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‘New ways of doing FE’ inquiry: Experts give evidence to MPs

Staff pay is “killing” FE and T Levels are not yet a “gold standard” qualification, the education committee heard today as it kicked off a new inquiry into FE.

In the first oral evidence hearing this morning, the committee heard from college representatives, economists and FE policy experts on a range of issues concerning FE including chronic underfunding and GCSE maths and English resits policy.

The inquiry was first opened in January, which sought to explore the current reforms and challenges in further education such as pay gap between school and college teachers, maths and English GCSE resits, students’ mental health.

Here are some of the main takeaways:

‘Alphabet soup’ of FE qualifications

MPs began the hearing asking panellists what their assessment of the range of post-16 qualifications was and what can be done to improve it.

Principal and CEO of Hartlepool College Darren Hankey said FE has an “alphabet soup of different qualifications” that has been constantly tinkered with over the last few decades.

“I think there is an opportunity there to be a little bit clearer,” he told the committee.

David Robinson, director of post 16 and skills at Education Policy Institute (EPI) added: “There are three times as many qualifications within each subject area for vocational qualifications compared to academic qualifications. I think this complexity works against those who need most support that post-16 transition.”

Alice Gardner, chief executive at Edge Foundation, agreed that the landscape “can look quite confusing to a young person post-16”, adding that “some of that is a responsibility pre-16, so it’s really difficult to look at it in isolation”.

Gardner advised that school settings should be doing more to promote different career paths, which is underpinned by the Baker Clause that states that schools must allow colleges and training providers to tell students about non-academic routes.

“We’ve got quite a narrow curriculum that doesn’t encourage young people to really understand the routes and the pathways that might be available to them later,” she said.

Rob Nitsch, chief executive at Federation of Awarding Bodies, agreed with Gardner.

“I definitely think the Baker Clause is not working, it’s not sufficient,” he said.

“Where we do see it applied, it seems to work reasonably well. 16 per cent more apprenticeships in college, in school settings that actually push that.”

Parity of ‘input’ not ‘esteem’

When asked about how to achieve parity of esteem between academic and vocational pathways, Robinson said there should be more focus on “parity of inputs”.

“It used to be the case that technical qualifications were funded less than academic qualifications, despite the fact they have higher delivery costs. That has been improved in recent years,” he said.

He added that academic qualifications are more prevalent in school sixth forms where staff pay is higher than further education colleges, which teach more technical vocational pathways, and leads to deeper recruitment issues in FE.

He told the committee: “Vacancy rates in the FE sector around 10 times those that they are in the school sector. So I would rather we focus on parity of inputs. We may get closer to parity of esteem if we address some of those things, but I think parity of esteem on its own, I think can be a distraction.”

Hankey added that he didn’t really understand the issues around parity of esteem as vocational careers such as engineering, healthcare and hairdressing all need good academic knowledge.

“To be successful in a technical area, you need a good academic underpinning anyway. We could probably call all qualifications at level two and level three the same thing, because that would do away with the parity,” he said.

Are T Levels ‘gold standard’?

The committee also heard that T Levels model was “very rigid” and the T Level foundation year programme “was not doing well”.

When asked if T Levels were a gold standard qualification, as labelled by government and backed by the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review last week, Nitsch said it was “dangerous to stigmatise everything”.

“I think any qualification will have advantages and disadvantages. I think T Levels do a particular function. I think our focus should be on how we can make them work better,” he said.

He added: “The model that we’ve applied to T Levels is very rigid at the moment and I think it’s just a leap of faith to expect that to work across the whole of the economy.”

Gardner said that it would be “doing a disservice” to what could be a really useful pathway for young people to “paper over the cracks” of T Levels – the crack being high drop out rates and employer engagement.

“It feels like it’s very much in that guinea pig place and I get worried about young people being guinea pigs. We can’t afford to let any young person go through any qualification without being absolutely clear what the aims and objectives are and what they will get at the end of it.”

Robinson said his concerns with T Levels were over the scalability.

“Our research showed that retention was an issue for some students with 20 per cent of students with T levels being 20 per cent less likely to complete than students doing similar sized alternative qualifications, particularly disadvantaged students are more likely to drop out of T Levels.”

