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1 May 2026

Author: FE Week

FEATURE: Fundraising superheroes help Jacob with his wish to walk

Staff from Weston College have gone the extra mile to raise money for a two-year-old boy who needs £75,000 surgery in the US to help him walk, writes Samantha King. It was through a fundraiser for Jacob held at Weston College that member of staff Marcus Tyler, first heard Jacob’s story. With a ten-year background […]

Charlie egg-cels at art exhibition

A Suffolk teenager with artistic flair has been recognised at national level, receiving an award from one of the most illustrious arts universities not only in the country, but also the world. 16-year-old Charlie Clover, an art and design student at Suffolk New College, was one of 105 student artists selected to have their work […]

Off on a legality

Greg’s dream to study law at Oxford hung in the balance after just missing out on the grades he needed. Greg Horne, a student at Priestly College, had his heart set on studying law at university ever since he witnessed the Hillsborough inquests from the public gallery. The former Lymm High School pupil had wanted […]

A blooming great achievement for Pershore College student

Lydia Knight, a student at Pershore College, scooped a prestigious gold medal for her show garden at the RHS Flower Show in Tatton Park. The second-year BSc horticulture student was competing in the RHS Young Planting Designer category with her coastal-themed show garden. Each garden was given a different style and soil-type to produce either […]

New leash of life for animal-lover Hollie

Twenty-year-old Hollie Thornton is finally on the path to realising her veterinary dreams, despite numerous setbacks. The aspiring veterinary physiotherapist had feared her chosen career path would no longer be an option after she was diagnosed with severe hypersensitivity to animal hair and fur, which doctors warned could be a serious danger to her health. […]

Channel Four programme claims high street giant Next saved £2.5m in wages employing hundreds of low paid apprentices

High Street giant Next slashed £2.5m off its wage bill by employing hundreds of low-earning apprentices, according to a hard-hitting Channel Four programme exclusively previewed to FE Week. Apprenticeships come under scrutiny in Dispatches tomorrow night as investigators look at the wages and quality of training delivered by high-profile companies. The programme, entitled Low Pay Britain, focuses […]

Ofsted identifies improvement at horror youth prison

Ofsted inspectors who uncovered “degrading treatment, racist comments and care from staff under the influence of illegal drugs” at a youth prison have reported an improvement. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ), as previously reported on feweek.co.uk, pledged “urgent action” in light of Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre’s May inspection report. And the actions appeared to have […]

Escaping the prison education past

Prisons came under fire in a speech by Ofsted’s FE and skills director Matthew Coffey, who pointed out how not one of the 78 prisons inspected since 2009 had been graded as outstanding. His criticisms held little, if anything, for Dr Paul Philips to disagree with. My own college won a contract to deliver offender […]