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28 April 2026

Skills Funding Agency releases long-awaited online learning aim search engine

The Skills Funding Agency has produced its long-awaited and overdue online Learning Aims Reference System (Lars). It is an online tool that allows providers to, among other things, look up qualification funding values. And it went live today [click here for Lars] with learning aims data for the current academic year and also 2014/15. It had […]

Chelsea gold for Sparsholt

Sparsholt College students won gold at London’s Chelsea Flower Show with a recycling-themed garden. The team of 21 extended diploma horticulture learners designed and built the garden, which portrays the lifecycle of a paper cup. Student Jack Shilley, 18, said: “We are all on cloud nine… this year’s show will go down as one of […]

Ex-Tomorrow’s World presenter makes college pit-stop

Former Tomorrow’s World presenter Maggie Philbin took part in a pit-stop challenge during a showcase event for skills training at Barking and Dagenham College. Ms Philbin, who has also worked on other TV shows including This Morning and children’s show Multi-Coloured Swap Shop, was helped to change a car tyres by college motor vehicles studies […]

Busy Bella is making voices heard

Young people often get portrayed as not having a positive attitude and not contributing to society. But Cirencester Sixth Form College student Bella Allen Stevens is on a maission to change all that and make teenagers’ voices heard, writes Rebecca Cooney. In 2012, just before starting a BTec performing arts diploma, Bella Allen Stevens, now […]

Salford footballers score double success

Footballers from Salford City College scored double success by winning the British Colleges Sport North West League title days after winning the Under-18 Manchester FA Cup. They clinched the league title with a 3-0 result against Liverpool’s Elite Academy. The team also beat Salford-based side Barr Hill JFC 4-1 to win the county cup final. […]

Cat walk down memory lane

More than 50 hair and beauty students from Southampton Totton College put on a vintage-themed catwalk show. The level two and three learners recreated hairstyles, make-up and costumes from the early 1900s to the 1960s. They included hairdressing learner Emma Zamojski, aged 24, who took guidance from the glamorous outfits worn by dancers in the […]

Dancing princess celebration

Level three street dance and film-making students celebrated the life of a Hawaiian princess who spent part of her life in Hove. Princess Ka’iulani was heir to the throne of the kingdom of Hawaii until the monarchy was overthrown in 1893, a year after she moved to East Sussex. She campaigned tirelessly against the subsequent […]

Students spend seven days in the Gambia

A group of 30 Weston College students spent a week in the Gambia. The level four and five sport and uniformed and public services learners met members of the local police, fire service and army and learned about their roles and responsibilities. They also visited Ayr Luton Primary School, in Serrekunda, the largest city in […]