News

Damian Hinds returns to DfE as minister of state

Appointment follows resignation of schools minister Nick Gibb

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
Colleges

Strikes called off at another 7 colleges

Staff at 8 colleges will begin three days of strike action from tomorrow

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Colleges

Interview: AoC president finds her voice

Newly re-appointed Association of Colleges president Corrienne Peasgood tells Shane Chowen how she’s ready to fight for colleges and…

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
News

Keegan to get her own camera person (on £50k a year)

DfE is recruiting a videographer to film regular content of the education secretary for her social media channels

Amy Walker
Amy Walker
News

Frank McLoughlin to chair ETF

The former principal will succeed Peter Latchford in January

Shane Chowen
Shane Chowen
Apprenticeships, Colleges, Subcontracting

FE faces ‘double edged sword’ as Procurement Act hikes risk of litigation

Experts warn of subcontracting trouble

Joshua Stein
Joshua Stein


Ofsted

Ofsted grades changed for 5 FE providers last year after challenges

Complaints about FE inspections have also doubled since 2018

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
News

College’s traineeship learners worked illegal hours, DfE audit finds

‘Substantial’ clawback on the cards after security and rail trainee debacle revealed

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Colleges

Ex-college principal banned from education

Former Hadlow boss to be fined £250k if he breaches agreement with liquidators, while deputy secures ‘confidential’ deal

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Colleges

College enrolment: Influx of resitters and 16-19s as HE and adults drop

We look at the latest data for 2023/24

Joshua Stein
Joshua Stein
Skills bootcamps

‘Risk averse’ colleges avoid skills bootcamps

Two-thirds haven’t touched the flagship government programme yet, data suggests

Joshua Stein
Joshua Stein
social mobility

College principal confirmed as permanent Social Mobility Commission chair

Alun Francis has been interim chair since Katharine Birbalsingh resigned in January

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel

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