Main findings: further education and skills inspections and outcomes as at 31 August 2025
Published 20 November 2025
Applies to England
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/further-education-and-skills-inspections-and-outcomes-as-at-31-august-2025/main-findings-further-education-and-skills-inspections-and-outcomes-as-at-31-august-2025
Framework changes
This release marks the final official statistics based on Ofsted’s previous education inspection framework.
Following the recent consultation on improving the way Ofsted inspects education, all future official statistics will reflect the renewed framework.
Reports and data produced under the previous framework remain available on the Ofsted statistics website for reference.
This is the main findings report for the further education and skills inspections and outcomes as at 31 August 2025 release. The following are also available:
- underlying data, tables and charts
- methodology
- pre-release access list
Summary
This release contains:
- provisional data for the most recent inspections and outcomes as at 31 August 2025
- provisional data for inspections and monitoring visits carried out between 1 September 2024 and 31 August 2025
As at 31 August 2025, 97% of further education (FE) and skills providers had received a full inspection or new provider monitoring visit (NPMV). The remaining providers will be inspected within the time frames set out in our inspection handbook.
Between 1 September 2024 and 31 August 2025, we carried out 392 full inspections, 37 short inspections and 133 NPMVs. [footnote 1]
As at 31 August 2025, 82% of prison and young offender institutions (YOIs) were judged requires improvement or inadequate for overall effectiveness of education, skills and work provision.
Provider numbers
There were 1,914 FE and skills providers publicly funded and delivering education, training and/or apprenticeships recorded on Ofsted’s systems as at 31 August 2025.
As at 31 August 2025, the number of FE and skills providers publicly funded and delivering education, training and/or apprenticeships recorded on Ofsted’s systems was 53 less than on 31 August 2024. However, the overall number has remained broadly stable since 2021.
This year, an additional 87 providers became publicly funded and started delivering education, training and/or apprenticeships. Of the 87, 78 were independent learning providers or employer providers. We stopped reporting on 140 providers this year, because they either merged, ceased to be funded or stopped delivering education, training and/or apprenticeships. Ninety-five percent of the 140 were independent learning providers or employer providers.
As at 31 August 2025, 87% of FE and skills providers had received a full inspection, and 10% had received an NPMV. The remaining 3% of providers will receive their NPMV within the time frames set out in our inspection handbook. At 3%, the proportion of providers not yet inspected is the lowest proportion since the introduction of the apprenticeship funding reforms in 2017.
In-year inspection volumes and outcomes
In-year inspection volumes
Between 1 September 2024 and 31 August 2025, we carried out 392 full inspections. [footnote 2]
The 392 providers that received a full inspection this year were made up of:
- 58% independent learning providers (including employer providers)
- 19% colleges
- 8% higher education institutions
- 7% independent specialist colleges
- 6% adult community education providers
- 2% 16 to 19 academies
Overall, of the full inspections:
- 119 (30%) were of providers receiving their first full inspection
- 172 (44%) were of providers previously judged good or outstanding
- 101 (26%) were of providers previously judged requires improvement or inadequate
During the same period, we carried out 37 short inspections of providers that were previously judged good or outstanding and retained the same grade.
Inspection activity differs from year to year, and providers selected each year may not be representative of the whole sector. Therefore, comparisons of inspection outcomes across different years should be made with caution.
This year, 30% of full inspections were of providers receiving their first full inspection. This is an 8-percentage-point decrease compared with 2023/24, an 18-percentage-point decrease compared with 2022/23 and a 36-percentage-point decrease compared with 2021/22.
In addition, at 26%, the proportion of providers having a full inspection that were previously judged requires improvement or inadequate was an 11-percentage-point increase compared with last year.
We carried out 123 NPMVs between 1 September 2024 and 31 August 2025. In addition, we carried out 10 follow-up safeguarding monitoring visits to new providers that were judged to be making insufficient progress in safeguarding at their NPMV.
In-year inspection outcomes
Eighty-five percent of providers that had a full inspection this year were judged good or outstanding for overall effectiveness.
