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20 April 2026

Author: FE Week Reporter

Peter Jones enterprise academy to launch in the West Midlands

BBC Dragon Peter Jones has increased his interest in further education by launching his first academy in the West Midlands. From September, Solihull College will be home to the Diploma in Enterprise and Entrepreneurship for youngsters aged 16 to 19 after becoming the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy (PJEA) West Midlands Hub. The aim of the […]

Foundation Degree awarding powers granted to FE colleges for the first time

Newcastle College Group and New College Durham are the first FE colleges to be granted Foundation Degree awarding powers in England. The announcement last week follows an intensive scrutiny process by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. Stephen Jackson, Director of Reviews at the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) told FE Week: “After working with […]

College principal to ride 1000 miles in 10 days with ‘Blind Dave’

The principal of South Birmingham College is helping a local blind man ride a tandem bicycle the length of the UK for the charity Macmillan Cancer Support. The Top2Toe event will challenge local blind man Dave Heeley to run a 26.2 mile marathon and cycle 100 miles over 10 consecutive days. Mike Hopkins, Prinicpal of […]

Skills Funding Agency announce late and unexpected changes to learner fees

The Skills Funding Agency has announced for the first time that non-tuition fee income (such as for registrations and exams) will not be permitted for fully-funded learners starting courses from this week. The Agency published their Adult Skills Budget Funding Requirements 2011/12 last Friday, for courses starting just three days later. Given the lateness of the Funding […]

New report calls on the government to make maths mandatory

A review comissioned by the Conservative Party proposes that young people should be forced to study mathematics up to the age of 18. The report, titled ‘A world-class mathematics education for ALL our young people’ is available here. It states: “To bring this country into line with the rest of the world, mathematics, in some […]

FE principal appointed to UKCES Board

The chief executive of Eastleigh College, Mr Tony Lau-Walker, is one of nine new members appointed to the UK Commission for Employment and Skills this week. “The diverse backgrounds and viewpoints represented by the nine new Commissioners will strengthen the Commission’s capacity to deliver skills for growth across all sectors, helping boost national productivity and […]