Key challenges facing the FE sector
Defining the FE Sector
There are currently 266 institutions within the FE sector. Table 1 below highlights the current composition of these institutions. The sector delivers a mix of academic and vocational qualifications such as apprenticeships, BTECs, A-levels, basic skill courses and higher education courses aimed at both young (16-18) and adult (19+) students. In England, providers receive public funding of around £7bn to educate and train four million learners, more than half of whom are taught through FE colleges, whilst 700 charitable and commercial providers teach the remaining students.
Table 1
• General FE colleges (GFEs)• Specialist colleges (for example land based or residential special educational needs);
• Independent Training Providers (ITPs) some of whom are part of the charitable or “Third” sector;
• Work Based Learning (WBL);
• Adult and Community Learning (ACL); and
• Education and training in the justice sector [prisons and Young Offender Institutes] for offenders and young offenders.
2. Material challenges facing the FE sector
Since 2010, the adult skills budget has fallen in cash terms. Against this tight funding backdrop,
there have also been significant policy changes. Collectively this has and will continue to create a series of challenges for the FE sector. These are described in table 2 below.