Ofsted

Eyes on the prize: Specsavers judged ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted

Optician giant praised for ‘exceptional’ apprenticeship training

Joshua Stein
Joshua Stein
Department for Education

Unit for Future Skills’ ‘useful to a point’ £2.5m spend in 15 months

Experts say staff costs are a “reasonable amount” of spending but users highlight some teething problems

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Apprenticeships

Revealed: Funding band changes from IfATE’s ‘top’ 100 review… so far

59 apprenticeship reviews complete, but other 41 standards yet to be identified

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
News

Incoming Ofsted chief ‘misled’ MPs

Sir Martyn Oliver under fire after academy trust exclusion claims

FE Week Reporter
FE Week Reporter
Colleges

AoC advises colleges to match 6.5% school teacher pay rise

Colleges with fewer 16-18 year-olds will find pay recommendation unmanageable, leaders warn

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
News

Mark’s out the AELP Dawe: Former CEO quits board

He served 7 months of a new 4-year term

Billy Camden
Billy Camden


Careers, Colleges

Careers: Colleges will be ‘expected’ to report Gatsby progress

DfE plans ‘digital front door’ for online guidance as it signals move to ‘unified’ careers system

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
Apprenticeships, Ofsted

Retail apprenticeships provider ‘disappointed’ after Ofsted grade 4

Inspectors critiqued Northern Training Academy’s ‘poor’ training to big-name retailers

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Colleges, RAAC

RAAC: DfE lists 3 more affected colleges

Government reveals 174 education settings have now identified the crumbly concrete

Joshua Stein
Joshua Stein
Skills reform

Lifelong loan entitlement changes name and gains royal assent

DfE also launches £5m competition to grant fund tuition fees for HTQ modular students in 2023/24 and 2024/25

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Long read, Skills reform

LSIPS: a chance to change, or a chance missed?

Gillian Keegan is determined that local skills improvement plans will ease the nation’s skills crisis. Jessica Hill lifts the…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
News

Tributes paid following sudden death of ‘energetic’ deputy principal

The former media lecturer rose through the ranks to become deputy principal in a college career spanning over 20…

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen

Must read

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
Adult education, ITPs

Mayors dump adult education cuts on independent training providers

Up to two-thirds axed from devolved procured budgets

Josh Mellor
Josh Mellor
Bootcamps, Skills bootcamps

Coding firm caught charging students for free bootcamps

Ed tech provider ‘regretful’ after complaints and promises full refunds as bosses try to sue DfE over non-payments

Billy Camden
Billy Camden and Frances Read