He added: “I think the transition program is definitely not gold standard, with only around 8 per cent of those on the transition program transitioning into T levels, and of those that do around the quarter drop out in the first year. So there’s clearly a lot of work to be done.”

Meanwhile, on the government’s pause on defunding BTECs to make way for T Levels, the panel agreed that it was important to retain alternatives to T Levels.

“And I think if we give young people a binary choice between T Levels and A-levels on one side, or being pushed down to lower level qualifications, and I think many more young people will end up not achieving a level three, which we know is associated with good outcomes for young people,” Robinson added.

Gardner added that for a “large majority” students that take BTECs and end up at university, retention is “good”.

‘We don’t know how well resits are working’

Regarding GCSE resits in FE, Robinson said there isn’t much evidence on how well the resit policies benefiting young people.

“We know very well that young people who pass at 16 more than progress to have higher levels of education. Fundamentally, I don’t think we know whether the same is true of students who re sit. And for me, that’s a really, really important evidence gap that we should be looking to fill,” he told the committee.

He also recommended a rethink around using the same resit policy for both maths and English.

“It may be that there’s more good practice that can be shared for literacy to improve standards across the board. For numeracy, I think probably the policy needs bit more of a wholesale rethink.”

Nitsch, who is also chair at the City of Portsmouth College, said the resit policy was an “utter nightmare” for his college.

“It has to close three out of its four campuses. It’s got 1,200 students that are due to sit do their resits, takes a whole day out of the programme, and 200 of those who’ve got SEND requirements as well, it destroys the delivery of education broadly across the college for a significant period of time.”

Pay is killing FE

In the second part of the evidence hearing, the committee heard about staff pay issues in the FE sector.

In January, the Department for Education released £50 million from the £300 million award to FE to fund staff pay rises as a one off grant.

Imran Tahir, research economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) estimated that the grant would translate potentially to a 3 per cent increase in pay relative to what it is today.

But Jo Grady, general secretary of the University and College Union, said that would “barely going to cover any car parking charges if people are even driving to work” nor the pay gap between FE teachers and schoolteachers.

“Staff in FE have really borne the brunt of this neglect,” she said.

She added: “I do not think it is over the top to say that it is killing FE. The quality of what can be delivered in the classroom is dependent on how staff are treated. The working conditions of staff are the learning conditions of students.”

Inflation-adjusted additional funding still results in funding fall

The IFS estimated that FE would need £200 million in real terms of additional funding every year.

Tahir calculated that if the government spends the £8.3 billion on 16 to 19 education, adjusted for inflation, up until 2027-28, it would result in a 4 per cent fall in per pupil funding.

If it spends the same unadjusted amount of £8.3 billion, it would result in a 8 per cent fall in per pupil funding.

David Hughes, chief executive at that Association of Colleges said it was a “really good estimate” but said it was difficult to assess because it doesn’t factor in learner choices.

“It could be that the IFS is underestimating, because they’ll be tending to do more technical courses which cost more, and therefore the average cost per student might be higher. And I think with the labour market getting tighter as well, we might see more young people who are in work coming back into FE colleges, and that could boost that pressure on the budget.

“The spending review has to recognise those numbers, because otherwise the sector is on its knees, it will be cataclysmic.”

Pupil premium for FE ‘would make a massive difference’

The committee was urged to consider the lack of a pupil premium for FE learners, which supports looked-after teenagers and care leavers beyond the age of 16.

Robinson said in the first evidence session that disadvantaged students finish college with lower grades – usually the equivalent of one A-level grade lower – because they started with lower grades.

“We also know that at the age of 16, disadvantaged funding falls by about a third. So those same students who one day at the end of at the end of secondary school were getting a certain amount of support just falls off when they then start their post-16 education.

“We need to think about supporting those students all the way through their education, from early years all the way through to 16 to 19 and beyond,” he said.

Hughes added that there is “no reason” or rationale for no pupil premium beyond the age of 16.

“That would make a massive difference for disadvantaged students.”

DfE shaves £500m off T Levels spending

The Department for Education is set to spend over half a billion pounds less than planned on T Levels due to low student recruitment, FE Week has learned.

New figures shared with Parliament by minister Janet Daby show the DfE expects to spend £1.247 billion on the new technical qualifications by the end of the 2024-25 financial year.

