Skip to content
13 April 2026

Author: Billy Camden

New ‘skills measure’ would trigger Ofsted inspections

Colleges that fail to align their provision with local and national needs will trigger Ofsted inspections in the future, under plans announced today by the Department for Education. Officials are proposing to introduce a new “skills measure” that will capture how well a college is delivering courses that the economy needs as part of its […]

Simplifying FE funding and accountability consultation launched by DfE

The government has launched a consultation on proposals to simplify funding and accountability systems in further education. As promised in the ‘Skills for Jobs White Paper’, the reforms aim to give colleges and providers more autonomy by relaxing ringfences, introducing a multi-year funding regime, and holding them to account for the outcomes they deliver. You […]

Revealed: The local skills improvement plans trailblazers

The employer representative bodies that will lead pilots for new local skills improvement plans (LSIP) have been named. Eight different chambers of commerce will spearhead the development of the plans in eight trailblazer areas this year, backed with £4 million of revenue funding. First mooted in the FE white paper, the plans will aim to […]

Staff vote to strike at 15 colleges

University and College Union members in 15 colleges across England have voted for strike action in a row over pay. College bosses have until September to increase staff pay by more than 5 per cent or they will face walkouts, the union said today. Eighty nine per cent of members who voted backed strike action, […]

National adult education budget tender results revealed

There are 83 winners sharing £62.6 million from the Education and Skills Funding Agency’s adult education budget tender, FE Week can reveal. Results for the delayed procurement were finally communicated to training providers last night. They will now be observing a voluntary ten-day standstill period until July 26 before commencing contracts on August 1. Tender […]

ESFA boss Eileen Milner to become combined authority chief executive

Eileen Milner will become the chief executive her local combined authority when she leaves the Education and Skills Funding Agency. The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority announced today that the senior civil servant will take up the position in the autumn. Its board voted unanimously on the appointment on June 30, the same day that […]

NHS trust’s apprenticeship contract terminated after Ofsted finds ‘inappropriate behaviour’

An NHS trust has had its apprenticeship contract terminated after Ofsted found serious safety concerns. Nearly 700 apprentices are currently being moved to alternative providers to complete their training after the East Of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust was slammed by the inspectorate. In a safeguarding monitoring report, published today, inspectors said a “significant minority” […]

ESFA pays apprenticeship firm £6m before terminating contract

Owners of a new apprenticeship provider that quickly raked in £6 million have had their contract terminated after hundreds of apprentices were found to be unemployed. Personal Track Safety Ltd, which trades as PTS Training Academy, began recruiting in May 2018 and within two years had started more than 2,500 apprentices in sectors such as […]