FE Week

Angela Middleton stripped of MBE by King Charles The ex-apprenticeship boss has honour revoked for ‘bringing the honours system into disrepute’ after owing DfE £12.5m

👑 Former training provider boss and renowned entrepreneur Angela Middleton has been stripped of her MBE by King Charles for 'bringing the honours system into disrepute' https://feweek.co.uk/angela-middleton-stripped-of-mbe-by-king-charles/

Old-school class snobbery will not solve the university funding crisis Dismissing students with vocational entry qualifications as ‘not really capable of graduating’ is steeped in prejudice, not evidence, writes Hannah McCarthy

✍️ Calls to restrict vocational FE students' access to universities in the name of financial sustainability are about class, not capability, writes Hannah McCarthy

https://feweek.co.uk/old-school-class-snobbery-will-not-solve-the-university-funding-crisis/

88 providers granted Ofsted inspection delay New data shows FE providers had the highest rejection rate for inspection deferral requests across all Ofsted remits last year

⏯️ Ofsted has released data on inspection deferrals, pauses and grade-changes

One in 10 FE and skills Ofsted inspections were delayed at the provider’s request in the last financial year

https://feweek.co.uk/88-providers-granted-ofsted-inspection-delay/

📕 A rule that blocks apprentices from accessing their legal entitlement to English and maths training will be changed, it has been confirmed https://feweek.co.uk/functional-skills-amend-among-dwps-funding-fixes/

🧹Colleges are ‘mopping up systemic failures’ that include poor information sharing from schools and regional disparities in transport costs, the children’s commissioner has warned https://feweek.co.uk/childrens-commissioner-colleges-forced-to-mop-up-system-failures/

DfE ‘unconcerned’ by post-16 transport cliff-edge Weak data on SEND transport leaves ministers unable to assess impacts on attendance and rising NEET numbers

🚕 MPs on the public accounts committee have slammed DfE for "appearing unconcerned" about the impact on SEND young people of losing access to subsidised transport at age 16

https://feweek.co.uk/dfe-unconcerned-by-post-16-transport-cliff-edge/

🗞️This week's FE Week front page:

ATC2026: Spotlight on reform, sector still in the dark

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#TomorrowsPapersToday

Student AI confessions prompted rethink, says Bauckham Ofqual to assess awarding orgs' AI cheating policies while chief commits to 'no easy' V Levels

🤖 Chief regulator reveals what made him step up Ofqual's action to tackle AI cheating in qualifications

https://feweek.co.uk/student-ai-confessions-prompted-rethink-says-bauckham/

Building and engineering training boards merger consultation Plans to merge two industry-led training quangos have been revived – a year after an independent review recommended the tie-up.

🏗️ Plans to merge two industry-led training quangos have been revived – a year after an independent review recommended the tie-up

https://feweek.co.uk/building-and-engineering-boards-in-merger-consultation/

David Bell to lead independent review on antisemitism in colleges Former Ofsted and Department for Education boss David Bell will lead an independent review into how colleges identify, respond to and prevent antisemitism.

Former Ofsted and Department for Education boss David Bell will lead an independent review into how colleges identify, respond to and prevent antisemitism, government has announced.

https://feweek.co.uk/david-bell-to-lead-independent-review-on-antisemitism-in-schools/

Apprenticeships and Training Awards winners 2026 revealed Nineteen organisations named award-winners for exceptional work in training apprentices

🏆Winners of the 2026 Apprenticeships and Training Awards have been revealed

feweek.co.uk/apprenticesh...

ATC 2026: DWP apprenticeships chief talks streamlining, units and assessment Final details will come 'shortly' and released simultaneously to provide 'clarity about the future offer'

ATC 2026: DWP apprenticeships chief talks streamlining, units and assessment https://feweek.co.uk/atc-2026-dwp-apprenticeships-chief-talks-streamlining-units-and-assessment/

Reeves hints at more NEET reforms in spring statement 'More reforms' to tackle the government’s spiralling problem of young people who are out of work or training will be announced in coming weeks.

❗ 'More reforms' to tackle the government’s spiralling problem of young people who are out of work or training will be announced in coming weeks, chancellor Rachel Reeves promised today
https://feweek.co.uk/reeves-hints-at-more-neet-reforms-in-spring-statement/

Education questions March 2026: Live blog Phillipson takes questions on SEND and the student loans system today

⏲️ Follow live updates as Bridget Phillipson and her education ministers take questions from MPs on SEND, student loans and the 'two thirds' student recruitment target at 2.30pm today

https://feweek.co.uk/education-questions-march-2026-live-blog/

ESOL cuts are 'bizarre', says skills minister Jacqui Smith ‘concerned’ by Reform UK mayor’s decision and vows to explore how ESOL provision can be ‘available everywhere’

🤯 Cutting funding to English language lessons aimed at migrants is a 'bizarre' decision that undermines ambitions to build cohesive communities, the skills minister has said https://feweek.co.uk/esol-cuts-are-bizarre-says-skills-minister/

📰 FE Week Weekly News Update

Check out this week's news summary. If you still need to register for our newsletter updates, you can sign-up at the below link.

