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- Apprenticeship Workforce Development (AWD) Programme
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- The 5Rs Approach to GCSE Maths Resits
- Creative Arts in FE 2025 – developing student voice through creativity
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- Empowering FE: enhancing skills with technology
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Comms advice and resources for colleges
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Policy: How we support members
We provide a communication channel between colleges and key stakeholders such as the Department for Education (DfE), Ofqual, Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE), Ofsted, awarding organisations, Office for Students (OfS), and the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education.
Our work involves the following.
- We answer college queries and keep the sector updated on key policy issues.
- We regularly respond to consultations to ensure that the college voice is represented.
- We also support colleges in their negotiations with local authorities about place commissioning and costs for students with EHCPs.
FE Immersion visits
The FE immersion programme offers DfE officials a unique opportunity to gain a first hand perspective on how education is delivered in England. Over three days, participants are embedded within an educational provider, experiencing the daily life of a college or training institution.
This flagship program, managed by a dedicated team of past participants, is led by a Skills Directorate deputy director. Since its inception eight years ago, the programme has empowered over a thousand DfE officials with a deeper understanding of the FE landscape.
Immersion visits are a great opportunity to help influence policy thinking and demonstrate the impact of government policy on the ground.
If you have any further questions contact Cath Sezen, Director of Education Policy.
AoC is able to offer support in preparation for inspection, when you receive the call, during inspection and post inspection.
This includes in-year data analysis using RCU Mides benchmarked data, insights into areas of current inspection focus/emerging themes and direct support if issues occur during inspection.
Contact Gemma Baker, Area Director (SE) & Senior Policy Lead (Ofsted Inspection) gemma.baker@aoc.co.uk to access this free membership service and for further information.
We produce in-depth reports and policy papers supporting understanding and analysis across the breadth of the FE sector for our members.
The Association of Colleges (AoC) responds to Government consultations, Select Committee Inquiries and Calls for Evidence throughout the year on a range of issues which impact colleges.
We publish regular updates for AoC members.
We hold termly meetings of our four Strategy Groups engaging college leaders to contribute to the formulation of AoC policy ensuring the needs of students, communities and employers are met.
- Curriculum Strategy Group
- Funding and Accountability Strategy Group
- Students Strategy Group
- Workforce Strategy Group
For further information contact pauline.odlin@aoc.co.uk
Our 13 Reference Groups provide forums to work with Government Departments, agencies and partner organisations on policy formation and implementation issues.
To get involved please contact pauline.odlin@aoc.co.uk
Responding to the announcement of a £600million funding package to boost construction training and the launch of the Construction Skills Mission Board in June 2025, AoC established the Action for Construction Group to support colleges providing a forum for discussion addressing challenges and barriers and ensuring the skills system, in addition to recruitment and training practices, are directly aligned and working in tandem with industry needs.
To find out more and get involved, contact claire.barker@aoc.co.uk
Building on the Opportunity England paper and research commissioned by AoC, we published a new report, 100% opportunity: the case for a tertiary education system, in April 2024. This report set out what a system that serves everyone would look like followed be a series of 14 policy papers which further develop our thinking.
Regional member updates
The Policy Team provide updates at our regional member's meetings covering the latest developments with the FE sector.
Empowering FE: enhancing skills with technology
January 2025 - December 2027
AoC and Ufi VocTech Trust are collaborating through a new multi-year strategic partnership to increase the adoption of vocational technology (VocTech) in further education (FE) colleges, providing greater access to learning and skills, and enhancing outcomes for post-16 vocational learners.
For the first phase, we conducted research to capture a baseline of the current use of digital technologies across colleges. The report can be found here: Digital baseline: exploring the use of… | Association of Colleges. We are now in phase two of the project. For more information on what this means for the sector and opportunities to get involved, please visit the project page linked below.