Previous ministers said the total spend from pre-2019 development through to the 2024-25 financial year was due to be £1.754 billion. Data from the government’s Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA), published by the DfE in January, revised this figure down to £1.653 billion.

The DfE claimed the huge new spending adjustment was solely down to lower-than-expected student enrolments.

The department told FE Week: “Costs have been adjusted to reflect the most up to date data on T Level student numbers, which has reduced the costs of the programme.”

The DfE, which confirmed the £1.247 billion includes capital funding, added that underspends are usually returned to the Treasury but can sometimes be reallocated to wider education priorities.

DfE made a saving

T Levels were launched in 2020 and are hoped to be the technical equivalent option to A-levels for 16- to 19-year-olds.

Around 1,300 students started a T Level in the first year of rollout and numbers have steadily increased each year, but at a much slower rate than predicted.

Figures published on Friday show that T Level starts grew 59 per cent in 2024-25, moving from 16,085 to 25,508. A similar growth rate was recorded in 2023-24.

Around 58,500 young people have started a T Level to date.

Catherine Sezen, director of education policy at the Association of Colleges, said the reduced spending figures “confirm that DfE made a saving on lower-than-expected T Level recruitment”.

However, she pointed out that “students who ended up taking other subjects in colleges were still funded, albeit at a different level”.

Sezen added: “While the numbers have not fully met the government’s initial expectations, there has been a steady increase in enrolments over the past five years and it is critical that funding levels are maintained to ensure there are sufficient T Level places to train the next generation of skilled labour in sectors such as health and digital.”

Gold standard?

T Levels have a pass rate of around 90 per cent but have also recorded drop-out rates of a third – much higher than other technical course options.

The new spending and starts figures come days after the independent curriculum and assessment review (CAR), led by Becky Francis, highlighted that, using 2023 data, just 2 per cent of 16- and 17-year-olds took T Levels.

Despite this, and the high drop-out rate, the CAR panel’s interim report backed the government’s view that T Levels are “the gold standard technical qualification”.

Anne Murdoch, senior adviser in college leadership at the Association of School and College Leaders, raised concern about the government’s level 3 reforms, which could remove funding from popular applied general qualification alternatives like BTECs.

She said: “Although the number of students studying T Levels is growing, this does not appear to be at the rate that was initially anticipated. This demonstrates the challenges involved in introducing a new system of qualifications, particularly one that also requires significant input from employers.

“While T Levels can grow and develop further as time goes on, our immediate concern is that the premature withdrawal of BTECs and other applied general qualifications risks leaving some young people without a pathway to future study or work in the meantime.

“This is likely to have a particularly big impact on students with special educational needs and those from disadvantaged backgrounds, as many of these students study BTECs before going on to work and higher education.”

Sumo Games apprenticeship arm crushes Ofsted inspection

A global game developer’s “advanced” apprenticeship training operation has been rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.

Sumo Digital Academy, which trains about 15 level 7 game programmer apprentices, underwent its first full inspection last month since launching in 2020.

Apprentices develop “very advanced technical knowledge” and “thoroughly enjoy” attending the Sheffield-based academy, where they work on Sumo Digital’s commercial projects, inspectors said.

Teachers, who have “considerable” academic and industrial experience, present complex new topics in an “exceptional” way.

Learners “develop swiftly” the new knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to become programmers or technical artists thanks to a “highly ambitious” curriculum and “meticulously” planned lessons.

Sumo Digital Academy, led by former Sheffield Hallam computer science professor Dr Jake Habgood, mainly recruits graduates with an art background or degree in STEM subjects who want to “change direction”.

It is part of Sumo Digital, which has helped develop games including the Hitman trilogy, Forza Horizon 4 and Call of Duty: Vanguard.

Commenting on the inspection outcome, Habgood posted on Linkedin: “Our industry isn’t having the greatest time at the moment, but it is hugely gratifying to see your team rise to a challenge and pull together to achieve a common goal.

“I don’t need anyone else to tell me that I have outstanding staff and outstanding apprentices as I’m lucky enough to work with them every day, but it’s validating to know that Ofsted agree.

“Many congratulations to all the staff, governors and students at the Sumo Academy – your dedication to creating an incredible learning experience has been recognised and is massively appreciated.”