🔗 https://mailchi.mp/mkt.educationscape.com/weekly-news-summary-from-fe-week-13370009

Nostalgia is not a strategy to navigate assessment evolution Mark Carney’s catchphrase applies as much to apprenticeships as Western powers in the Trump era – we must move forward and change, says Steve Smith

✍️ Ahead of ATC 2026 tomorrow, SIAS MD Steve Smith calls on the sector to lean in to assessment reforms ... and let go of the past

https://feweek.co.uk/nostalgia-is-not-a-strategy-to-navigate-assessment-evolution/

Joe Docherty: Labour peer quit college role over ‘inappropriate conduct’ The former education executive has been suspended by the party weeks after being sent to the House of Lords by Sir Keir Starmer

🚨 Breaking: Former NCG CEO Joe Docherty, now Lord Docherty, has been suspended as a Labour peer after it emerged he resigned from his college role after conducting sexual liaisons during working hours

https://feweek.co.uk/joe-docherty-labour-peer-quit-college-role-over-inappropriate-conduct/

Second LLE short course trial falls short on recruitment A £5 million degree level short course trial hit a fifth of its student recruitment target, an interim evaluation has found.

🎓 A £5 million degree level short course trial hit a fifth of its student recruitment target, an interim evaluation has found, raising further questions about demand for the upcoming lifelong learning entitlement
https://feweek.co.uk/second-lle-short-course-trial-falls-short-on-recruitment/

Hope of more cash to re-engage hard-to-reach youth Councils wishing for extra funding from DfE 'intention' to extend pilot work programme for SEND learners

📆 Cash to help students with additional needs find work could be handed to councils again after ministers suggested extending an employment training pilot programme for another year

https://feweek.co.uk/hope-of-more-cash-to-re-engage-hard-to-reach-youth/

L3 clear-out: Hundreds courses get fewer than 10 students Simplifying post-16 study options by introducing V Levels will involve cutting funding for hundreds of qualifications with hardly any enrolments, data shows.

✂️ Simplifying post-16 study options by introducing V Levels will involve cutting funding for hundreds of qualifications with hardly any enrolments, data shows
https://feweek.co.uk/level-3-clear-out-hundreds-of-courses-get-fewer-than-10-students/

🕣 The long-awaited level 2 administration assistant apprenticeship has been pushed back again – possibly until August https://feweek.co.uk/level-2-admin-assistant-apprenticeship-sign-off-delayed-again/

🗞️This week's FE Week front page:

EHCP curbs trigger new duties for colleges
and
Level 2 admin apprenticeship still out of office

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#TomorrowsPapersToday

Minister moves to tighten grip on FE teacher training The Further Education (initial teacher training) Regulations 2026 set out new student data and curriculum requirements

🔎 Tighter scrutiny of FE teacher training to root out poor-quality courses has been put before MPs

https://feweek.co.uk/minister-moves-to-tighten-grip-on-fe-teacher-training/

‘Fundamentally wrong’: Greater Lincs approves ESOL cuts Plans to cut funding for English language lessons to avoid alleged “segregation” have been approved in Greater Lincolnshire, amid concerns harm to integration

🗣️ Plans to cut funding for English language lessons to avoid alleged 'segregation' have been approved in Greater Lincolnshire, amid concerns about “serious harm” to local community integration.

https://feweek.co.uk/fundamentally-wrong-greater-lincolnshire-leaders-approve-esol-cuts/

Kevan Collins to be Phillipson’s SEND delivery adviser Collins, already a senior DfE figure, will focus on white paper roll-out and reviewing how DfE 'engages with councils'

Kevan Collins has been appointed as the education secretary’s delivery adviser with a focus on SEND reform and reviewing how the department engages with councils https://feweek.co.uk/kevan-collins-to-be-phillipsons-send-delivery-adviser/

There is hope in SEND reform if we help steer what's next Imposing SEND solutions designed for schools on colleges comes with risks, but there is time to get proposals right, says Clare Howard

Improving outcomes for SEND learners must come alongside fair investment, accountability and genuine partnership with specialist colleges, writes Natspec CEO Clare Howard

https://feweek.co.uk/there-is-hope-in-send-reform-if-we-help-steer-what-comes-next/

Colleges face new legal duties through SEND overhaul Consultation proposes mandates for accountability agreements, staff training and tailored student support plans

✍️ Colleges will face fresh legal duties to produce new support plans for learners with SEND under proposed reforms that set out to reduce the number of young people receiving education, health and care plans

https://feweek.co.uk/colleges-face-new-legal-duties-through-send-overhaul/

SEND reforms spell diet EHCPs and red herring funding Replacing EHCPs with a three-tier system under SEND reforms could end Gladiators-style Gauntlet parents face

Replacing EHCPs with a three-tier system could end the Gladiators-style 'Gauntlet' battle that parents face, says Chris Quickfall of Cognassist
https://feweek.co.uk/send-reforms-spell-diet-ehcps-and-red-herring-funding/

Apprenticeships face an inclusion reality check across FE A 50% rise in apprentices declaring learning difficulties or disabilities is reshaping delivery

New ILR data analysis by Aptem shows a sharp rise in apprentices requiring additional learning support. Unless policy evolves, providers risk being judged on inclusion without being resourced to deliver it
https://feweek.co.uk/as-send-needs-rise-apprenticeships-face-an-inclusion-reality-check/