Around 70,000 college students are set to benefit from a major government initiative aimed at driving up standards in further education. Under the Plan for Change, new Regional Improvement Teams will be introduced to break the link between background and success, ensuring every young person has the opportunity to thrive.
The government will also invest nearly £800 million extra into funding for 16–19-year-olds in the 2026–27 academic year. This funding, drawn from the existing Spending Review settlement, will support an additional 20,000 students.
These measures build on the ambitious reforms announced in the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, designed to help young people secure good jobs and brighter futures. Key changes include:
- Structured professional development for Further Education (FE) teachers.
- A requirement for colleges to deliver at least 100 hours of face-to-face English and maths teaching for students who have not passed GCSEs, backed by targeted funding.
- Enhanced support for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The new Regional Improvement Teams, made up of sector and industry experts, will analyse college performance against local priorities, including skills needs and outcomes for SEND learners. Colleges will gain access to best practice guidance and performance data, while those facing challenges will receive targeted support such as peer mentoring and intensive intervention.
For the first time, formal intervention to change college leadership can be triggered if Ofsted judges that a college’s contribution to meeting local skills needs requires ‘urgent improvement’. This shift moves away from single headline grades, focusing instead on areas needing rapid progress.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson 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 Education Secretary’s recent visit to City of Sunderland College highlighted the success of regional collaboration through the Technical Excellence Colleges programme, which aligns curricula with local and national priorities.
These reforms aim to put further education on an equal footing with universities, supporting the Prime Minister’s target for two-thirds of young people to participate in quality higher-level learning by age 25.
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