Author: Jude Burke

A struggling college received a massive £21 million bailout from the government as part of its recent merger deal, FE Week has learned. Telford College of Arts and Technology formally joined forces with neighbouring New College Telford to form Telford College shortly before Christmas, over 18 months after the partnership was first announced. But a […]

The Department for Education has ruled out an increase in funding for 16- to 18-year-olds next year – dealing a blow to campaigners fighting for more cash. In a letter to providers published this afternoon, the department confirmed that there would be no change in funding for 2018/19. “The national base rates of £4,000 per full-time […]

Four new deputies have been appointed to support the FE commissioner in his drive to slash the number of colleges rated grade three or four, FE Week can exclusively reveal. The new recruits – which include two principals who will retire from their colleges later this year – mean Richard Atkins now has an army […]

The new year has got off to a less-than-‘good’ start for one college, which saw its Ofsted grade drop from two to three in a quiet week for FE providers. West Thames College, one of just two FE and skills providers to have a full inspection report published since the start of the new year, […]

The Chartered Institution for Further Education is still being propped up by hundreds of thousands of pounds in government subsidy more than two years after it started accepting paying members, an FE Week Freedom of Information request has revealed. Just eight providers have so far been granted chartered status – far short of the estimated […]

A college whose principal resigned in October amid “allegations of mismanagement” has referred the matter to the Education and Skills Funding Agency. Jeanette Dawson OBE stepped down from Bishop Burton College in October, prompting an external investigation at the college into the allegations. That investigation has now completed, the college said today in a statement. […]

Fewer level two and three apprenticeships are in development by proportion compared to higher and degree apprenticeships, which could have a “detrimental impact” on recruitment for 16- to 18-year-olds, Ofsted has warned. The education watchdog raised the concern in its annual report, which was published this week. “Most apprenticeships being delivered in 2016/17 were at […]

The Institute of Apprenticeships will make its processes and policies “faster and better” in 2018, under the new regime of former military man Sir Gerry Berragan. It launched its assault on government red tape in a statement on Monday, just two weeks after the former army adjutant general took over as chief executive. Among the […]

FE and skills will have a major role to play in a new social mobility action plan being launched by the education secretary this morning. The plan, which will be unveiled by Justine Greening at the Reform social mobility conference in London today, outlines four social mobility “ambitions” – two of which focus on post-16 […]