Skip to content
26 April 2026

Author: FE Week Reporter

Foundation invites bids to support traineeship delivery

The Education and Training Foundation has called for organisations to bid to develop support programmes for providers delivering traineeships. The sector self-improvement body said providers were keen to get support in promoting traineeships to learners and employers, securing work placements, providing accurate initial assessment and support for learners. The foundation also said providers were looking […]

College under SFA and DfE investigation

A Bedfordshire college is under investigation by the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) and the Department for Education (DfE) following unspecified “allegations”. The SFA and the DfE, which acts on behalf of the Education Funding Agency (EFA) , declined to say what the nature of the allegations against the Luton’s Barnfield College were, but said in […]

Enthusiastic reception for family learning expansion plans

The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education’s (Niace) new report calling for widespread expansion of family learning generated an enthusiastic response at its official launch. The report, called Family Learning Works, was unveiled at PricewaterhouseCoopers, in London, on Friday, before a hall packed with representatives from the education sector, councils, government bodies, politicians, charities, unions, […]

Director to scale Himalayas for charity

A director of a national awarding body looks set to reach the peak of his career, at the dizzying height of 6,856 metres. Alasdair Downes (pictured), director of business development at NCFE, is due to embark on an expedition to climb Eastern Nepal’s Ama Dablam mountain next month. He sets off on the gruelling 27-day Himalayan […]

Sarah’s hopes for a Paralympic end to years of pain

After enduring dozens of painful operations over the last six years, equine student Sarah Underwood is hoping to compete in the dressage at the 2020 Paralympics, writes Anisa Fatima. A college student who has undergone 30 operations since 2007 has been given a former race horse to help fulfil her dream of competing in the […]

Donning denim raises hundreds for charity

Students and staff from Doncaster College took part in Jeans for Genes Day. They discarded their normal attire and wore denim, in return for a £1 donation to the Genetic Disorders UK charity. After donning their straight leg, flared retros, boot cuts, jeggings, skinnys, dungarees and “Daisy Dukes”, nearly £885 was raised. College spokesperson Tina […]

Body artist makes mark with gift business

A young designer is turning traditional body art and the skills she learned at college into a thriving gift business. Inspired by traditional Indian mehndi, or henna tattoo designs, former Cleveland College of Art and Design HE textile and surface design student Ambreen Iqbal, 23, has created a range of home decorations and wedding gifts. […]

Students put icing on the cake for port party

Catering students baked a giant cake for 300 people to celebrate a container port’s 50th anniversary. Tees Dock, in Middlesbrough, which is managed by PD Ports, was officially opened in 1963 and now employs 650 people. Sixteen students from Middlesbrough College took three days to prepare and bake a giant birthday cake — along with […]