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26 April 2026

Author: FE Week Reporter

College VAT victory brings hope of multi-million pound windfall

Colleges could be in line for a multi-million pound VAT windfall with a tribunal judge having ruled against Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) over a Hampshire training restaurant. Brockenhurst College was awarded around £55,000 after it was found the supplies for its on-site training restaurant, MJ’s, were integral to educating students — and so […]

Ofsted considers watching new FE teachers

Newly-qualified teachers in FE colleges could have their lessons observed by Ofsted as part of its inspection of teacher training organisations. Ofsted has launched a consultation on plans to change the way it inspects teacher training programmes so inspectors also watch former trainees teach near the start of their employment. Ofsted is consulting on its […]

Government to launch destination data talks

The government is to launch a consultation on “outcome-based measures of performance for all post-19 FE and skills” as it looks to tie funding with destination data. The recently-released Skills Funding Statement (SFS) made several references to linking learner outcomes — such as progression into a job — and funding, and the Department for Business, […]

Corruption warning on funding proposals

The boss of a leading independent training provider has hit out at the government’s apprenticeship funding reform proposals warning they could lead to large scale “corruption”. John Hyde (pictured), executive chair of HIT Training, laid out his opposition at the Association of Employment and Learning Providers-organised Apprenticeship Debate with a scathing attack in which he […]

End in sight for K College sale saga

The sale of troubled K College looks to be over with the announcement of two “preferred providers”. Land-based Hadlow College and East Kent College, in Thanet, are expected to take on campuses in Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells and Ashford; and Dover and Folkestone, respectively. We now have six months’ work before the new and enlarged Hadlow Group […]

Unions divided by strikes over pay

Two teaching unions have been divided over plans for sixth form college strikes next month. The National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) will not join National Union of Teachers (NUT) members in demonstrations over pay and pensions. The NUT is due to strike on March 26, but the NASUWT executive voted on […]

College chief reassures over vile assault

A Humberside college chief has spoken out to re-assure learners and parents after a former member of staff was jailed for sexually assaulting a young girl. Ex-Hull College theater technician Andrew Clark, aged 36, was jailed for seven years and four months at Hull Crown Court after pleading guilty to a number of sex offences […]

Traineeships to escape DWP’s 16-hour rule from early next month

A Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) exemption for traineeships that was promised last year by Chancellor George Osborne is to come into force early next month, FE Week can reveal. The government’s flagship youth unemployment scheme had fallen foul of a Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) rule that limits to 16 hours the amount of time JSA claimants […]