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1 June 2026

No technical and professional education pilot until 2019/20

The reforms suggested by Lord Sainsbury’s influential review into technical and professional education (TPE) will not be piloted by the government until 2019/20, FE Week can reveal. It is also now understood that the peer’s report — which is set to recommend the creation of 15 new “professional and technical” routes with apprenticeship or substantial […]

Colleges warned as scams on the rise again

Colleges have been warned to be on their guard against “sophisticated” fraudsters, after a scam involving fake faxes was detected by staff at one provider in London. The Mary Ward Adult Education Centre nearly fell victim to the con last week, before the college’s bank contacted them to question a suspicious payment. A fraudster had […]

Concern for FE in Cheshire after principals leave

Mid Cheshire College’s principal Richard Hollywood (pictured) is standing down – after its Ofsted rating tumbled from outstanding to inadequate. The announcement was made just a few days after West Cheshire College revealed that its principal Nigel Davies and his former deputy Adrian Humphreys had also left their posts — raising questions about the state […]

Fears for future of FE key topic at University and College Union conference

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) will head to Liverpool tomorrow for the start of the union’s tenth annual congress — with the future of FE set to be a key topic up for discussion. Delegates will vote on 35 FE-related motions during the three-day event at the ACC Liverpool — covering concerns […]

Shock departure for Institute for Apprenticeships’ shadow chief executive

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has confirmed that Rachel Sandby-Thomas will be leaving her role as shadow chief executive of the new Institute for Apprenticeships (IfA) — just two months after it announced she had been appointed. Ms Sandby-Thomas had been the only appointment so far at the IfA — which is […]

TPE review delayed again – this time until July

The findings of a hotly anticipated review into technical and professional education (TPE) have been hit by further delays — with the government now refusing even to say whether or not it will be unveiled before the EU referendum. The report, which will set the scene for the first skills white paper in more than […]

Ofqual appoints permanent director for general qualifications

Ofqual has announced Julie Swan as its new executive director for general qualifications. She will take up the position permanently after a spell as the acting executive director when her predecessor, Ian Stockford, left the exams regulator to join AQA in December. Ms Swan (pictured) has worked for Ofqual for seven years and was most […]

Members of Squad UK announced for euroskills Gothenburg 2016

A team of the country’s most skilled young people have been selected to represent the UK at EuroSkills 2016, but what is its purpose and what benefits can it have on our competitors? Billy Camden investigates Twenty of the country’s top apprentices and learners will be going for gold at EuroSkills Gothenburg 2016, after being […]

Team UK announced for EuroSkills Gothenburg

Twenty of the country’s most skilled young people have been selected to represent the UK at EuroSkills Gothenburg 2016. Those chosen for Team UK, which was announced today, will go for gold against the most talented young people from more than 30 European countries in more than 35 different skill areas ranging from engineering and […]