The interaction between overall effectiveness and the key judgements follows a similar pattern to that seen in previous years.
Figure 1: Full inspection outcomes, 2024/25
1. Number of inspections in brackets.
2. Percentages are rounded and may not add to 100.
View data in an accessible table format.
In-year NPMV judgements
This year, 94% of new providers were judged to be making at least reasonable progress across all themes at their NPMV. This is the highest proportion since the introduction of NPMVs in 2018.
Of the 123 NPMVs carried out this year, 116 providers were judged to be making at least reasonable progress across all themes and 7 were judged to be making insufficient progress in 1, 2 or all themes (see Figure 2).
Figure 2: In-year new provider monitoring visit outcomes, over time
1. Number of NPMVs in brackets.
2. Excludes follow-up safeguarding visits.
3. Percentages are rounded and may not add to 100.
View data in an accessible table format.
All providers were judged to be making at least reasonable progress in safeguarding at the 10 follow-up safeguarding visits we carried out this year.
Most recent inspection outcomes
As at 31 August 2025, 88% of FE and skills providers were judged good or outstanding for overall effectiveness at their most recent inspection.
This year, 82 providers improved from requires improvement or inadequate to good or outstanding for overall effectiveness. Nineteen providers declined from good or outstanding to requires improvement or inadequate. Providers that had been inspected and stopped delivering education, training and/or apprenticeships this year were more likely to be requires improvement or inadequate at the point of stopping delivery.
The improvement seen when reinspecting providers previously judged requires improvement or inadequate, coupled with providers with poorer inspection outcomes being more likely to cease delivery, has had a positive impact on the proportion of FE and skills providers judged good or outstanding for overall effectiveness.
Overall, 88% of FE and skills providers were judged good or outstanding for overall effectiveness at their most recent inspection as at 31 August 2025, a 6-percentage-point increase compared with 31 August 2024.
Outcomes by provider group
Independent learning providers (including employer providers)
This year, we inspected 236 independent learning providers (including employer providers). Seventy-six (32%) of these inspections were of providers previously judged requires improvement or inadequate, 88 (37%) were of providers receiving their first full inspection and 72 (31%) were of providers previously judged good or outstanding.
Eighty-one percent of the independent learning providers (including employer providers) inspected this year were judged good or outstanding. All independent learning providers (including employer providers) judged good or outstanding for overall effectiveness at a full inspection were also judged good or outstanding for quality of education and leadership and management.
As at 31 August 2025, 85% of all independent learning providers (including employer providers) were judged good or outstanding for overall effectiveness at their most recent inspection, an increase of 8 percentage points compared with 31 August 2024 and 14 percentage points compared with 31 August 2023.
General FE colleges
This year, we inspected 60 general FE colleges, of which 40 had been judged good at their previous inspection. Of these 40, 4 declined to requires improvement or inadequate and the remaining 36 were judged good or outstanding. We also inspected 8 general FE colleges that were previously judged requires improvement or inadequate, 7 of which were judged good and 1 remained requires improvement. All 7 general FE colleges we inspected for the first time following a merger were judged good or outstanding.
Of the general FE colleges inspected this year, 92% were judged good or outstanding for overall effectiveness. All general FE colleges judged good or outstanding for overall effectiveness were also judged good or outstanding for quality of education, personal development, and leadership and management.
As at 31 August 2025, 86% of all general FE colleges were judged good or outstanding for overall effectiveness at their most recent inspection, an increase of 2 percentage points compared with 31 August 2024 but 4 percentage points lower than 31 August 2023.
Local authority providers
Between 1 September 2024 and 31 August 2025, we inspected 36 local authority providers, of which 33 were previously judged good and 3 were previously judged requires improvement or inadequate. All of those previously judged requires improvement or inadequate improved to good overall. Two providers previously judged good for overall effectiveness declined to requires improvement.
As at 31 August 2025, 97% of local authority providers were judged good or outstanding for overall effectiveness at their most recent inspection, an increase of 1 percentage point compared with 31 August 2024.
