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11 April 2026

College leaders brand use of bailout funds ‘staggering’

The government has come under fire from successful college leaders after a series of FE Week freedom of information requests revealed exactly how £111 million of bailout funding has been spent. Four colleges struck secretive Fresh Start deals with the government, the largest of which was for £54 million at Hull College Group. Each deal, […]

Alarm bells sound over college’s last-minute £500K subcontracting tender

A college has put £500,000 out to tender in an attempt to achieve funding targets before August – despite rules that ban subcontracting to meet “short-term funding objectives”. One provider membership organisation said the case has set “alarm bells ringing”, but the Education and Skills Funding Agency has refused to say whether it will take […]

DfE launches £95m capital fund for wave two T-level providers

The Department for Education is stumping up an extra £95 million to help upgrade the facilities of the 64 colleges set to deliver T-levels from 2021. It is in addition to the £38 million capital fund being used for the first 50 providers that will offer the new technical qualifications from this September. The latest […]

School leaders take another Agnew tongue-lashing for apprenticeship failings

Headteachers at schools across England will again be reminded by ministers of their legal duty to promote apprenticeships, as a leading MP accuses them of “not doing enough”. Education secretary Gavin Williamson told FE Week that warning letters will be sent by the minister for the FE market, Lord Agnew, tomorrow (full letter below). He […]

Exams regulator finds colleges put learners’ needs before funding in ‘first time’ research

Learners are “at the heart” of schools’, colleges’ and training providers’ decisions about the qualifications they offer, according to new research by Ofqual. The finding comes just weeks after Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman reiterated her concern that some colleges fill their rolls with “superficially attractive” low-level arts and media courses simply to “attract funding”. […]