News

Inspectors publish report on how colleges improve

Unrealistic self-assessments with little or no critical insight, plus unexpected job cuts, show up time and again among poorly…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Dozens of shared service projects mark their anniversaries

Caption: Sunderland College students are getting the benefits of joined up administration among members of the North East Shared…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

College and training provider step in to save 500 jobs at First4Skills

More than 500 jobs have been saved by a college and a training provider after another training provider behind around…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Is the De Vere case a one-off, asks Marsden

The Skills Funding Agency and the National Apprenticeship Service have no idea how many providers are running introductory apprenticeships…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

New minister says he’s ‘learning and listening’

New further education minister Matthew Hancock has told for the first time of his “exciting agenda” for change when…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

New apprenticeship system to get ‘substantial upgrade’

An online system for rubber-stamping apprenticeships is in line for a “substantial upgrade” after less than a year. Students,…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter


News

Ofqual consults on ESOL

Regulations that govern foreign learners of English could be scrapped. Ofqual is considering three options for the future of…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Ofsted plans complaint change

Ofsted is looking at slashing 25 days off its time limit for accepting complaints about inspections and publishing reports…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Cautious welcome for GCSE change

Education Secretary Michael Gove’s plans to cull coursework by axing GCSEs for a new English baccalaureate have been welcomed…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Focus on ‘Deptford not Delhi’ says Ofsted chief

Colleges  could be at risk of focusing on international opportunities to the detriment of home-grown learners, Ofsted chief inspector…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Failed Skills Funding Agency research tender ‘ridiculous’

A 33-day timescale for research into a new payments regime for adult learning has been branded “ridiculous” by an…

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
News

Plans for audit of ‘rip-off’ provider fees shelved

Plans for a government clampdown on “rip-off” provider fees have been shelved as industry leaders look at self-regulation. The…

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