spending review

Why is the chancellor avoiding the easiest win for growth?

It’s cheap, quick, and universally supported. Yet the chancellor barely mentioned skills in her spending review. In a time of tight budgets, this isn’t just puzzling – it’s self-sabotage

What does the Spending Review really mean for FE?

The chancellor has pledged an extra £1.2 billion annually for FE by 2028-29. But amid demographic pressures and staff pay gaps, will this be enough to reverse a decade of cuts?

No cuts but no cure: FE’s funding dilemma post spending review

The chancellor avoided cuts and boosted 16-18 funding – a rare relief for colleges. But with adult skills, apprenticeships, and staff pay still overlooked, the sector’s biggest challenges remain unresolved

Spending review marks yet another failure for adult skills

Despite cross-government recognition of adult skills being vital for growth, Rachel Reeves has not delivered the investment needed to improve our fragmented and exclusionary system

Why 2025 is a critical year for FE funding

With FE funding pressures driven by historical cuts and policy uncertainty, the sector’s ability to meet growing demand is reliant on the upcoming Spending Review

The FE Week Podcast: Special educational needs provision, sustainability and the spending review

This week Shane is joined by David Russell, chief executive at the Education and Training Foundation, and Fiona Aldridge, head of skills insight at West Midlands combined authority – to discuss the biggest stories. Have the government’s special educational needs reforms failed – and if so, what should be done? Who is providing solid, top-down […]

Five urgent tips for the DfE on adult education

There are far too many barriers for the unemployed and low paid to get into learning, writes Chris Morgan There is a critical need to help the 3.7 million adults in the UK in low-paid and insecure work. Sixteen per cent of adults have poor literacy skills, and one in three have no qualifications. One […]

2019: The year ahead in FE and skills

2019 is set to be a big year for the FE and skills sector. While it’s still not clear what impact the biggest event of the year – Brexit – will have (on anything!), we’ve taken a look ahead at some of the other key developments expected over the coming 12 months – including the […]