Getting help and support for local authorities delivering post-16 further education
Information about the range of help and support available from the FE Commissioner.
Applies to England
Support available to the further education sector
Government is committed to ensuring the further education sector is supported to improve outcomes for learners, employers, and their community. For local authority FE providers delivering further education, this help is available regardless of where they are on their improvement journey. It can mean helping good providers to become outstanding providers, encouraging our strongest providers to share their expertise more with others through peer leadership, and sometimes offering more intensive and targeted support where that is needed.
This page describes the support available from the FE Commissioner for providers of this type.
While this summary is focused on government-funded support, we do acknowledge the wide range of market-led support also available. The support here should be seen as complementary to that.
The Department for Education fully funds all support provided by the FE Commissioner’s team, so it is free of charge to providers. However, it is recognised that providers will need to commit resources and time to work effectively with the FE commissioner team.
Informal, supportive conversation with the FE Commissioner team
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 local authority FE provider that would like to request an informal discussion with the FE Commissioner or her team to explore what further 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 local authority might find helpful.
Informal, supportive conversations can be requested by emailing fe.commissioner@education.gov.uk.
Tailored Support from the FE Commissioner team
The FE Commissioner’s team has developed a range of specialist support that can be tailored to suit specific need and circumstances. This can include help to understand specific issues or challenges and to improve what is already working well. It is likely a local authority 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 support will be working closely with the FE sector, signposting, promoting, and sharing examples of effective practices that we have identified through the work of the FE Commissioner’s team.
Part of tailored support is Health Checks. They are intended to provide the local authority FE providers with a free review of its operation. It consists of a 2-day visit to the provider by the FE Commissioner. They will look at and feedback on their current financial and curriculum plans. They will also look at a range of statistical information both held by DfE and supplied by the provider. These are of particular help to new or recently appointed senior leaders, although they are helpful at any stage for any organisation.
The FE Commissioner team can also support local authority FE providers in their decision making in respect of significant strategic changes. This could take the form of general advisory discussions with local authority FE provider leaders and/or governors.
This flexible approach to support includes the opportunity to engage peer-led support, if needed, direct from either the National Leaders of Further Education or National Leaders of Governance (see below for more detail).
Tailored support is available on request by contacting fe.commissioner@education.gov.uk.
Support from National Leaders of Further Education
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 local authorities.
Further information and a list of current NLFEs can be found on GOV.UK.
Local authority FE providers seeking support from an NLFE should email fec.operations@education.gov.uk.
Support from National Leaders of Governance for Further Education
National Leaders of Governance (NLG) are experienced college governors and governance professionals with a strong record of supporting college improvement. They can provide peer-led mentoring and improvement support to governing boards.
Further information and a list of current NLGs can be found on GOV.UK.
Local authority FE provider’s governing bodies seeking support from an NLG should email fec.operations@education.gov.uk.
Curriculum Efficiency and Financial Sustainability Support (CEFSS)
CEFSS is support designed to flexibly meet the requirements of all types of providers, rather than a ‘one-size-fits-all’. The aim of CEFSS is to make a positive difference to local authority FE providers that may require help with costed curriculum and financial planning, and to raise awareness of effective practice used within the sector. Any suggested actions given through the help and support are advisory and it is up to the individual local authority FE provider to decide whether to implement any of the advice through its senior leadership team and board of governors.
There is an effective practice guide to curriculum planning, and it can be found on GOV.UK.
CEFSS can be accessed throughout the year by a direct request from a local authority FE provider 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.
Video interviews – ‘Just one thing’
The FEC has worked with NLFEs and NLGs to produce a series of short video interviews with principals/CEOs, chairs of boards and governance professionals. These share their views of what they would have liked to have known when they first started their role.
Effective practice guides
The FEC produces a range of effective practice guides for use within the FE sector. Although developed for FE colleges, they contain case studies and information that would be useful to any provider of further education.
Further education estates planning
College management accounts good practice guide
Effective practice in curriculum planning
Adult education budget: effective practice guide
Contact us
If a local authority FE provider has a specific query or would like to know more about the content of this page, they can discuss this with your DfE territorial team, and/or get in touch by emailing the FE Commissioner support team on fe.commissioner@education.gov.uk.
Last updated 7 March 2024 + show all updates
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Added 'Adult education budget: effective practice guide' to the 'Effective practice guides’ section.
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First published.