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11 April 2026

Author: Paul Offord

Low-paid sixth-form college teachers get 2% payrise

Teachers in sixth-form colleges in England will get a pay rise of up to two per cent, backdated to September 2017. The rise follows negotiations between the National Education Union and the Sixth-Form Colleges Association. This week the SFCA agreed to increase its pay offer to match the September 2017 increase won by teachers working […]

Stockport College earns its third Ofsted ‘inadequate’ in five years

A college has been hit with its third ‘inadequate’ Ofsted rating in the space of just five years. The latest report on Stockport College was published this morning. It was found to be grade four overall and received the worst possible rating for effectiveness of leadership and management; quality of teaching, learning and assessment; outcomes […]

IfA boss hits back at ‘vested interests’ against apprentice reforms

The Institute for Apprenticeships’ new boss has hit back at “vested interests” who he claims want to see the reform process fail. Sir Gerry Berragan was speaking today at an Ofqual conference for vocational education awarding organisations in Birmingham. He admitted that some criticism levelled at the IfA, which launched last April, was “fair”, but […]

Ofsted accused of waste over inspection for just 7 learners

Ofsted has been accused of wasting scarce resources on an inspection that only took into account seven learners. Leicester-based Train Together was rated ‘good’ overall at its first ever inspection last month. But the two-strong inspection team only took seven learners into account, and they were all directly funded by the Education and Skills Funding […]

AEB underspent by £63 million, minister claims

FE providers failed to spend £63 million of the adult education budget during the last academic year alone, the skills minister has admitted. Not everyone agrees with Anne Milton, however: the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, has insisted that the true figure is likely to be much higher. Ms Milton’s admission came in answer […]

FE chartered status membership hits double figures after six years

Three new colleges have joined the Chartered Institution for Further Education, bring the total membership into double figures for the first time. The three are WMC – The Camden College, Trafford College, and Burton and South Derbyshire College. They are all rated either ‘outstanding’ or ‘good’ by Ofsted. CIFE was first conceived back in 2012 […]

Embattled Kensington and Chelsea chair refuses to step down

The chair of a London college has vowed to stay on after the FE commissioner cancelled a merger she had tried to force through against huge local opposition. Mary Curnock Cook (pictured above) has endured a torrid time since taking over as chair of the board at Kensington and Chelsea College last May, which culminated […]

Strike dates announced for colleges locked in pay dispute

College staff will go on strike over pay and conditions on the last day of February, with some adding March 1.  Notices have been issued to colleges in Sandwell and across London, informing them of the dates for a two-day strike over pay. “They are going to be on strike on February 28 and March […]