Sumo Digital Academy was part of the trailblazer group that helped design the level 7 apprenticeship, which was approved by government in 2021.

Habgood told FE Week the government’s planned withdrawal of public funding for some level 7 apprenticeships will impact Sumo Digital Academy if it is applied to the game programmer course, adding that the company awaits a final decision “with considerable interest”.

He added: “It would be a great shame if level 7 apprenticeship funding was dropped across the board.

“This programme is an entry level opportunity for our industry, and without it an entire industry would be contributing to the apprenticeship levy with almost nothing in return.”

Inspectors wrote that apprentices develop “very advanced” technical knowledge and are able to clearly explain programming concepts, while those on the technical art route “demonstrate impressive technical knowledge”.

They added: “They thoroughly enjoy attending the academy, where they work in a real-work environment on commercial projects.

“They benefit greatly from working on projects where they are involved in the development and publication of games.

“Apprentices self-esteem grows considerably, and they feel an immense sense of pride when they see members of the public playing games they were involved in developing.”

Sumo Digital was founded in Sheffield in 2003 and is part of a group that has subsidiaries in England, India, the USA and Canada.

The company has about 1,700 employees globally.

The company is ultimately owned by Chinese internet giant Tencent, which reportedly paid £900 million for the purchase in 2021.

Labour’s youth policy challenge: Avoid short-termism for real change

Growing up in today’s world presents a unique set of challenges for young people. High levels of unhappiness, anxiety, and social inequality are just the tip of the iceberg. The reality is that young people are navigating an increasingly complex landscape marked by economic instability that drives poverty and decreased opportunity, as well as systemic issues such as inadequate education investment, limited social mobility, prejudice and discrimination, geographic disparities, and limited access to essential services.

Despite these challenges, young people possess incredible resilience, creativity, and potential. Investing in their well-being and supporting their development is not only a moral imperative but also a strategic necessity for the future of our society. By addressing the root causes behind rising youth unemployment and economic inactivity, we can unlock a wealth of opportunities that will benefit everyone.

As we approach the spring statement, it is crucial to recognise the importance of comprehensive and properly inclusive policy interventions. The shifts we need to make to improve the lives of young people and those most vulnerable in our communities feel like an open door for Labour’s Breaking Barriers to Opportunity mission. This mission can finally bring together years of piecemeal youth policy and build a comprehensive, cross-department, national-to-local strategy that, if done well, will make significant savings and sow the seeds for economic growth tomorrow and in the future.

However, we are beginning to see the risks that the Labour team may be falling into the trap of policy initiatives and short-termism over strategic long-term change management. Over the last eight months, we have heard about the change that is to come, that there is a strategy, and yet we are barraged with policy changes and updates on a near-daily basis. Those of us working closely with the system cannot always see that all departments are on the same page or that the contraindications of policy change are being robustly explored.

But there is cause for optimism. Some of the best questions are being asked by the teams working with ministers on education reform and the youth guarantee. There are questions being asked about what a youth strategy could look like, and young people have, in some part, a seat at the table.

So, if we are to hold onto the optimism as we head into tomorrow’s Spring Statement, what is it that would make some of the biggest shifts in youth unemployment and economic inactivity?

What we hope to see in the budget:

Set out a positive and inclusive vision for the country

It’s essential to create a vision that resonates with young people and positively influences how they feel about themselves and their futures. This vision should emphasise inclusivity, opportunity, and hope, ensuring that every young person feels valued and supported.

Join up all youth policy at a national government level

It’s time to appoint a senior adviser or minister for young people who can lead a centralised approach, working across key government departments (DfE, DWP, DCMS, MOJ, MHCLG, DHSC, and DBT) and with devolved leads. This role would ensure that national and local policies are cohesive, offer value for money, and deliver tangible benefits for young people everywhere.

Recognise that system change will take time, money, and partnership

Avoid short-term fixes and cuts to services that undermine long-term systemic change. Acknowledge that meaningful change requires sustained investment, collaboration, and patience. This approach will build a robust foundation for future generations.

Commit to doing the right thing by young people

Commit to making decisions that prioritises the well-being and development of young people, even when these decisions are challenging. Doing the right thing may not always be easy, but it is essential for creating a fairer and more prosperous society.

