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27 April 2026

Author: FE Week Reporter

The Great FE and Skills Survey 2014

It is perhaps not surprising that when FE Week and the Policy Consortium invited staff across the sector to highlight the issues that really concerned them they should paint a rather troubling picture. More than a thousand people responded to the opportunity to record what worried them most about the state of FE, and their […]

Matthew Hancock MP, skills minister

With two offices across two government departments, two Secretaries of State as bosses and one of the broadest ministerial briefs around, life is hectic for Matthew Hancock. But while it certainly isn’t cricket — a game he regrets not having the time for anymore — things seem to have gone quite well for our 35-year-old […]

Ofsted launches provider review tool for employers

Employers will be able to anonymously rate, review and compare providers using an online tool launched by Ofsted today (Monday, April 28). Employer View will allow staff to share their thoughts on providers they have worked with, and find out what other employers think about any provider which trains their employees, apprentices and work placement […]

Inadequate college leaders stay despite commissioner questions

The principal and governors’ chair at a grade four London college that Ofsted said was failing to improve are clinging to their posts — despite FE Commissioner Dr David Collins having identified leadership as a weakness, FE Week can reveal. LeSoCo was rated inadequate in January and came in for renewed criticism from the education […]

Warning for providers as SFA named in fraudster ‘spear fishing’ campaign

Email fraudsters are targeting FE and skills providers by posing as the Skills Funding Agency. The sector has been warned about ‘phishing’ attempts to get bank details. Deceptive emails have been reported, asking for details that would allow the sender to take money from the provider’s bank account — a practice known as phishing. One […]

Colleges ‘tackling’ apprentice farrier bullying but ‘need’ modernisation

Ofsted monitoring inspections of three colleges that took over apprenticeship provision following accusations of bullying found safeguarding had improved, but warned the programme was still in need of modernisation. The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) demanded “immediate action to safeguard the welfare of all trainees” in June last year after physical and verbal bullying, harassment and […]

Taxman looks to reissue restaurant bill

A Hampshire college that went to court in its bid to win a training restaurant tax rebate could be facing a new legal battle from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), FE Week can reveal. The taxman has been granted leave to appeal a decision made in February which found the supplies used by Brockenhurst […]

Success on the South Coast

Chichester College has received an outstanding grade from Ofsted. The 14,500-learner college, previously rated as good, achieved the top grading in all headline fields. Inspectors praised staff for putting learners “at the heart of all college activity”. The University of Sunderland also received a grade one result for its art and design foundation diploma provision […]