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12 April 2026

Author: Nick Linford

Youth unemployment tops the Budget agenda for FE and skills

A host of policy announcements figured in Chancellor George Osborne’s Autumn Statement. Mick Fletcher looks at those affecting FE. The announcements in the Autumn Statement that affect FE seem primarily driven by concerns about youth unemployment. There were few surprises and most of the changes proposed deserve a cautious welcome as steps in the right […]

Software problems in ‘Lars of the Summer Whine’

Problems with new Skills Funding Agency (SFA) software continue to trouble FE staff as they prepare to attempt submitting key recruitment information by 6pm tomorrow (Thursday, December 5). Known as the R04 submission, the data could be used by the Education and Funding Agency and SFA for both funding and performance management purposes. Ian Pryce […]

Quals firm four given corruption trial date

Four staff at an Eastbourne-based firm that prints qualification certificates have been given their trial date on corruption charges. The men, from Smith & Ouzman, appeared at Southwark Crown Court last month where they spoke only to confirm their details. Christopher Smith, aged 70, the former chairman of Smith & Ouzman, and sales and marketing […]

College staff strike over pay after last-minute talks fail to avert industrial action

Colleges across the country have been hit with industrial action as staff took part in strikes over pay. Members of the University and College Union (UCU) manned picket lines after eleventh-hour talks with the Association of Colleges (AoC) failed to result in an agreement. It is understood that among the colleges affected this morning were […]

Quarter of FE loans are waiting to be processed

Just over a quarter of applications for FE loans had not been successfully processed by the end of October, new figures have revealed. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) confirmed 52,468 applications had been lodged, seven months after 24+ advanced learning loans were first introduced. But most recent figures show 13,425 applications were […]

Highlights from the AoC conference 2013

Download your free copy of the FE Week 16-page highlights from the AoC conference 2013 supplement, sponsored by NOCN. Click here to download (16 mb) ——————————————————————————————– Introduction It had policy announcements aplenty and quite a few speeches, not to mention tears as some worthy students were praised at a glitzy gala dinner — but the […]

Two rounds of college funding unleash £232m in government cash

The government is to release £232.7m of funding to revamp more than 50 colleges who will match-fund with £250m of their own cash. An extra £330m will be made available for skills capital investment through the Local Growth Fund in 2016-17. Business Secretary Vince Cable, speaking at the Association of Colleges (AoC) annual conference, said: […]