Skills Bootcamps Are Changing – What FE Colleges Must Know

Over the past year, the Skills Bootcamps landscape has seen significant changes. A shift in funding structures and increasing employer demand for AI and data skills are reshaping how colleges deliver Bootcamps. These developments present both challenges and opportunities for FE colleges looking to ensure their Bootcamps remain locally impactful, employer-aligned, and financially sustainable.

The devolution white paper highlights that from 2026, Skills Bootcamps funding will no longer be ringfenced, giving mayoral combined authorities greater control over how it is allocated. This shift means colleges should work more closely with regional authorities and employer bodies to shape provision effectively.

At the same time, Skills England is playing an increasing role in shaping policy, ensuring that adult skills training aligns with local and national workforce needs. As a result, FE colleges delivering Bootcamps should take a more strategic approach to employer engagement and curriculum planning.

Alongside policy changes, digital skills demand is accelerating. The World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report 2025 highlights that AI and machine learning specialists, software developers, and data analytics professionals are among the fastest-growing job roles.

What This Means for FE Colleges

While demand for Skills Bootcamps remains high – with over 42,000 learners enrolling in the period — only 37% secured a positive job outcome, according to the latest Department for Education data. This highlights the need for continuous refinement in how Bootcamps are structured, delivered, and aligned with employer needs.

FE colleges are approaching Skills Bootcamps in different ways, tailoring their models to fit regional priorities, student needs, and industry demand. Some institutions are revising their learner selection process to ensure participants are fully prepared for the intensity of a Bootcamp. Others are expanding employer engagement to improve graduate progression into jobs, while some are adjusting their delivery formats. Colleges looking to strengthen their Bootcamp models might be focusing on:

● Adapting to the new funding landscape by working with regional authorities to align Bootcamps with local skills priorities

● Strengthening employer engagement to ensure programmes lead to real job opportunities

● Expanding digital skills provision to include AI, data analytics, and emerging technologies that match job market trends

As Skills Bootcamps evolve, regional funding control and employer collaboration will shape their long-term success. Colleges that proactively align their programmes with industry needs, maintain strong learner support, and adapt to funding shifts will be well-positioned to drive stronger outcomes for students and local economies.

Join the Conversation – Expert Insights from Leading FE Colleges

To explore these shifts in more depth, Code Institute is hosting a webinar with FE leaders who have been successfully navigating these challenges.

In the webinar, Skills Bootcamps Are Changing – What FE Colleges Must Know, Allison Muggridge (Westminster Adult Education Service) and Pasquale Fasulo (City of Bristol College) will share practical insights on:

● How Skills Bootcamps fit into FE curriculum planning and how they’ve evolved

● DfE data insights – completion rates, employment outcomes, and how different providers compare

● The impact of funding devolution – what FE colleges need to prepare for

● Practical insights for employer engagement and curriculum integration

● Emerging digital skills trends – the rising demand for AI and Data analytics skills

Register for the Webinar

Whether your college already delivers Skills Bootcamps or is considering them for the future, join us to hear from sector leaders and gain insights into the future of Bootcamp delivery.

ASCL floats ‘3+ point’ grading scale for Ofsted and calls for reform delay

The Association of School and College leaders has floated the idea of a “3+ point scale” for Ofsted judgments, as it called on the government and inspectorate to delay reforms to 2026.

In its official response to Ofsted’s consultation on new report cards, the union warned moving to a five-point scale would leave “leaders in a worse position than they are now” and “undermine trust in the inspection process”.

The watchdog proposes judging schools and FE providers on a five-point grading system across up to 20 areas. The current system sees them given one of four grades across up to six areas.

Union would prefer binary ‘met/not-met’ approach

In its submission, ASCL said its “preferred approach” would be that schools and FE providers are “inspected against a binary model of whether they either meet or exceed, or don’t meet, statutory standards”.

But it recognised such a model was “not possible within the current legislative framework, which requires Ofsted to identify schools and colleges that are causing concern”.

The union acknowledged there was “no indication that the government is intending to introduce legislation which would enable our preferred approach”.

It would therefore “be comfortable with a model based on what we have called a ‘3+ point scale’”.

“This would enable Ofsted to meet its statutory requirements, and also enable the identification of exceptional practice, without the latter needed to be a graded judgement.”

