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20 April 2026

Author: FE Week Reporter

Ofsted calls for government review on post-16 arrangements

Young people with learning difficulties and disabilities are not receiving adequate support as they progress to further education, according to an Ofsted report published today. The report, called ‘Progression post-16 for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities’, found that the opportunities for young people to learn beyond school varies dramatically across the country. Ofsted is […]

Businesses ask FE providers to ‘stop selling and start listening’

Further Education (FE) colleges and training providers should listen to businesses and stop focussing on quick sales, according to new research. The report, commissioned by the Further Education Reputation Strategy Group (FERSG) and carried out by The Knowledge Partnership, concluded that FE colleges should become more ‘commercially savvy’ by understanding the pressures that businesses face. […]

New Head of UKCES wrongly accuses colleges of something to hide

Accusing colleges of withholding customer information because they have something to hide, as the new Head of the UK Commission on Employment and Skills does in the TES (19th August – click here), may make for a good headline in the silly season but hardly makes a useful contribution to the debate on accountability.  Michael […]

Research shows that LGBT learners are being treated better in FE

Research comissioned by the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) suggests that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) learners are being treated better than they were before in Further Education. The report, titled Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Equality in Adult Learning, concludes that most students have a positive experience in adult learning and feel welcomed by […]

Double delay announced by the Data Service

The Data Service announced on Wednesday that they would start the 2011/12 academic year by paying providers each month based on profiles rather than actual delivery,  following “a significant increase in the amount of development and testing” of the replatformed Online Data Collections Portal (OLDC). Despite the replatforming delays, the related FAQ document made it clear that providers […]

South Birmingham College invests £2.5m in campus refurbishment

South Birmingham College has invested £2.5million in extensive refurbishment works to improve its facilities for students. Over the summer three of the Beacon College campuses have been undergoing work in preparation for the start of term in September. The front entrance of the college in Hall Green is being redesigned so that it will stand […]