Official Statistics

Main findings: further education and skills inspections and outcomes as at 31 August 2024

Published 3 December 2024

Applies to England

Ofsted Big Listen consultation

In September 2024, we published our response to the Big Listen, the largest consultation in Ofsted’s history. We sought views right across our work, from schools and children’s social care to teacher training and early years. We made a commitment in our response to reform our inspection frameworks and introduce report cards. These reforms will require changes to our current suite of management information and official statistics publications. 

Once the new frameworks and report cards have been developed, we will consult on changes to our statistical publications, ensuring they continue to present information in the right way to best support our users.

This official statistics release includes inspections that were carried out under the education inspection framework up until 31 August 2024, when the overall effectiveness judgement was still made.

This is the main findings report for the further education and skills inspections and outcomes as at 31 August 2024 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 2024
• provisional data for inspections and monitoring visits carried out between 1 September 2023 and 31 August 2024

As at 31 August 2024, there were 1,967 further education (FE) and skills providers publicly funded and delivering education, training and/or apprenticeships recorded on Ofsted’s systems.

Between 1 September 2023 and 31 August 2024, we carried out 454 full inspections.

As at 31 August 2024, 82% of prison and young offender institutions were judged requires improvement or inadequate for overall effectiveness of education, skills and work provision.

Provider numbers

As at 31 August 2024, 93% of FE and skills providers had received a full inspection or new provider monitoring visit (NPMV).

As at 31 August 2024, there were 1,967 FE and skills providers publicly funded and delivering education, training and/or apprenticeships recorded on Ofsted’s systems. This is 6 less than on 31 August 2023.

This year, we started reporting on an additional 166 providers that became publicly funded and started delivering education, training and/or apprenticeships. Of the 166, 92% were independent learning providers (including employer providers). Over the same period, we stopped reporting on 172 providers because they either merged, ceased to be funded or stopped delivering education, training and/or apprenticeships. Of the 172, 15% started and stopped before they were due for any form of Ofsted inspection.

As at 31 August 2024, 82% of FE and skills providers had received a full inspection, and 11% had received an NPMV. The remaining 7% of providers will receive their NPMV within the time frames set out in our inspection handbook.

In-year inspection volumes and outcomes

In-year inspection volumes

Between 1 September 2023 and 31 August 2024, we carried out 454 full inspections.

This year, we carried out 454 full inspections. Of these, 52% were of independent learning providers (including employer providers), 17% colleges, and 11% higher education institutions. The rest were made up of other provider types.

Overall, of the full inspections:

• 173 (38%) were of providers receiving their first full inspection
• 216 (48%) were of providers previously judged good or outstanding
• 65 (14%) were of providers previously judged requires improvement or inadequate

During the same period, we carried out 40 short inspections of providers that were previously judged good or outstanding.

In 2021/22, 66% of full inspections were of providers being inspected for the first time. This decreased to 48% in 2022/23 and decreased further to 38% this year. The higher number of providers being inspected for the first time during this period was the result of a large increase in providers entering the market following the apprenticeship reforms introduced in 2017. This year, we also carried out a larger proportion of inspections of providers previously judged good or outstanding. Therefore, comparisons of inspection outcomes across different years should be made with caution.

We carried out 152 NPMVs between 1 September 2023 and 31 August 2024. In addition, we carried out 5 follow-up safeguarding NPMVs to providers who were judged to be making insufficient progress in safeguarding at their initial NPMV.

In-year inspection outcomes

Eighty-one per cent 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 shows a breakdown of the inspection outcomes from the 454 full inspections carried out this year.

Figure 1: Full inspection outcomes, 2023/24

^{Number of inspections in brackets.
Percentages are rounded and may not add to 100.
View data in an accessible table format.}

Figure 2: Inspection outcomes of FE and skills providers, by previous overall effectiveness

^{Includes short inspections of providers previously judged good or outstanding.
View data in an accessible table format.}

In-year NPMV judgements

This year, 89% of providers were judged to be making reasonable or significant progress across all themes at their NPMV.

Of the 152 NPMVs carried out this year, 89% of providers were judged to be making at least reasonable progress across all themes.

Figure 3: In-year new provider monitoring visit outcomes, over time

^{Number of NPMVs in brackets.
Excludes follow-up safeguarding visits.
Percentages are rounded and may not add to 100.
View data in an accessible table format.}

At the 5 follow-up safeguarding visits we carried out this year, all providers were judged to be making at least reasonable progress in safeguarding.

Most recent inspection outcomes

As at 31 August 2024, 82% of further education (FE) and skills providers were judged good or outstanding for overall effectiveness at their most recent inspection. This was an increase of 4 percentage points compared with 31 August 2023.

This year, 47 providers improved to good or outstanding from requires improvement or inadequate. Thirty-six providers declined from good or outstanding to requires improvement or inadequate. In addition, of the providers that had been inspected and stopped delivering education, training and/or apprenticeships this year, 67% were judged requires improvement or inadequate. These factors combined have contributed to the increase in the overall proportion judged good or outstanding for overall effectiveness.

