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12 April 2026

Author: Billy Camden

Apprenticeships register not reopening until April at the earliest

Applications to the government’s register of apprenticeship training providers will not reopen until at least April 2021. And when it does restart, there will be a “new service” for firms to apply through. The Education and Skills Funding Agency closed the register to new bids on April 15 to “review our future approach”. Officials have […]

Seven things we learned from the ESFA’s latest apprenticeships data release

New-look apprenticeship and traineeship statistics were published by the Education and Skills Funding Agency today and captured final year-end data for 2019/20. Here are seven things we learned.   1. 8,000 claims worth over £15m for new employer incentives by mid-November Under an incentive scheme, running from August to March 2021, any firm that hires […]

Official figures reveal take up of adult education courses halved during lockdown

The number of enrolments onto adult education courses in the months following lockdown dropped by half compared to the same period last year. Figures published this morning by the Department for Education shows there were 208,790 starts on adult programmes between 23 March and 31 July 2020 compared to 420,910 in that period in 2018/19 […]

A fundamental change in England’s approach to skills devolution is needed

Devolution needs to be re-configured to nurture thriving local skills systems and confident and capable communities, writes Charlotte Morgan Yesterday’s spending review saw what seemed like significant sums handed to employment and skills initiatives, with the Restart Programme, Plan for Jobs, Lifetime Skills Guarantee and even an employer-led bootcamp all getting investment. But as well […]

Spending review speed read: What is in it for FE and skills?

The chancellor Rishi Sunak today unveiled his one-year spending review for 2021-22. Here is what it includes for FE and skills.   £83m for surge in 16-19 college places The chancellor’s spending review document said that £83 million will be provided in 2021-22 to “ensure that post-16 providers can accommodate the expected demographic increase in […]

Crumbs: Spending review extends apprenticeship employer incentives by just two months

A two-month extension is set to be applied to the government’s cash bonus scheme for hiring apprentices in tomorrow’s spending review. The Treasury has tonight trailed a series of announcements that chancellor Rishi Sunak will pledge for the 2021-22 financial year to create and support “hundreds of thousands” of jobs post-Covid-19, but no other new […]

Highbury College agrees merger partner

A crisis-hit college has agreed to merge with a neighbouring sixth form college as it continues its road to recovery. Highbury College, which has been led by interim leadership since its principal quit last year following an expenses scandal and government intervention, is set to amalgamate with Portsmouth College following an FE Commissioner-led structure and […]

AoC calls for adult funding boost ahead of spending review

Funding rates for adult learners must be raised to the same level as 16 to 19-year-olds to ensure courses are viable to deliver, the Association of Colleges has said. Ahead of tomorrow’s spending review, the membership organisation has published research that claims the government’s flagship national skills fund will “fail” unless more money is pumped […]