Higher education institutions
Between 1 September 2024 and 31 August 2025, we inspected 30 higher education institutions (HEIs). Fifteen HEIs were inspected that were previously judged good or outstanding and all of them retained the same overall effectiveness grade. Thirteen HEIs had their first full inspection and all but one of them were judged good or outstanding in all key judgements. Of the 2 HEIs inspected that were previously judged requires improvement for overall effectiveness, both improved to good.
Ninety-seven percent of the HEIs inspected this year were judged good or outstanding for overall effectiveness. All HEIs judged good or outstanding overall this year were also judged good or outstanding for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.
As at 31 August 2025, 95% of all HEIs were judged good or outstanding for overall effectiveness at their most recent inspection, an increase of 2 percentage points compared with 31 August 2024.
Independent specialist colleges
Between 1 September 2024 and 31 August 2025, we inspected 34 independent specialist colleges (ISCs). Fourteen ISCs were previously judged good or outstanding for overall effectiveness, 11 were previously judged requires improvement and 9 did not have a previous overall effectiveness judgement.
Of the 11 ISCs that were previously judged requires improvement, all improved to good for overall effectiveness, and all were judged good or outstanding in all key judgements. Of the 14 ISCs that were previously judged good or outstanding for overall effectiveness, 13 were judged good or outstanding and 1 declined to requires improvement.
Ninety-one percent of ISCs inspected this year were judged good or outstanding for overall effectiveness. All ISCs judged good or outstanding overall at a full inspection this year were also judged good or outstanding for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.
As at 31 August 2025, 89% of all ISCs were judged good or outstanding at their most recent inspection, an increase of 9 percentage points compared with 31 August 2024.
Table 1: Summary of main findings for other provider types/groups
| Provider group | No. of providers as at 31 August 2025 | No. of inspections between 1 September 2024 and 31 August 2025 | Main findings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 to 19 academies | 77 | 8 full inspections and 8 short inspections | All but one provider was judged good or outstanding. As at 31 August 2025, 97% were judged good or outstanding at their most recent inspection, 1 percentage point less than last year. |
| Sixth-form colleges | 38 | 12 full inspections | All inspections were of providers previously judged good or outstanding. All 12 were judged good or outstanding overall, with 4 improving from good to outstanding. As at 31 August 2025, 97% were judged good or outstanding at their most recent inspection, an increase of 2 percentage points compared with last year. |
| Institutes for adult learning | 11 | 2 full inspections | One inspection was of a provider previously judged good and 1 was of a provider previously judged requires improvement. Both were judged good for overall effectiveness. As at 31 August 2025, all institutes for adult learning were judged good or outstanding at their most recent inspection. |
| Specialist FE colleges | 11 | 3 full inspections | All inspections were of providers previously judged good or outstanding. Two remained good or outstanding overall and 1 declined to requires improvement. As at 31 August 2025, 8 of the 11 were judged good or outstanding at their most recent inspection. |
| Dance and drama colleges | 16 | 0 inspections | We did not inspect any dance and drama colleges this year. As at 31 August 2025, all dance and drama colleges were judged good or outstanding at their most recent inspection. |
Quality of apprenticeship provision
As at 31 August 2025, 1,253 FE and skills providers were recorded on Ofsted’s systems as funded and delivering apprenticeships. Seventy-five percent were independent learning providers (including employer providers), 13% were colleges, 8% were HEIs and the remaining 4% were made up of other provider groups. Of these apprenticeship providers, 97% had a judgement made on the quality of their apprenticeship provision at their most recent full inspection or NPMV. The remaining 3% of providers are yet to have their apprenticeship provision inspected.
Figure 3: Number of providers delivering apprenticeships as at 31 August 2025, by type of inspection
1. Percentages are rounded and may not add to 100.
View data in an accessible table format.
Of the 1,218 providers that have a judgement on their apprenticeship provision, 88% were judged good or outstanding for apprenticeships at their most recent full inspection or were judged to be making at least reasonable progress at their NPMV.
Figure 4: Quality of apprenticeship provision, over time
1. Number of providers in brackets.
2. Percentages are rounded and may not add to 100.
View data in an accessible table format.
