Josh Mellor
@joshmellor.bsky.social
Senior reporter at FE Week. Covering all things FE - training, apprenticeships and further education. [email protected].
Game over for the game-changing ‘single-licence’ T Level awarding model first recommended by Sainsbury in 2016?
It will avoid the confusion of thousands of qualifications they said, but has come at a cost to learners, awarding bodies, and taxpayers...
feweek.co.uk/officials-he...
It will avoid the confusion of thousands of qualifications they said, but has come at a cost to learners, awarding bodies, and taxpayers...
feweek.co.uk/officials-he...
Officials hesitate over V Level licence model
Ministers are still deciding whether V Levels will be developed under the same single-licence model as T Levels, a senior DfE official has revealed.
feweek.co.uk
November 28, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Game over for the game-changing ‘single-licence’ T Level awarding model first recommended by Sainsbury in 2016?
It will avoid the confusion of thousands of qualifications they said, but has come at a cost to learners, awarding bodies, and taxpayers...
feweek.co.uk/officials-he...
It will avoid the confusion of thousands of qualifications they said, but has come at a cost to learners, awarding bodies, and taxpayers...
feweek.co.uk/officials-he...
Plasters "torn off" on concerns about diluting apprenticeship assessments at a timely Federation of Awarding Bodies conference this week, with assurances from Skills England's deputy and Ofqual boss Sir Ian Bauckham.
feweek.co.uk/were-not-dil...
feweek.co.uk/were-not-dil...
‘We’re not diluting apprenticeships’: Skills England deputy hits back at assessment reform backlash
Incoming assessment reforms will not “dilute” or “dumb down” apprenticeships, a Skills England boss has claimed following a backlash from employers.
feweek.co.uk
November 28, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Plasters "torn off" on concerns about diluting apprenticeship assessments at a timely Federation of Awarding Bodies conference this week, with assurances from Skills England's deputy and Ofqual boss Sir Ian Bauckham.
feweek.co.uk/were-not-dil...
feweek.co.uk/were-not-dil...
A relatively small amount of capital funding released in April is forecast to open up thousands of new places in two northern regions over the next few years, to help cope with a spike in teenagers.
£30 million for 9,000 new places - value for money?
feweek.co.uk/dfes-20m-spi...
£30 million for 9,000 new places - value for money?
feweek.co.uk/dfes-20m-spi...
DfE’s £20m spike cash helps buy 9,000 student places
Emergency cash to cope with a teenage population spike will create around 9,000 extra college places across Leeds and Greater Manchester, it is forecast
feweek.co.uk
November 28, 2025 at 11:20 AM
A relatively small amount of capital funding released in April is forecast to open up thousands of new places in two northern regions over the next few years, to help cope with a spike in teenagers.
£30 million for 9,000 new places - value for money?
feweek.co.uk/dfes-20m-spi...
£30 million for 9,000 new places - value for money?
feweek.co.uk/dfes-20m-spi...
ICYMI: DWP plans to effectively nationalise the National Careers Service and bring up to 1,000 staff into new-look Jobcentres from October next year.
MPs say there is an "absence of information" about what these new careers advice offering Jobcentres will look like.
feweek.co.uk/new-look-job...
MPs say there is an "absence of information" about what these new careers advice offering Jobcentres will look like.
feweek.co.uk/new-look-job...
New-look Jobcentres to swallow up 1,000 careers advisers
Up to 1,000 staff employed by National Careers Service subcontractors are expected to transfer into the civil service next October.
feweek.co.uk
November 4, 2025 at 9:38 AM
ICYMI: DWP plans to effectively nationalise the National Careers Service and bring up to 1,000 staff into new-look Jobcentres from October next year.
MPs say there is an "absence of information" about what these new careers advice offering Jobcentres will look like.
feweek.co.uk/new-look-job...
MPs say there is an "absence of information" about what these new careers advice offering Jobcentres will look like.
feweek.co.uk/new-look-job...
Reposted by Josh Mellor
Always fascinating watching people underestimate the size of London vs other UK ciries.
On an average weekday, more journeys are made on JUST the Elizabeth line than the ENTIRE population of Liverpool.
If the Tube was a city, its average daily passengers would make it the 2nd largest in the UK.
On an average weekday, more journeys are made on JUST the Elizabeth line than the ENTIRE population of Liverpool.
If the Tube was a city, its average daily passengers would make it the 2nd largest in the UK.
October 28, 2025 at 7:58 AM
Always fascinating watching people underestimate the size of London vs other UK ciries.
On an average weekday, more journeys are made on JUST the Elizabeth line than the ENTIRE population of Liverpool.
If the Tube was a city, its average daily passengers would make it the 2nd largest in the UK.