Outcomes by provider group

Independent learning providers (including employer providers)

This year, we inspected 247 independent learning providers (including employer providers). Of the 247, 121 (49%) had their first full inspection, of which 94 were judged good or outstanding and 27 were judged requires improvement or inadequate.

Overall, 77% of the independent learning providers (including employer providers) inspected this year were judged good or outstanding. ^{[footnote 1]} All independent learning providers (including employer providers) judged good or outstanding overall at a full inspection were also judged good or outstanding for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes and leadership and management.

As at 31 August 2024, 77% of independent learning providers (including employer providers) were judged good or outstanding at their most recent inspection, an increase of 6 percentage points compared with 31 August 2023.

General FE colleges

This year, we inspected 53 general FE colleges, of which, 45 had been judged good at their previous inspection. Of these 45, 13 declined to requires improvement. Overall, 75% of the general FE colleges inspected this year were judged good or outstanding for overall effectiveness. All general FE colleges judged good or outstanding overall were also judged good or outstanding for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes and leadership and management.

As at 31 August 2024, 84% of general FE colleges were judged good or outstanding for overall effectiveness at their most recent inspection, a decrease of 7 percentage points compared with 31 August 2023.

Higher education institutions

Between 1 September 2023 and 31 August 2024, we inspected 48 higher education institutions (HEIs). Thirty-two HEIs had their first full inspection and all but one of them were judged good or outstanding in all key judgements. Overall, 92% of 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, leadership and management, and behaviour and attitudes.

As at 31 August 2024, 93% of HEIs were judged good or outstanding at their most recent inspection, an increase of 5 percentage points compared with 31 August 2023.

Table 1: Summary of main findings for other provider groups

Provider group	No. of providers as at 31 August 2024	No. of inspections  between 1 September 2023 and 31 August 2024	Main findings
Adult   community education providers  (includes local authority providers and institutes for adult learning)	141	34 full inspections and 14 short inspections	33 full inspections were to providers previously judged good for overall effectiveness, of which 31 were judged good or outstanding. As at 31 August 2024, 96% were judged good or outstanding at their most recent inspection, a decrease of 1 percentage point compared with last year.
Independent specialist colleges (ISCs)	124	32 full inspections and 7 short inspections	14 providers were inspected for the first time, of which 9 were judged good or outstanding. As at 31 August 2024, 80% were judged good or outstanding at their most recent inspection, an increase of 3 percentage points compared with last year.
Sixth-form colleges	42	19 full inspections	All 19 were to providers previously judged good or outstanding, of which 17 remained good or outstanding. As at 31 August 2024, 95% were judged good or outstanding at their most recent inspection, an increase of 5 percentage points compared with last year.
16 to 19   academies	73	12  full inspections and 10 short inspections	All providers were judged good or outstanding. Four of these were to providers inspected for the first time. As at 31 August 2024, 98% were judged good or outstanding at their most recent inspection, the same as last year.
Dance and drama colleges	17	12 full inspections	All inspections were to providers previously judged outstanding, of which 6 remained outstanding and 6 were judged good. As at 31 August 2024, all dance and drama colleges were judged good or outstanding at their most recent inspection.
Specialist further education colleges	12	6 full inspections	All inspections were to providers previously judged good or outstanding, of which 5 were judged good or outstanding and 1 requires improvement. As at 31 August 2024, 9 of the 12 were judged good or outstanding at their most recent inspection.

Quality of apprenticeship provision

As at 31 August 2024, 1,314 FE and skills providers were recorded on Ofsted’s systems as funded and delivering apprenticeships. Seventy-six per cent were independent learning providers (including employer providers), 12% were colleges, 7% were HEIs and the remaining 4% were made up of other provider groups. Of these apprenticeship providers, 94% had a judgement made on the quality of their apprenticeship provision at their most recent full inspection or NPMV. The remaining 6% of providers have yet to have their apprenticeship provision inspected.

Figure 4: Number of providers delivering apprenticeships as at 31 August 2024, by type of inspection

^{Percentages are rounded and may not add to 100.
View data in an accessible table format.}

Of the 1,241 providers that have a judgement on their apprenticeship provision, 81% 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 5: Quality of apprenticeship provision, over time

^{Number of providers in brackets.
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 2024, 676 FE and skills providers were recorded as funded and delivering adult education provision on Ofsted’s systems. Forty-seven per cent were independent learning providers (including employer providers), 27% were colleges, 21% were adult community education providers and the remaining 5% were made up of other provider groups. Of these adult education providers, 81% had a judgement made on the quality of their adult education provision at their most recent full inspection or NPMV. The remaining 19% have not yet had their adult education provision inspected.