Quality of adult education provision
As at 31 August 2025, 623 FE and skills providers were recorded as funded and delivering adult education provision on Ofsted’s systems. Forty-four percent were independent learning providers (including employer providers), 29% were colleges, 23% were adult community education providers and the remaining 5% was made up of other provider groups. Of these adult education providers, 85% had a judgement made on the quality of their adult education provision at their most recent full inspection or NPMV. The remaining 15% have not yet had their adult education provision inspected.
Figure 5: Number of providers delivering adult education as at 31 August 2025, by type of inspection
1. Percentages are rounded and may not add to 100.
View data in an accessible table format.
Of the 529 providers that have a judgement on their adult education provision, 93% were judged good or outstanding for their adult provision at their most recent full inspection or were judged to be making at least reasonable progress at their NPMV.
Figure 6: Quality of adult education provision, over time
1. Number of providers in brackets.
2. Percentages are rounded and may not add to 100.
View data in an accessible table format.
Prisons and young offender institutions
As at 31 August 2025, 82% of prisons and young offender institutions (YOIs) were judged requires improvement or inadequate.
Between 1 September 2024 and 31 August 2025, Ofsted contributed to 36 inspections of prisons or YOIs with a report published during this period. Of these, 14 were judged inadequate for overall effectiveness of education, skills and work provision, 11 were judged requires improvement and 11 were judged good. No prison or YOI was judged outstanding.
This year, 1 new prison was inspected for the first time, and it was judged good for overall effectiveness of education, skills and work provision. We also inspected 11 prisons or YOIs that were previously judged good overall. Of these, 7 remained good, 2 declined to requires improvement and 2 declined to inadequate. Of the 24 prisons or YOIs we inspected that were previously judged requires improvement or inadequate overall, 3 improved to good, although 6 improved from inadequate to requires improvement. However, it was of concern that 4 declined from requires improvement to inadequate.
As at 31 August 2025, there were 118 prisons and YOIs, of which 117 had been inspected. Overall, 18% were judged good or outstanding for overall effectiveness of education, skills and work provision at their most recent inspection. [footnote 3] This is the same as on 31 August 2024, but this follows 4 years of decline in the proportion judged good or outstanding. The overall proportion of prisons and YOIs judged inadequate at their most recent inspection was 42% as at 31 August 2025 (see Figure 7).
Figure 7: Overall effectiveness of education, skills and work provision in prisons and YOIs at their most recent inspection, over time
1. Number of prisons in brackets.
2. Percentages are rounded and may not add to 100.
View data in an accessible table format.
Revisions to previous release
In-year statistics
Alongside these official statistics, we have published a revised provider-level dataset, which includes inspections carried out between 1 September 2023 and 31 August 2024. This includes the outcomes of inspections that were carried out during the period but for which the inspection report had not been published at the time we compiled the statistics.
There were 7 full inspections (including those that were extended from short inspections) and 3 NPMVs not published at the time we compiled our previous statistical release. All these were inspections of independent learning providers.
At the 7 full inspections, 1 provider was judged outstanding for overall effectiveness, 4 were judged good and 2 were judged requires improvement. This had an impact on the overall total number of inspections, and the number of inspections of independent learning providers (including employer providers) carried out in 2023/24.
All updated information for 2023/24 can be found in the data, tables and charts file that is published as part of this statistical first release. These changes do not affect the messages previously reported.
We publish revisions to data in this publication in line with Ofsted’s revisions policy for official statistics.
Notes
The methodology for these official statistics explains our methodology and the relevant inspection frameworks, along with other useful information.
Glossary
Definitions of terms are in the statistical glossary.
Further information
Contact for comments or feedback
If you have any comments or feedback on this publication, contact Stuart Lloyd on 03000 131 169 or Stuart.Lloyd@ofsted.gov.uk.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to the following for their contribution to this statistical release: Emily Green and Niamh Callaghan.