On an average weekday, more journeys are made on JUST the Elizabeth line than the ENTIRE population of Liverpool.
If the Tube was a city, its average daily passengers would make it the 2nd largest in the UK.
Reposted by Josh Mellor
Starmer's speech was a major trail for the upcoming post-16 white paper:
- Regional improvement teams (presumably replacing or reporting to the FE commissioner) - £20m just been splashed on these for schools
- Some kind of national CPD offer for FE teachers (no sign of pay equality though)
...
- Regional improvement teams (presumably replacing or reporting to the FE commissioner) - £20m just been splashed on these for schools
- Some kind of national CPD offer for FE teachers (no sign of pay equality though)
...
FE to get ‘extra £800m’ next year as Starmer ‘scraps’ 50% uni target
PM replaces Blair’s mantra with a new goal that includes FE and apprenticeships and teases post-16 white paper plans
feweek.co.uk
September 30, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Starmer's speech was a major trail for the upcoming post-16 white paper:
- Regional improvement teams (presumably replacing or reporting to the FE commissioner) - £20m just been splashed on these for schools
- Some kind of national CPD offer for FE teachers (no sign of pay equality though)
...
- Regional improvement teams (presumably replacing or reporting to the FE commissioner) - £20m just been splashed on these for schools
- Some kind of national CPD offer for FE teachers (no sign of pay equality though)
...
Even though we know very little about the big skills shift to DWP, there was a fair bit to pack into this week's coverage: what's moving over? what's the secretary of state's vision? What's at stake? And what exactly are the risks and opportunities here?
feweek.co.uk/neets-top-mc...
feweek.co.uk/neets-top-mc...
NEETs top McFadden's DWP skills agenda
McFadden will seek to use his new powers over skills policy to curb 'wasted potential' from youth unemployment and cut the government’s growing benefits bill
feweek.co.uk
September 19, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Even though we know very little about the big skills shift to DWP, there was a fair bit to pack into this week's coverage: what's moving over? what's the secretary of state's vision? What's at stake? And what exactly are the risks and opportunities here?
feweek.co.uk/neets-top-mc...
feweek.co.uk/neets-top-mc...
Some helpful questions and considerations re the skills brief shifting to DWP/"Growth Dept"
1. Looks like skills is moving to DWP. What might this mean? I assume it's 19+ funding, which these days is the Adult Skills Fund (£1.5bn, 2/3 devolved to mayors) & apprenticeships (£3bn, inc small numbers of 16-19s). All Govt structures create silos. You need to pick least bad & work around them.
September 5, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Some helpful questions and considerations re the skills brief shifting to DWP/"Growth Dept"
Reposted by Josh Mellor
Breaking: Keir Starmer has shifted the skills brief out of DfE and into a new reported 'growth department' with the Department for Work and Pensions, led by @patmcfaddenmp.bsky.social
feweek.co.uk/skills-brief...
feweek.co.uk/skills-brief...
Skills brief to move out of DfE – reports
New 'growth department' expected to be created following Keir Starmer's reshuffle
feweek.co.uk
September 5, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Breaking: Keir Starmer has shifted the skills brief out of DfE and into a new reported 'growth department' with the Department for Work and Pensions, led by @patmcfaddenmp.bsky.social
feweek.co.uk/skills-brief...
feweek.co.uk/skills-brief...
Reposted by Josh Mellor
Breaking: The government is planning to pull the skills brief out of the Department for Education and move it to a new department feweek.co.uk/skills-brief...
Skills brief to move out of DfE – reports
New 'growth department' expected to be created following Keir Starmer's reshuffle
feweek.co.uk
September 5, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Breaking: The government is planning to pull the skills brief out of the Department for Education and move it to a new department feweek.co.uk/skills-brief...
Now widely reported the skills brief is moving to the DWP under Pat McFadden. A very interesting move.
Skills has been under the DfE since 2016, when it was moved from the business dept.
Seems unlikely this will include 16-19, but will it include both higher education and further education?
Skills has been under the DfE since 2016, when it was moved from the business dept.
Seems unlikely this will include 16-19, but will it include both higher education and further education?
September 5, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Now widely reported the skills brief is moving to the DWP under Pat McFadden. A very interesting move.
Skills has been under the DfE since 2016, when it was moved from the business dept.
Seems unlikely this will include 16-19, but will it include both higher education and further education?
Skills has been under the DfE since 2016, when it was moved from the business dept.
Seems unlikely this will include 16-19, but will it include both higher education and further education?
Over the summer FE Week took a look at college governance board minutes to see how many are published on a regular basis and how up to date they are. We found a mixed picture, so is it time to tighten up the rules?
feweek.co.uk/get-on-board...
feweek.co.uk/get-on-board...
