioned the conclusions of a report calling on the government to bring back polytechnics,…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

AELP now and in the future

Traineeships were firmly among the top agenda issues for the Association of Employment and Learning Providers during opening speeches…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

AELP launches manifesto

The Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) has produced a ten-point action plan aimed at “driving an economic…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Housing deputy to take NCG reins

The deputy chief executive of a housing charity is getting the top job at NCG (formerly Newcastle College Group)….

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Late funding rates ‘unacceptable’

Skills Funding Agency announces transition factors hitting provider funding rates by 25 per cent or more. Colleges and training…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford


News

Ofsted critical of foundation learning

An Ofsted investigation into foundation learning has pointed towards a host of problems with the scheme just weeks before…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Exams watchdog launches fee probe

Ofqual is investigating exam spending by colleges after its annual report found payments by schools had more than doubled…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Older apprentices taking 16 to 18-year-old places

The 16 to 18 apprenticeships budget has been cut by £166m as would-be apprentices were squeezed out of places…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Grade threes get traineeship go ahead

Further education leaders have called for a rethink on traineeships after new rules revealed lower-rated providers would be able…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Report urges careers guidance ‘culture change’

Traineeships and the new 16 to 19 study programmes should include impartial job advice as part of a “much-needed…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Apprenticeship applications up 32 per cent

Booming application numbers plus an increasing list of vacancies show apprenticeships are growing as a career alternative to university,…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford

Must read

News

Case dismissed: Marples loses High Court claim against DfE

A judge has dismissed a multi-million-pound claim brought by former training boss Peter Marples and his family against the…

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Skills reform

New law to bar ‘unsuitable’ FE leaders among skills white paper reforms

The government’s post-16 strategy has finally been unveiled

Billy Camden
Billy Camden and Shane Chowen
Qualifications

Revealed: V Levels incoming as axe looms for BTECs

New qualifications set to launch as ‘third route’ between A-levels and T Levels

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Politics, Skills reform

DWP will take over apprenticeships, minister confirms

Shifting adult skills and apprenticeships policy will give “bigger emphasis on skills”, Jacqui Smith claims

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
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