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Children's News Feed

Automatically curated from DfE announcements, education news, and sector updates.

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College free meals rate equalised with schools after sector campaign
Policy Jun 15, 2026

College free meals rate equalised with schools after sector campaign

Further education colleges will receive a 5p increase in free meals funding, ending a disparity that left them with lower reimbursement rates than schools. The government decision follows sustained pressure from sector leaders who argued the previous policy disadvantaged post-16 students from low-income households.

Farage proposes political oversight to curb diversity programmes in FE colleges
Policy Jun 15, 2026

Farage proposes political oversight to curb diversity programmes in FE colleges

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has announced intentions to appoint political monitors within further education colleges to restrict the promotion of diversity initiatives. The proposals would mark a significant intervention in FE sector governance, raising questions about institutional autonomy and the future of equality programmes in vocational education.

Skills body governance under scrutiny as PeopleCert pursues £3m from ex-City & Guilds chiefs
Skills & Employment Jun 15, 2026

Skills body governance under scrutiny as PeopleCert pursues £3m from ex-City & Guilds chiefs

The new owner of City & Guilds is asking 'relevant authorities' to help recover £3 million in allegedly unauthorised bonuses paid to former executives. The case raises significant questions about corporate governance and financial oversight within major awarding bodies that local authorities rely upon for vocational qualifications and skills training.

DfE to publish college enrichment framework following curriculum review
Policy Jun 13, 2026

DfE to publish college enrichment framework following curriculum review

The Department for Education is set to release new enrichment goals for colleges this week, following a curriculum and assessment review that highlighted inconsistent quality across the sector. The framework aims to standardise expectations and improve the student experience in further education.

Adult Skills Funding 2026-27: Rates Frozen as Earnings Thresholds Rise
Policy Jun 10, 2026

Adult Skills Funding 2026-27: Rates Frozen as Earnings Thresholds Rise

The government has announced that adult skills funding rates will remain frozen for 2026-27, despite rising earnings thresholds that determine learner eligibility. This creates fresh pressure on further education budgets as providers face higher costs without additional per-learner funding.

Colleges secure £80m funding to expand defence skills training
Skills & Employment Jun 9, 2026

Colleges secure £80m funding to expand defence skills training

Three further education colleges have been awarded funding from an £80 million defence skills programme to create additional vocational course places and develop new specialist facilities for learners entering the defence sector.

How Effective Mentorship Can Transform Early Years Workforce Development
Early Years Jun 9, 2026

How Effective Mentorship Can Transform Early Years Workforce Development

Jack Edwards, operations director at Swift Childcare, examines how strategic mentorship programmes can significantly enhance support for new practitioners in early years settings. Effective mentoring not only improves staff retention and confidence but also directly impacts the quality of care and education provided to young children.

'No dead ends': What the Dutch can teach us about tackling youth unemployment
Education Jun 7, 2026

'No dead ends': What the Dutch can teach us about tackling youth unemployment

The Netherlands has achieved one of the world's lowest rates of young people not in education, employment or training. This article explores how their approach to creating seamless pathways between learning and work could inform local strategies to reduce NEET numbers and support 16 to 24-year-olds into sustainable careers.

Graduate Brain Drain: One in Ten New Graduates Plan to Leave UK Amid Poor Job Prospects
Skills & Employment Jun 7, 2026

Graduate Brain Drain: One in Ten New Graduates Plan to Leave UK Amid Poor Job Prospects

New research reveals that one in ten recent UK graduates are planning to leave the country, citing bleak employment prospects. A leading researcher has described this as the 'worst time in 30 years' to leave university, raising serious concerns about graduate outcomes and the transition from higher education to employment.