- Around 70,000 students across the country set to benefit as
government introduces new Regional Improvement Teams to help
underperforming colleges to turn things around.
- Teams will make sure colleges meet skills needs in their
communities – supporting local jobs and growth
- Part of renewed national effort to improve standing of
further education and deliver Prime Minister's target for
two-thirds of young people to participate in quality higher-level
learning by age 25.
Around 70,000 college students will benefit from new Regional
Improvement Teams in new standards push, which will help to break
the link between background and success through the government's
Plan for Change
Government will also invest nearly £800m extra into funding for
16–19-year-olds next year (2026-7). Coming from the existing
Spending Review settlement, this funding will support an
additional 20,000 students.
This build on ambitious reforms announced in the Post 16
Education and Skills White Paper to ensure young people get good
jobs and build better futures. It includes measures to support
all colleges to drive up standards including new structured
professional development for FE teachers and an expectation
for colleges to deliver at least 100 hours of face-to-face
English and maths teaching for those who haven't passed those
GCSEs, supported by targeted funding.
The new Regional Improvement Teams will analyse colleges'
performance in delivering on the priorities of a local area,
including the skills local people need and improving outcomes for
young people with special educational needs and disabilities
(SEND). These changes will help tens of thousands of young people
achieve and thrive.
All colleges will get access to best practice guidance and
performance data and those with identified problems will get
targeted support, including peer mentoring.
Made up of sector and industry experts, teams will offer support
and advice for improving individual college performance, building
stronger collaboration between colleges and universities in
responding to local skills needs.
The teams will be rolled out nationally by the next academic year
to break down barriers to opportunity for around 70,000 young
people – with plans to reach underperforming colleges across the
country.
Education Secretary said:
“Every young person deserves a brilliant education, and these new
teams will help to drive improvements and share best practice in
colleges across the country.
“By providing targeted support where it's needed most, we're
delivering on our commitment to break down barriers to
opportunity and give young people the best possible start in
their careers.
“This is about raising aspirations, improving outcomes and
building the skilled workforce Britain needs for the future
through our Plan for Change."
The government is also changing the rules so that for the first
time, formal intervention to change the leadership of a college
can also be triggered if Ofsted judges that a
college's contribution to meeting local skills needs
requires ‘urgent improvement'.
These changes are a key part of plans to drive up the standard of
further education across the country and put it on an equal
footing to university – helping to deliver the Prime Minister's
new target for two-thirds of young people to participate in
quality higher-level learning by age 25.
Last week, the Education Secretary visited City of Sunderland
College, part of Education Partnership North East, to launch the
new North East Construction Technical Excellence College (TEC).
The colleges in the partnership faced significant financial and
performance challenges, but with the support of advisers,
including incoming FE Commissioner Ellen Thinnesen OBE, the group
has implemented a ‘Changemaking Curriculum' aligned to regional
and national priorities and focused on preparing students for
employment, further study or independent living.
This regional collaboration as part of the Government's TECs
programme is an example of the work to raise standards and
outcomes – which Regional Improvement Teams will supercharge as
they are rolled out across the country.
Chief Executive of Education Partnership North East Ellen
Thinnesen OBE said:
“Regional Improvement Teams will enable us to have a more
structured approach to raising standards and meeting area need in
every part of England.
“I am hugely looking forward to starting as Further Education
Commissioner and working with sector colleagues across the
country to drive improved outcomes for young people.”
Similar to the support offered by new RISE teams in schools, new
guidance published today (10 November) outlines how support will
be matched to the level of need in colleges. Those falling the
furthest below expected standards will get intensive intervention
including regular monitoring visits and mandatory action plans.
The changes follow the move away from single headline Ofsted
grades for colleges, with intervention now based on where Ofsted
assesses that ‘urgent improvement' is needed at provider level,
retaining high standards of accountability.
