Are students at risk of gang attacks following FE college mergers? Julia Belgutay writes about growing fears that area reviews could exacerbate gang-related tensions - and even force many learners to drop out of further education altogether.

Also in this week’s TES FE edition, editor Stephen Exley welcomes proposed new legislation that would outlaw the outdated snobbery that has plagued FE for years. Adi Bloom finds herself in the audience of a theatre production at Westminster City College designed as an anti-radicalisation strategy to help the comply with Prevent requirements, while Ferret snoops on an unprecedented case of a college group getting special tratment - and separate funding streams  - from the Skills Funding Agency.

Richard Bradford, an FE college governor, argues the case for transforming colleges into self-organised learning environments and creating “colleges in the cloud”, while our columnist Sarah Simons contends that wearing high heels to work just to project power and rank is outdated nonsense.

Finally, Graham Flower sheds light on what it takes to be a great leader (such as identifying the talents of the individuals in your charge), and Learning and Work Institute chief David Hughes opens up about the “radical changes” affecting the sector.

All this and much, much more in this week’s TES FE edition.

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