Research on Ofsted inspections in FE and skills is timely, says AoC

David Hughes, Chief Executive, Association of Colleges, said: “It's good to see this research into the impact of Ofsted inspections on the FE sector in England, and it is particularly timely given the work Ofsted is doing on the inspection framework. The research findings are, at headline level, unsurprising to us but it is very helpful to understand both the negative impacts of inspection like workload, wellbeing, and staff retention, as well as the positive aspects with inspections viewed as a stamp of approval and a confidence booster.

“The suggestions for improvement align with our response to Ofsted’s Big Listen which concluded earlier this year, and are central to our discussions with Ofsted for how they make positive changes to inspections in FE. We are looking forward to the consultation on an evolved inspection framework tailored to FE and skills due to launch later in the 2024/25 academic year, which will take account of the different contexts of providers and be tailored to the age of learners, their stage of development and the nature of the provision.”