Vocational Schools News
Independent reporting on apprenticeships, further education colleges, training providers and the trades that keep Britain building.
What we cover
From bricklaying to biomedical science, vocational education is where most young people in the UK actually start their working lives. We follow the money, the policy and the people.
Policy & funding
How the Department for Education, the Institute for Apprenticeships and Ofsted shape what colleges can teach and who gets to learn.
Trades & industry
Construction, engineering, hairdressing, hospitality and care — the sectors hungry for skilled hands, and the employers training them.
Learner voices
Real apprentices and students on what works, what doesn’t, and what they wish someone had told them before they signed up.
This week’s headlines
- Apprenticeship starts rise 6% in construction — but plumbing vacancies remain stubbornly high across the North West.
- Ofsted praises college’s SEND provision after a two-year turnaround at a further education college in the West Midlands.
- New T-Levels in legal services launch this September at 42 providers across England.
- Employer levy underspend hits £400m — we ask where the money should go instead.
Our full news feed is updated every weekday morning. Browse all stories or filter by sector.
Got a story about a vocational school?
Teachers, learners, employers and parents — we want to hear from you. Tips are treated in confidence.