Get on board and publish your minutes, says FE Commissioner
FE Week audit finds half of colleges have not published governor minutes this year
feweek.co.uk
September 5, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Over the summer FE Week took a look at college governance board minutes to see how many are published on a regular basis and how up to date they are. We found a mixed picture, so is it time to tighten up the rules?
feweek.co.uk/get-on-board...
feweek.co.uk/get-on-board...
Will be interesting to see whether Nottinghamshire County Council ignores/excludes/bans Nottinghamshire Live to the point that they don't provide right of reply comments for future stories, even if it's in their interest.
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
Reform local media ban is a glimpse of what may happen with Farage in power
As Nigel Farage attacked the state of free speech in the UK in front of a congressional committee in Washington DC, The Independent’s political editor David Maddox discusses Reform’s attitude to a fre...
www.independent.co.uk
September 5, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Will be interesting to see whether Nottinghamshire County Council ignores/excludes/bans Nottinghamshire Live to the point that they don't provide right of reply comments for future stories, even if it's in their interest.
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
This story touches on some ongoing issues for wider the FE sector:
Transparent decision making - should the DfE/college management come clean if they plan to sell off a town's only FE campus and agree a £7m grant?
feweek.co.uk/dfe-props-up...
Transparent decision making - should the DfE/college management come clean if they plan to sell off a town's only FE campus and agree a £7m grant?
feweek.co.uk/dfe-props-up...
MP criticises college group after another campus sale
WCG has now closed two sites since it merged in 2016
feweek.co.uk
September 5, 2025 at 11:03 AM
This story touches on some ongoing issues for wider the FE sector:
Transparent decision making - should the DfE/college management come clean if they plan to sell off a town's only FE campus and agree a £7m grant?
feweek.co.uk/dfe-props-up...
Transparent decision making - should the DfE/college management come clean if they plan to sell off a town's only FE campus and agree a £7m grant?
feweek.co.uk/dfe-props-up...
Reposted by Josh Mellor
💸 A new combined authority has finally dished out £6.5m in procured adult skills fund contracts following the withdrawal of a legal challenge that delayed the tender process feweek.co.uk/emccas-adult...
EMCCA's adult skills cash released after legal bid is ditched
But losing providers continue complaints that most winners are out-of-area
feweek.co.uk
September 4, 2025 at 12:32 PM
💸 A new combined authority has finally dished out £6.5m in procured adult skills fund contracts following the withdrawal of a legal challenge that delayed the tender process feweek.co.uk/emccas-adult...
Reposted by Josh Mellor
📚 Awarding organisations have warned they face fresh layers of bureaucracy after Ofqual confirmed plans to add new enforceable 'principles' to its bulging rulebook
feweek.co.uk/new-honesty-...
feweek.co.uk/new-honesty-...
New ‘honesty’ rules for awarding organisations in December
Awarding organisations required to act with honesty and integrity or face fines
feweek.co.uk
September 4, 2025 at 3:55 PM
📚 Awarding organisations have warned they face fresh layers of bureaucracy after Ofqual confirmed plans to add new enforceable 'principles' to its bulging rulebook
feweek.co.uk/new-honesty-...
feweek.co.uk/new-honesty-...
Reposted by Josh Mellor
A massive High Court trial against the Department for Education is approaching its final stages
A loss for the government could cost them around £60m
feweek.co.uk/marples-tria...
A loss for the government could cost them around £60m
feweek.co.uk/marples-tria...
Marples trial: Witnesses end with 3aaa ‘fraud’ scrutiny
Competence and motive of investigators challenged
feweek.co.uk
June 27, 2025 at 10:40 AM
A massive High Court trial against the Department for Education is approaching its final stages
A loss for the government could cost them around £60m
feweek.co.uk/marples-tria...
A loss for the government could cost them around £60m
feweek.co.uk/marples-tria...
Reposted by Josh Mellor
Shockingly little planning goes in to planning post 16 education places.
Colleges in some major cities are full already, and numbers are set to rise further.
Burnham, who has no official role in 16-19 education, is at least putting his money where his mouth is.
Colleges in some major cities are full already, and numbers are set to rise further.
Burnham, who has no official role in 16-19 education, is at least putting his money where his mouth is.
📈 Andy Burnham will use £10 million from his combined authority’s coffers to double the value of a special government grant to boost post-16 student capacity next year
feweek.co.uk/burnham-boos...
feweek.co.uk/burnham-boos...
Burnham boosts cash to solve FE capacity crisis
Andy Burnham will use £10 million from his combined authority’s coffers to double the value of a special government grant to boost post-16 student capacity
feweek.co.uk
June 7, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Shockingly little planning goes in to planning post 16 education places.