Three-point grading system suggested

The approach would “consist of three grades for each evaluation area – causing concern, attention needed and secure – with exemplary practice in any area optionally included as a narrative description”.

At ASCL’s conference earlier this month, Ofsted chief Sir Martyn Oliver lashed out at the “most vocal critics” of his proposals, accusing them of seeking a “low-accountability system”.

In its response, ASCL said it “strongly” refuted the suggestion “that individuals or organisations who don’t support the proposals in this consultation are coming from a position of ignorance or misunderstanding, or are hoping for less accountability”.

“Many of us have studied these proposals carefully, and are committed to robust accountability for schools and colleges, but disagree that this approach is the right way to achieve that end.”

Reforms ‘nowhere near’ addressing weaknesses

Ofsted’s reforms were prompted by a coroner’s ruling in late 2023 that an inspection contributed to the suicide of headteacher Ruth Perry.

A review into Ofsted’s response by former chief inspector Dame Christine Gilbert found the watchdog appeared “defensive and complacent”, urging it to move away “from the discourse that ‘inspectors are never wrong’”.

But ASCL said it was “extremely disappointed that the proposals set out in this consultation go nowhere near addressing the serious weaknesses of the current system” outlined in the inquest and Gilbert review.

“While we strongly believe that the current system needs to change, we think the proposals set out here will leave school and college leaders in a worse position than they are now.

“They do not address the acute concerns about mental health and wellbeing, will lead to perverse incentives in the system, and will not provide more reliable information for parents.”

Five-point system proposal ‘biggest concern’

ASCL raised “particular” concerns that increasing the number of sub-judgment areas “will not reduce the stress and anxiety created by inspection”.

“This will create more grading, not less. This is contrary to Labour’s manifesto pledge and contrary to the messages from both the government and Ofsted in September 2024, when overall effectiveness judgements were removed.”

But the union’s “biggest concern is the proposed move from the current four-point grading scale to a five-point scale”.

“Far from addressing the concerns about school and college leaders’ wellbeing, this is likely to introduce even greater anxiety. We also fear it will mean less reliability between judgements: the proposed toolkits are wildly open to interpretation.”

Timeline ‘extremely problematic’

Ofsted has said that “nothing is set in stone” and insisted it will listen to consultation responses. But the watchdog has also said it has “clear plans to introduce changes in November”.

ASCL said this timetable was “extremely problematic”, and breaks the DfE workload protocol, which demands a lead-in time of at least a year for significant accountability changes.

The union pointed to the fact trials of the proposals are taking place at the same time as the consultation. This “reinforces the view of many of our members that these proposals are a fait accompli”.

It called for the current transitional arrangements – under which schools are only graded on the existing four-point scale for sub-judgments alone – to be extended. This would “give leaders time to prepare for the introduction of whatever the final approach looks like in September 2026”.

Chancellor to pour £600m into construction training

The chancellor has announced plans to invest over half a billion pounds into training new construction workers, including through 10 new ‘technical excellence colleges’, more skills bootcamps and financial incentives for foundation apprenticeships.

Ahead of next week’s spring statement, Rachel Reeves said the government hopes to train “up to 60,000 more engineers, brickies, sparkies and chippies” to hit Labour’s target of building 1.5 million new homes by the next general election in 2029.

The government hopes a multi-pronged investment package, announced by the Treasury today, will create a “steady flow” of construction workers to help meet the housing target.

The package includes manifesto-promised initiatives such as technical excellence colleges, plus £2,000 cash incentives for employers to “retain” foundation apprentices, alongside funding for already established measures such as construction work placements, skills bootcamps, and local skills improvement plans (LSIPs).

Reeves said the 1.5 million homes, new roads, rail or energy infrastructure would not be possible without tackling the “massive shortage” of tradespeople who “actually get the work done”.

Latest Office for National Statistics figures show that there are over 35,000 job vacancies in the construction sector and employers report that over half of vacancies can’t be filled due to a lack of required skills – the highest rate of any sector.

Reeves added: “We’ve overhauled the planning system that is holding this country back, now we are gripping the lack of skilled construction workers, delivering on our Plan for Change to boost jobs and growth for working people.”

College leaders have said the package announced today will help them “reduce barriers” to training including by filling staff vacancies .

