Ofsted Annual Report 2018/19

Ofsted’s Annual Report, published on the 21st of January 2020, presents inspection findings for further education and skills, early years childcare, schools and social care.

Some key points for the FE and Skills sector are:

• Study Programmes: Most providers are now responding well to the challenge of providing worthwhile non-qualification activity. The less effective providers still have challenges in teaching English and mathematics. 
• In 2018/19, 15 out of every apprenticeships started were in health, 12 in business management, 6 in construction, 5 in ICT and 5 in Engineering. Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman says that one in five of all new levy-funded starts was “higher and degree-level, often aimed at those already doing the job or not needing the leg-up that entry-level apprenticeships can provide”, and that “the apprenticeship funding system needs to target levy money more directly to skills shortages.”
• The inspection data shows that performance in the sector is as per last year.
• 78 per cent of all general FE colleges were rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ (up from 76 per cent in 2017/18).
• Of 143 providers funded for adult education, 3% were judged outstanding for overall effectiveness, 50% good, 34% requires improvement and 13% inadequate.
• 81 per cent of FE and skills providers are in the top two grades.

View the report

Find out more about support available to organisations delivering Study Programmes here