Help and support for colleges

Support from the FE Commissioner and her team is not limited just to colleges or designated institutions in intervention. The FE Commissioner and her team of deputies and advisers have a wealth of further education practitioner experience and are available to support continuous improvement at all stages.

Any college that would like to request an informal discussion with the FE Commissioner or her team to explore what further Active Support might be available may do so at any time. These conversations will be advisory in nature and would form a good starting point for any reflection on further support a college or designated institution might find helpful.

Informal, supportive conversations can be requested by emailing fe.commissioner@education.gov.uk.

The ‘Principals Intervention Support Group’ is a solutions focussed peer support group, available to the principals of all colleges in intervention and post-intervention, monitoring and support (PIMS). The group is chaired by a current CEO of a college in intervention and will meet on a monthly basis. The purpose of the support group is to discuss concerns, share experiences and to provide a connection to other principals in a similar position. The FE Commissioner and DfE will not be involved in the administration of this group and will not be present at the meetings, unless requested to attend by the group.

You can request further information on the network by emailing fec.operations@education.gov.uk or by contacting your territorial team.

TailoredThe supportFE Commissioner’s team is developing a range of specialist Active Support, separate from intervention, available for all colleges and designated institutions which can includebe helptailored to understandsuit specific need and addresscircumstances. This can include help to understand specific issues or challenges and to improve what is already working wellwell. inIt is likely a college.college or designated institution would first request an informal, supportive conversation, as outlined above, as a precursor to requesting and agreeing any further package of tailored support.

A key element of tailored supportActive Support will be toworking signpost,closely promotewith FE sector agencies and sharecolleges, signposting, promoting, and sharing examples of effective practices fromthat we have identified through our FE Commissioner team and Annual Strategic Conversations.

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Tailored Active Support is available on request by contacting fe.commissioner@education.gov.uk.

A moved,diagnostic basedassessment onis feedbacka comprehensive review of a college, undertaken by practitioners from the FE collegeCommissioner’s sector,team. Practitioners will use their expertise to lighter-touchconsider the college’s governance, financial, and quality plans and provide suggestions and recommendations, where appropriate, that would lead to improvement. It enables the FE Commissioner to support fromthe the FE Commissioner.college’s or designated institution’s senior leadership team and the board in considering how further improvements might be achieved.

Further information on tailoreddiagnostic supportassessments can be found on GOV.UK.

TailoredFE Activeproviders Supportcan iscontact availablethe onFE requestCommissioner to discuss whether a diagnostic assessment would be useful and to progress any formal request. This can be arranged by contactingemailing fe.commissioner@education.gov.uk.

National Leaders of Further Education (NLFE) are serving college senior leaders who have a strong track record of delivering improvement, both at their own colleges and in working with others. They provide peer-led mentoring and support to colleges.

Further information and a list of current NLFEs can be found on GOV.UK.

Colleges seeking support from an NLFE should email fec.operations@education.gov.uk.

National Leaders of Governance (NLG) are experienced college governors and governance professionals with a strong record of supporting college improvement. They provide peer-led mentoring and improvement support to governing boards.

Further information and a list of current NLGs can be found on GOV.UK.

Governing bodies seeking support from an NLG should email fec.operations@education.gov.uk.

Structure and prospects appraisals (SPAs) are a framework which enable colleges considering options to restructure. The FE Commissioner team can provide support to do this in a clear, objective, and evidence-based way.

Further information on SPAs can be found on GOV.UK.

You can request a SPA or discuss whether it would be helpful by emailing fec.operations@education.gov.uk.

CEFSS is a tailored support package designed to flexibly meet the requirements of all types of colleges, rather than a ‘one-size-fits-all’. The aim of CEFSS is to make a positive difference to colleges that may require help with costed curriculum and financial planning, and to raise awareness of effective practice which they can use and could be shared within the sector. Any suggested actions given through the help and support are advisory and it is up to the individual college to decide whether to implement any of the advice through their senior leadership team and board of governors.

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Further information onavailable CEFSSfrom canautumn be found on GOV.UK.2022.

CEFSS can be accessed throughout the year by a direct request from a college to a member of the FEC team or the DfE Territorial Team, or they can contact the FEC team to request more information on CEFSS by emailing FEC.OPERATIONS@education.gov.uk.

FE Commissioner local provision reviews (LPRs) assess options for changing the provision or structure of multiple institutions in a local area. LPRs make recommendations on the best way of achieving long-term sustainable provision.

You can request further information on LPRs by emailing fec.operations@education.gov.uk or by visiting the college oversight: support and intervention page on GOV.UK.

Support is available to governing bodies in their recruitment and selection panels for CEO/principals, other senior posts, or Chair of Board appointments.

Where it might be helpful, a request can be made for a member of the FE Commissioner team or NLG to join a selection panel to support decision making.

Support can be requested by emailing fe.commissioner@education.gov.uk.

Support available from the Department for Education

• Strategic Development Fund

National programme of grant funding open to local collaborations of FE providers, including general further education colleges, sixth form colleges and designated institutions in England, as well as independent training providers.