Figure 6: Number of providers delivering adult education as at 31 August 2024, by type of inspection

^{View data in an accessible table format.}

Figure 7: Quality of adult education provision, over time

^{Number of providers in brackets.
View data in an accessible table format.}

Prisons and young offender institutions

As at 31 August 2024, 82% of prison and young offender institutions were judged requires improvement or inadequate.

Between 1 September 2023 and 31 August 2024, Ofsted contributed to 39 inspections of prisons or young offender institutions (YOIs) with a report published during this period. Of these, 21 were judged inadequate for overall effectiveness of education, skills and work provision, 13 were judged requires improvement and 5 were judged good. No prison or YOI was judged outstanding.

This year, 10 prisons or YOIs declined from good or outstanding to requires improvement or inadequate, and a further 8 declined from requires improvement to inadequate. Only 1 prison improved its previous grade for overall effectiveness of education, skills and work provision, going from inadequate to requires improvement.

Of the 2 prisons that received their first full inspection this year, 1 was judged requires improvement and 1 inadequate for overall effectiveness of education, skills and work provision.

As at 31 August 2024, there were 117 prisons and YOIs, of which 116 had been inspected. Overall, 18% were judged good or outstanding^{[footnote 2]} for overall effectiveness of education, skills and work provision at their most recent inspection. This is a decrease of 9 percentage points compared with 31 August 2023 and a decrease of 18 percentage points compared with 31 August 2022. The overall proportion of prisons and YOIs judged inadequate at their most recent inspection was 42%.

Figure 8: Overall effectiveness of education, skills and work provision in prisons and YOIs at their most recent inspection, over time

^{Number of prisons in brackets.
View data in an accessible table format.}

Revisions to previous release

Alongside these official statistics, we have published a revised provider-level dataset, which includes inspections carried out between 1 September 2022 and 31 August 2023. This is to include the outcomes of inspections that were carried out during the period, but the inspection report had not been published at the time we compiled the statistics.

There were 12 full inspections not published at the time we compiled our previous statistical release. All 12 were independent learning providers or employer providers, of which 6 were receiving their first full inspection.

These additional inspections mean some small changes to percentages previously reported for 2022/23. This has an impact on some independent learning provider and employer provider figures. All updated information for 2022/23 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 overall messages previously reported.

We publish revisions to data in this publication in line with Ofsted’s revisions policy for official statistics.

Notes

The quality report 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, Joanna Attwell and Ross Stadden.

Annex: data tables for figures

Data for Figure 1: Full inspection outcomes, 2023/24

Inspection judgement	Total number of providers with an inspection judgement	% Outstanding	% Good	% Requires improvement	% Inadequate
Overall effectiveness	454	11	70	16	3
Quality of education	454	11	72	14	2
Behaviour and attitudes	454	23	70	7	0
Personal development	454	20	67	13	0
Leadership and management	454	12	69	16	3
Education programmes for young people	136	17	68	14	1
Adult learning programmes	178	16	72	11	1
Apprenticeships	320	9	74	14	3
Provision for learners with high needs	133	25	57	17	1

^{See Figure 1.}

Data for Figure 2: Inspection outcomes of FE and skills providers, by previous overall effectiveness

Previous overall effectiveness	Total number of inspections	Number outstanding	Number good	Number requires improvement	Number inadequate
Outstanding	33	19	13	1	0
Good	223	19	169	32	3
Requires improvement	59	1	41	14	3
Inadequate	6	0	5	0	1
No previous overall effectiveness judgement	173	21	119	27	6
Total	494	60	347	74	13

^{See Figure 2.}

Data for Figure 3: 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
2023/24	152	89	10	1
2022/23	159	89	9	2
2021/22	168	79	12	10
2020/21	234	76	18	6
2019/20	167	76	16	8

^{See Figure 3.}

Data for Figure 4: Number of providers delivering apprenticeships as at 31 August 2024, by type of inspection

Total number of providers delivering apprenticeships as at 31 August 2024	% Full inspection	% New provider monitoring visit	% Awaiting inspection grade for apprenticeship provision or first new provider monitoring visit
1,314	86	9	6

^{See Figure 4.}

Data for Figure 5: Quality of apprenticeship provision, over time 

Date 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 2024	1,241	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 5.}

Data for Figure 6: Number of providers delivering adult education as at 31 August 2024, by type of inspection

Total number of providers delivering adult education as at 31 August 2024	% Full inspection	% New provider monitoring visit	% Awaiting inspection grade for adult education provision or first new provider monitoring visit
676	76	5	19

^{See Figure 6.}

Data for Figure 7: Quality of adult education provision, over time

Date 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 2024	548	12	72	9	0	6	1
31 August 2023	553	8	72	10	1	8	1

^{See Figure 7.}

Data for Figure 8: 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 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
31 August 2020	115	2	43	41	14

^{See Figure 8.}

1. Includes full and short inspections. ↩

2. As at 31 August 2024, there were no prisons or YOIs judged outstanding for overall effectiveness of education, skills and work provision. ↩