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15 April 2026

Tag: FE commissioner

FE Commissioner: “Structural change” could follow £1.4m emergency cash injection

The FE Commissioner has warned a college may need “structural change” after it was given £1.4 million in emergency cash. A report published today revealed Kirklees College in Yorkshire was issued with a notice of concern on September 28 following a request for exceptional financial support from the Education and Skills Funding Agency. Kirklees College […]

Atkins’ aides: Principals appointed to advise DfE

A crack team of seven top principals has been chosen by the FE commissioner to advise government officials on skills policy, FE Week can reveal. The seven, who make up Richard Atkins’ principals’ reference group, will be used as a sounding board for officials on topics including the development of T-levels. Speaking exclusively to FE […]

Commissioner concerned over ‘strain’ on leaders running two colleges

Concerns about the “strain” on a leadership team running two colleges simultaneously – one of which is deeply troubled – have been raised by the FE Commissioner, in one of three reports. Richard Atkins and his team visited Huntingdonshire Regional College in January, following an inadequate Ofsted grade in October – with the report now […]

FE Commissioner intervention report exposes financial turmoil at Hull College Group

A new FE Commissioner intervention report has exposed the grave financial problems facing Hull College Group. Commissioner Richard Atkins’ (pictured) team was sent in to carry out their assessment, after the Skills Funding Agency issued it with a notice of concern in November last year. The report, however, only emerged on gov.uk this evening. It […]

DfE silent on FE commissioner intervention reports

A stop appears to have been put on publication of FE commissioner intervention reports, despite growing numbers of failing colleges. What’s more, there is no sign of the FE commissioner’s 2015/16 annual report, even though previous reports have been published in November or December. The last intervention report, into City of Liverpool College, was published […]

FE Commissioner backs widening of area reviews

A post-16 review of sixth forms outside of the FE sector would be “very helpful”, the FE Commissioner has told the Education Select Committee. Sir David Collins spoke out on the issue this morning, during a special evidence session for the committee’s enquiry in to ongoing area reviews of post-16 education, which currently do not […]

FE commissioner to face questions on area reviews

Sir David Collins is to face a grilling from MPs on the progress of the area reviews of post-16 education and training next week. The outgoing FE commissioner will be giving evidence to the education select committee’s area reviews inquiry on Wednesday morning. The evidence session will focus on the progress, effectiveness and impact on […]

Four new FE Commissioner reports published by DfE

A college has been slammed for its “dysfunctional” leadership, in one of four new FE commissioner reports to have been published by the Department for Education. The damning report into Mid Cheshire College, dated April 2016, came after it was rated inadequate by Ofsted in January – but before the resignation of then-principal Richard Hollywood […]