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25 April 2026

Author: Billy Camden

Broker fees are back again

The government needs to look carefully at the NHS’ plans to hit providers with brokerage fees. No-one is suggesting the health service is breaking the Skills Funding Agency’s rules, but we must prevent money meant for frontline training from going astray. The issue of brokerage is one that I’ve followed closely since my investigation a […]

NHS defends apprenticeship brokerage fees

The NHS has defended controversial new plans to charge a brokerage fee to training providers that win levy-funded apprenticeship contracts. FE Week has seen two examples of the health service preparing to charge providers around one per cent of the value of their contracts, raising concerns that it might be included in the levy price, […]

EXCLUSIVE: England alone with end-point assessment-only apprenticeships

Research by leading FE academics has shown England is the only one, out of eight countries reported on because of their strong vocational education systems, that will have end-point assessment-only apprenticeships. The report shared with FE Week, called The role of qualifications and end-point assessment in apprenticeships: an international comparison, looked at how apprenticeships are […]

Ofsted watch: sixth form college plummets after 10-year inspection wait

A sixth form college that hadn’t received an inspection for 10 years sank from ‘outstanding’ to ‘requires improvement’ – in a mixed week for FE Ofsted reports. Governors at Holy Cross College, in Manchester, were criticised for their failure to recognise the “significance of the decline in standards” at the SFC. The new report, published […]

Outrage at decision to widen admissions for small sixth form

The controversial decision to widen admissions at a struggling small-school sixth form has come in for fierce criticism, due to a rapid decline in the need for post-16 provision in the area. Dyke House Community College (pictured), an academy in Hartlepool, opened a sixth form in 2014, offering A-level and BTEC courses. This was on […]

Sector in shock: Apprenticeship provider register winners and losers

The selection process for the new register of apprenticeship training providers has been branded an “omnishambles”, after providers with no delivery experience whatsoever have found their way onto it while numerous huge, established colleges have missed out. The Skills Funding Agency this week published the full list of 1,708 providers which will be eligible to […]

Uncertain future for 900 learners as Chesterfield provider calls in administrators

A national training provider has called in the administrators – leaving up to 900 learners uncertain about their futures and 54 staff out of work. Slic Training, which has a head office in Chesterfield but delivers training as a subcontractor nationally to seven main providers, went into administration on March 10. The provider has subcontracts […]

What happened during National Apprenticeship Week 2017?

People across the country got involved in National Apprenticeship Week 2017 this week – from Barnsley to Barnet, and Teesside to Truro. Scroll down to see a snapshot of the events that took place to mark the occasion, and download the NCFE NAW2017 supplement for extended NAW 2017 coverage, funding timelines and more. Climb aboard the apprenticeships express […]