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29 April 2026

Author: FE Week Reporter

Getting ‘stuck in’ to skills devolution

Chancellor George Osborne and the leaders of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) signed The Greater Manchester Agreement in November. The devolution agreement, and its impact on the region’s FE and skills budget, is assessed by Lisa O’Loughlin. From the Government’s point of view, The Greater Manchester Agreement is a major step towards creating a […]

Tables joy for duo on A-levels and vocational study

Truro and Penwith College and Runshaw College dominated this year’s league tables for general FE (GFE) and tertiary colleges, government figures released on Thursday (January 29) revealed. Cornwall-based Truro and Penwith College scored with top marks for value-added — the progress its learners make over their course as expressed as a proportion of a grade […]

Threefold increase in sixth form college commissioner visits

A threefold increase in the number of inspections by Sixth Form College Commissioner Peter Mucklow this academic year is likely to get worse, Sixth Form Colleges’ Association chief executive David Igoe has warned. Mr Mucklow (pictured right) was sent to just one college in 2013/14 — his first year in the job. But with six […]

A look back with the general election looming

“A week is a long time in politics,” were famous words from Labour Prime Minister of the 1960s and 70s Harold Wilson. It stands to reason then, that a full five-year Parliament feels like a lifetime. You might already be sick of the general election — the ‘costed spending commitments’, ‘the other lot have got […]

Auschwitz visit inspires learners’ memorial plaque

The 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz was marked with a memorial event organised by learners who had visited the notorious concentration camp. A plaque at Queen Alexandra Sixth Form College was unveiled as part of the event, overseen by North Tyneside mayor Norma Redfearn. A-level learner Kaldyne Field, aged 17, said: “Going to […]

Plasterer Dan hoping for business success after old skills discovery

A Weston College student who trained in plastering after being made redundant has launched his own business and discovered an ability in 16th Century skills. Dan Garner, aged 32, recently completed his level two plastering diploma at the college’s construction and engineering centre of excellence (CECE). It was there that lecturers found his ability with […]

‘Colleges that don’t engage with businesses will fail’ Ofsted boss Sir Michael Wilshaw tells MPs

Colleges risk failing their Ofsted inspections if they are not engaging effectively with employers, Ofsted chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw has warned. During questions from the House of Commons Education Select Committee this morning on the education watchdog’s annual report in December, Sir Michael warned inspectors were going to be “more critical” of poor employer engagement by […]

BREAKING: Apprenticeship starts up for 16 to 18s and across all ages

Apprenticeship starts in the 16 to 18 age group were up by almost 9,000 in the first quarter of 2014/15 versus the same period last year, provisional figures released today have revealed. Today’s statistical first release (SFR) shows apprenticeship starts for under 19s totalled 54,100 between August to October last year, compared to 45,800 in the previous year’s […]