Colleges in some major cities are full already, and numbers are set to rise further.
Burnham, who has no official role in 16-19 education, is at least putting his money where his mouth is.
Colleges in some major cities are full already, and numbers are set to rise further.
Burnham, who has no official role in 16-19 education, is at least putting his money where his mouth is.
Both new @reformuk.bsky.social regional mayors have held their first public meetings this week.
Up in Greater Lincs on Weds, new mayor @andreajenkyns.bsky.social was surprised no public came to ask her questions (as they have a right to), maybe because the meeting was at 2pm?
Up in Greater Lincs on Weds, new mayor @andreajenkyns.bsky.social was surprised no public came to ask her questions (as they have a right to), maybe because the meeting was at 2pm?
June 6, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Both new @reformuk.bsky.social regional mayors have held their first public meetings this week.
Up in Greater Lincs on Weds, new mayor @andreajenkyns.bsky.social was surprised no public came to ask her questions (as they have a right to), maybe because the meeting was at 2pm?
Up in Greater Lincs on Weds, new mayor @andreajenkyns.bsky.social was surprised no public came to ask her questions (as they have a right to), maybe because the meeting was at 2pm?
Reposted by Josh Mellor
🧪 A healthcare and science specialist training provider has been judged ‘outstanding’ after inspectors found students 'excellently prepared for their future roles' feweek.co.uk/eureka-scien...
Eureka! Science trainer given Ofsted's highest grade
Inspectorate full of praise for 500 learner-strong provider's curriculum and teaching
feweek.co.uk
April 25, 2025 at 4:10 PM
🧪 A healthcare and science specialist training provider has been judged ‘outstanding’ after inspectors found students 'excellently prepared for their future roles' feweek.co.uk/eureka-scien...
“We’re in a position where information which is far more prejudicial to future proceedings is swirling on social media, and sadly, future juries are now far more likely to be exposed to that information than they are true information which is published in reputable news platforms.”
Top crime journalists have welcomed recent changes in the relationship between the press and the police but said transparency improvements “need to go faster”.
They suggested greater police openness could help stem the spread of misinformation around events like the Southport attacks:
They suggested greater police openness could help stem the spread of misinformation around events like the Southport attacks:
Southport knife attack misinformation due to police PR secrecy say crime journalists
Misinformation is being allowed to fill information vacuum left by police force PR officers, warn journalists.
pressgazette.co.uk
March 31, 2025 at 10:52 AM
“We’re in a position where information which is far more prejudicial to future proceedings is swirling on social media, and sadly, future juries are now far more likely to be exposed to that information than they are true information which is published in reputable news platforms.”
@transportforlondon.bsky.social think there might be an issue with your displays on the Liz line, this passing train stopped.
March 28, 2025 at 7:34 PM
@transportforlondon.bsky.social think there might be an issue with your displays on the Liz line, this passing train stopped.
Reposted by Josh Mellor
After revealing mayors have been told to cut their adult skills budgets, @joshmellor.bsky.social has been investigating where the axe will fall
While some are using banked underspends to protect budgets, others are planning huge cuts to procured contracts
feweek.co.uk/mayors-cut-i...
While some are using banked underspends to protect budgets, others are planning huge cuts to procured contracts
feweek.co.uk/mayors-cut-i...
Mayors dump adult education cuts on independent training providers
Up to two-thirds axed from devolved procured budgets
feweek.co.uk
March 21, 2025 at 9:21 AM
After revealing mayors have been told to cut their adult skills budgets, @joshmellor.bsky.social has been investigating where the axe will fall
While some are using banked underspends to protect budgets, others are planning huge cuts to procured contracts
feweek.co.uk/mayors-cut-i...
While some are using banked underspends to protect budgets, others are planning huge cuts to procured contracts
feweek.co.uk/mayors-cut-i...
🚨Mayors with devolved skills are handling gov cuts by protecting colleges & LAs while cutting training providers. Some aren’t happy. Qs:
🔹Impact on growth & DWP’s benefits bill?
🔹Top-slicing underspend or real cuts?
1/2⬇️
🔹Impact on growth & DWP’s benefits bill?
🔹Top-slicing underspend or real cuts?
1/2⬇️
March 21, 2025 at 12:09 PM
🚨Mayors with devolved skills are handling gov cuts by protecting colleges & LAs while cutting training providers. Some aren’t happy. Qs:
🔹Impact on growth & DWP’s benefits bill?
🔹Top-slicing underspend or real cuts?
1/2⬇️
🔹Impact on growth & DWP’s benefits bill?
🔹Top-slicing underspend or real cuts?
1/2⬇️