Correspondence

DfE Update further education: 9 July 2025

Published 9 July 2025

Applies to England

© Crown copyright 2025

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dfe-update-9-july-2025/dfe-update-further-education-9-july-2025

Information: Adult skills fund: updates to rules and guidance for 2025 to 2026

We have updated 2 of our adult skills fund (ASF) guides for academic year 2025 to 2026. Read the ‘what’s new’ sections to see a full list of the changes.

The updates apply to all providers of education and training who receive ASF funding from DfE.

The changes reflect the recent announcements about the free courses for jobs construction expansion and the performance management rules.

If you have any questions after reading our guidance, you can contact us through the customer help portal.

Information: Maths and English condition of funding

We have made the maths and English condition of funding guidance for academic year 2025 to 2026 clearer following feedback from the sector.

The clarifications cover the:

  • need for institutions to help all eligible students make progress in English and maths
  • support institutions can draw upon for this, including targeted support from the FE Commissioner, DfE’s continuous professional development offer, and the Maths Hub Programme
  • role of exams in helping students make progress, meaning institutions should consider carefully which students to enter into November resit exams
  • role of stepping stones qualifications at Level 1 and below in helping students make progress

These clarify our expectations for how institutions should help students make progress in English and maths and the support they can draw on for this.

We have based the clarifications on evidence of effective practice in the sector which leads to better outcomes for students.

Information: English and maths continuing professional development available

We are pleased to announce the successful allocation of grants to deliver continuing professional development (CPD) for English and maths teachers and leaders. Please contact the successful organisations for more information on their CPD offers.

Information: The further education workforce data collection

The further education (FE) workforce statistics for the 2023 to 2024 academic year have now been published. 

The proportion of providers returning data this year has increased, and we will continue to work with the sector to ensure we achieve high quality returns, whilst working towards our ambition of 100% return rate.

We are now preparing for the 2024 to 2025 mandatory FE workforce data collection and wanted to inform you that we have made a change to the collection window.

The collection window for 2024 to 2025 will open Monday 29 September 2025 and will close Wednesday 26 November 2025.

We will issue further guidance and support in the autumn.

Thank you for your continued support.

Information: Discover the latest updates to the Apprenticeship Service

Learn how recent enhancements will streamline the payment process, by watching a recording of our recent webinar (hosted by Association of employment and learning providers) and see demonstrations of key training provider journeys, including: 

  • inviting small employers to register 

  • adding an apprentice (individualised learner record led option) 

  • choosing an employer 

  • understanding approvals expiry 

Watch now on our YouTube channel below.

DfE Payment Simplification

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