Here’s what the Treasury has announced so far:

Technical excellence colleges

There will £100 million of “new investment” for ten technical excellence colleges, which will involve giving existing further education colleges “additional funding to create specialist facilities, equipment, and curriculum for construction courses to directly meet industry needs”, the Treasury said.

Around £80 million will be for capital and the remaining £20 million will be for revenue spending, with funds made available from 2025-26.

Ahead of Labour’s election victory, prime minister Keir Starmer said further education colleges would be able to bid to become “specialist” technical excellence colleges if they prove to Skills England that they can meet skills needs, lever investment from employers and utilise other local institutions.

Re-bootcamp

Skills bootcamps in construction are set to be expanded with £100 million in extra funding.

This follows the DfE pausing its national commissioning of bootcamps, although it will continue to fund them through ringfenced grants to mayors and local authorities next financial year.

The Treasury is yet to confirm who will oversee commissioning the newly announced funding for construction bootcamps.

Bootcamps, short sector-focused courses aimed at moving adults into new or better jobs, were first funded to boost employment and skills during the pandemic.

Up to £584 million was set aside for them between 2022 and 2025, but data on their success suggests that only a third of learners go on to gain a job in the field they trained in.

£2k foundation apprenticeships incentives

The Treasury says new foundation apprenticeships, launching in August this year, will be backed by an “additional £40 million” – the same amount that was first announced in October’s budget.

Construction will be one of the “key sectors” for foundation apprenticeships, with a new incentive of £2,000 available for employers who “take on and retain” a foundation apprentice.

Funding for training foundation apprentices will come from the growth and skills levy, currently known as the apprenticeship levy.

The Treasury has not confirmed how many £2,000 grants are available, but if the full £40 million is spent on the incentives then it will be used up with 20,000 places.

Industry placements

More than 40,000 construction industry placements will be funded by a £100 million contribution from the Treasury and £32 million from the Construction Industry Training Board.

The placements, aimed at addressing a so-called “leaky pipeline” of learners who “don’t progress into the sector” because they are not “site ready”, will be available to all level 2 and 3 learners, students on NVQs, BTECs, T Levels and advanced apprenticeships.

The CITB, a government-sponsored body funded by a levy on construction firms, will also “double” the size of its new entrant support team, which focuses on helping small businesses recruit apprentices. The team’s current size is unclear.

More construction courses in colleges

Colleges will see £165 million made available to deliver “more construction courses”.

It is unclear how this funding will be distributed, what conditions will be attached or when it will become available.

LSIP stimulus

England’s 38 local skills improvement plans (LSIPs) will receive £20 million to “form partnerships between colleges and construction companies”.

A key aim will be increasing the number of teachers with construction experience to “train the next generation of workers”.

Broken down, the funding equates to about £526,000 per LSIP area, similar to the £550,000 each employer representative body was paid to develop the plans between 2023 and 2025.

Capital pot ‘for employers’

The above initiatives add up to £525 million.

When asked how the £600 million figure was calculated, a Treasury spokesperson said there is also an £80 million capital pot to support employers to deliver bespoke training based on their needs. Officials are yet to elaborate.

Cash injection will help colleges fill vacancies

Anna Dawe, principal of Wigan and Leigh College, said: “Our college boasts a strong and comprehensive offer across professional construction and construction trades, but currently there are real barriers to us and our employer partners being able to do more.

“Investment to reduce those barriers and enable us to offer additional pathways into such an important sector is very welcome.

“We see the high demand amongst young people wanting to enter the construction sector, adults looking to upskill and employers wishing to secure the right skills so a targeted strategy such as this has the potential to reduce the number of young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs), remove barriers to training and contribute to productivity in our locality.”

Jerry White, principal of City College Norwich, Paston College and Easton College added: “We have just opened a new construction skills hub and this will enable us to fill it with the staff required to teach the students and apprentices of the future.

“Any increase in funding will help us pay staff at the industry standard rate, meaning we can truly recruit the best people for these roles.

“The Department for Education’s workforce survey last year showed one in 10 teaching roles in construction in colleges was vacant – this funding will help us address that.”