Annex: data tables for figures
Data for Figure 1: Full inspection outcomes, 2024/25
| Inspection judgement | Total number of providers with an inspection judgement | % Outstanding | % Good | % Requires improvement | % Inadequate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall effectiveness | 392 | 13 | 72 | 12 | 3 | |
| Quality of education | 392 | 14 | 73 | 11 | 2 | |
| Behaviour and attitudes | 392 | 34 | 60 | 6 | 0 | |
| Personal development | 392 | 24 | 68 | 8 | 0 | |
| Leadership and management | 392 | 14 | 72 | 11 | 3 | |
| Education programmes for young people | 113 | 24 | 66 | 9 | 1 | |
| Adult learning programmes | 177 | 18 | 73 | 8 | 1 | |
| Apprenticeships | 287 | 11 | 74 | 12 | 3 | |
| Provision for learners with high needs | 121 | 27 | 64 | 9 | 0 |
See Figure 1.
Data for Figure 2: In-year new provider monitoring visit outcomes, over time
| Reporting year | Total number of new provider monitoring visits | % Judged at least reasonable in all themes | % Judged insufficient in at least one theme | % Judged insufficient in all themes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 123 | 94 | 5 | 1 |
| 2023/24 | 155 | 88 | 11 | 1 |
| 2022/23 | 159 | 89 | 9 | 2 |
| 2021/22 | 168 | 79 | 12 | 10 |
| 2020/21 | 234 | 76 | 18 | 6 |
See Figure 2.
Data for Figure 3: Number of providers delivering apprenticeships as at 31 August 2025, by type of inspection
| Total number of providers delivering apprenticeships as at 31 August 2025 | % Full inspection | % New provider monitoring visit | % Awaiting inspection grade for apprenticeship provision or first new provider monitoring visit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,253 | 92 | 5 | 3 |
See Figure 3.
Data for Figure 4: Quality of apprenticeship provision, over time
| Data as at | Total number of providers with an apprenticeship judgement | Full inspection % outstanding | Full inspection % good | Full inspection % requires improvement | Full inspection % inadequate | New provider monitoring visit % at least reasonable in all apprenticeship themes | New provider monitoring visit % insufficient in one or more apprenticeship themes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 August 2025 | 1,218 | 8 | 74 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| 31 August 2024 | 1,242 | 7 | 66 | 17 | 1 | 8 | 1 |
| 31 August 2023 | 1,257 | 5 | 56 | 19 | 3 | 15 | 1 |
| 31 August 2022 | 1,284 | 5 | 46 | 15 | 4 | 26 | 5 |
| 31 August 2021 | 1,179 | 4 | 34 | 11 | 1 | 43 | 7 |
See Figure 4.
Data for Figure 5: Number of providers delivering adult education as at 31 August 2025, by type of inspection
| Total number of providers delivering adult education as at 31 August 2025 | % Full inspection | % New provider monitoring visit | % Awaiting inspection grade for adult education provision or first new provider monitoring visit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 623 | 81 | 4 | 15 |
See Figure 5.
Data for Figure 6: Quality of adult education provision, over time
| Data as at | Total number of providers with an adult education judgement | Full inspection % outstanding | Full inspection % good | Full inspection % requires improvement | Full inspection % inadequate | New provider monitoring visit % at least reasonable in all adult education themes | New provider monitoring visit % insufficient in one or more adult education themes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 August 2025 | 529 | 14 | 75 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 31 August 2024 | 549 | 12 | 72 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| 31 August 2023 | 553 | 8 | 72 | 10 | 1 | 8 | 1 |
See Figure 6.
Data for Figure 7: Overall effectiveness of education, skills and work provision in prisons and YOIs at their most recent inspection, over time
| Date as at | Total number of providers with an inspection judgement | % Outstanding | % Good | % Requires improvement | % Inadequate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 August 2025 | 117 | 0 | 18 | 40 | 42 |
| 31 August 2024 | 116 | 0 | 18 | 40 | 42 |
| 31 August 2023 | 115 | 1 | 26 | 42 | 31 |
| 31 August 2022 | 115 | 2 | 35 | 44 | 19 |
| 31 August 2021 | 115 | 2 | 43 | 41 | 14 |
See Figure 7.