We’re backing Ofsted’s reforms – but unresolved risks include inconsistent grading and the challenge of defining ‘exemplary’ practice The latest Ofsted reforms mark a turning point in the way providers are evaluated, with initiatives like the five-day notice period for Ofsted inspections and the new Ofsted report card format being widely welcomed. However, the Fellowship […]
Following consultation from FIN members through working groups and surveys, FIN submitted our response to Ofsted’s consultation on 28th April 2025. We are proud to be a voice for our members, shaping the way Ofsted inspects education in the FE and Skills sector. Please read our full submission below. Improving the Way Ofsted Inspects Education […]
Outstanding or questionable?We’ve known for some time that some providers carefully select which learners will take national examinations, thereby maintaining high success rates. This inspection extract is from an outstanding college, published in May. It’s an approach you may or may not agree with, but it meets the learner’s best needs. “Leaders and managers have […]
There’s already evidence of employers favouring over-19s so we must look now at improving the functional skills offer for 16-18s. After the initial euphoria following the government’s announcement about the removal of mandatory functional skills qualifications for adult apprentices, the reality has set in. While framed as a success, the decision raises several concerns. Is this a […]
Looking at inclusion in the new inspection framework? The draft proposals for the new inspection framework have been available for a while now although they appear far from finalised or proposals for grading agreed. We do know the new structure is going to feature inclusion as a key driver. An outstanding provider report had this […]
Use of assessment strategies? Too often, leaders believe tutors understand the effective use of assessment only to find out their beliefs are ill-founded too late. At a recent inspection, while tutors use questioning well, the dreaded ‘however’ describes a different story. “However, too many tutors on courses for young people do not routinely check students’ […]
It was July last year when we at the Fellowship of Inspection Nominees started hearing complaints from members (mostly judged good or outstanding by Ofsted) that their funding for 2024-25 was under threat. The Education and Skills Funding Agency had instructed them to stop taking on new apprentices for certain programmes. In some cases providers […]
Do you have too many eggs in the one basket? During the past two months, there has been a significant increase in new providers, with44 new training providers, increasing the number of players on the pitch and spreadingrecruitment more thinly. Almost all of these are Independent Learning providers, and nearlyall offer boot camps. It’s worth […]
Following the announcement from the Department for Education regarding the removal of Functional Skills exit requirements for adult apprentices, we discussed the new rules, shared fresh analysis, and provided guidance for providers from a quality perspective. In partnership with the Fellowship of Inspection Nominees (FIN), this free webinar featured an in-depth analysis by Aptem – […]
The Fellowship of Inspection Nominees (FIN) secured another major policy win this week when @Ofsted announced as part of its reforms that every school in England will be asked to nominate a senior staff member to “work closely with the inspection team” in addition to the headteacher. This followed Ofsted crediting FIN in its Big […]
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