MOVERS AND SHAKERS: EDITION 491

Charlotte Bosworth

Board Member, Youth Employment UK

Start date: March 2025

Concurrent Job: Managing Director, Innovate Awarding

Interesting fact: Wake her up before you go-go! Charlotte has seen Wham! and George Michael nine times

Mark Trewin

Start date: February 2025

Managing Director, Focus Training Group

Previous Job: Principal – Adult Education and Skills, Plymouth City Council

Interesting fact: Mark discovered a passion for cycling during the pandemic and has since raised over £4,000 from charity rides for Jeremiah’s Journey. His most recent challenge involved cycling over 100 miles in a single day across Devon

Michael Englard

CEO, Skills Builder Partnership

Start date: March 2025

Previous Job: Registrar, London Interdisciplinary School

Interesting fact: As a student, Michael briefly appeared with Gwyneth Paltrow and an appropriate 1950s haircut in the film Sylvia

John Cope

Board Member, Youth Employment UK

Start date: March 2025

Concurrent Job: Senior Counsel, PLMR

Interesting fact: John is a familiar figure in the education conference circuit with previous roles at UCAS and the CBI. His working career started as a dog groomer at age 15.

T Level starts grew 59% to 25,500 in 2024-25

Over 25,000 young people started a T Level in the fifth year of the government’s flagship qualification rollout.

This marks a 59 per cent increase on the previous year – a rate of growth that a qualifications expert has said is not high enough for the courses to “become the dominant technical offer”.

Early years, health and business and admin remain popular T Levels with the majority of starts in 2024-25, according to transparency data published by the Department for Education this morning.

The number of learners starting T Levels grew from 16,085 in 2023-24 to 25,508 in 2024-25. Over this period more than 100 more providers came on board to deliver the qualifications, rising from 254 to 367.

The rate of growth in student numbers was similar to the year prior (58 per cent).

A DfE update today said the numbers shows “real progress in extending the opportunities T Levels provide to more young people”.

Today’s data shows courses such as digital business services and healthcare science continue to struggle to attract learners. They attracted just 71 and 136 students respectively, despite launching three years ago.

It comes as the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education today confirmed that the healthcare science T Level will be scrapped from 2026-27 and will consolidate the content within the wider health and science route. The DfE has also scrapped plans to launch T Levels in beauty and catering.

Rob Nitsch, chief executive of the Federation of Awarding Bodies, said: “We’re seeing an improvement, which is encouraging but it’s not the exponential increase needed for T Levels to become the dominant technical offer.”

Earlier this week, the independent curriculum and assessment review, led by Becky Francis, highlighted that, using 2023 data, just 2 per cent of 16 and 17 year olds took T Levels.

Catherine Sezen, director of education policy at the Association of Colleges, said: “While there has been a steady increase in enrolments over the past five years, the numbers have not fully met the government’s initial expectations.”

This is the first year that DfE has provided a breakdown of T Level starts by the 21 individual pathways rather than route.

Of the T Levels debuting this academic year, the animal care and management pathway was the most popular with 1,281 starts. Craft and design, a new part of the creative and design route, only garnered 136 starts.

Meanwhile, the new media, broadcast and production T Level has 600 starts.

Nearly 5,000 learners onboarded onto the education and early years T Level in September, the largest cohort this academic year followed by 3,772 learners on the health T Level and 2,054 digital production, design and development.

Students opting for the health and science route has grown since it was offered in 2021-22, when 1,600 learners started on the health and science route, increasing to 2,819 last year. Overall, there were 4,273 entries on the route this year.

DfE will also be making changes to the content and assessment of the digital, construction and education & early years T Level routes, including streamlining the core content and getting rid some the amount of assessments in specific T Levels.

Sezen said there are two key barriers to T Level uptake: “Accessibility, due to overlapping content and extensive assessments, and placement capacity. The introduction of Generation 2 T Levels in 2025 aims to address the first challenge by streamlining content and reducing the volume of assessments.

“Placements provide invaluable experience for students. While recent changes have been helpful, we have been consistently asking for a clear plan to get more employers involved in all types of programmes to ensure there are enough placements available.”

Today’s data also shows take up of the T Level foundation year rose by a third from 6,900 to 9,228 learners this year studying at 162 providers.

This is the first year of the name rebrand for the qualification; it was previously called the T Level transition programme.

The most popular was the health and science foundation course, with 2,133 starts. The lowest take up was the legal, finance and accounting, which attracted just 25 students.

DfE declined to comment.