Clarification Questions and Answers (FAQs)

Key information

• Deadline for clarification questions is Tuesday 30 June 2026. 
• All clarification questions should be submitted to Matt.Rhodes@aoc.co.uk and Alix.Jenner@aoc.co.uk. 
• Deadline for ITT submissions is 5pm Monday 6 July 2026.
   

FAQs

Q1. What sample size are you expecting?

Response: 

We have not set a minimum sample size. Suppliers are expected to propose and justify a sample size that enables:

• Credible national-level insight
• Meaningful analysis across underrepresented groups
• Confidence in the findings

Q2. Is the research expected to cover the whole of the UK or just England?

Response: 

The research is focused on further education colleges in England only, as the project is funded by Sport England. 

Q3. Should the research aim to include all colleges or a representative sample?

Response:

AoC will aim to promote the research across all member colleges, but suppliers should propose an approach that ensures appropriate representativeness. There is no requirement to prioritise specific colleges.

Q4. Is there a requirement for a certain number of colleges to achieve 100+ responses?

Response:

No. The threshold of 100 responses per college is an incentive rather than a target. Colleges reaching this level will receive a college-level data return, which is designed to encourage participation and engagement.

Q5. Are there expectations around segmentation or grouping of colleges (e.g. by activity levels)?

Response:

There is no predefined segmentation of colleges required. However, AoC Sport may be able to share limited insight on college engagement if useful for sampling approaches.

Q6. Which groups should be prioritised for oversampling?

Response:

Suppliers should focus on underrepresented groups in sport and physical activity, including those typically identified in national data. The exact approach should be proposed and justified by the supplier.

Q7. Can AoC Sport support recruitment and engagement with colleges or participants?

Response:

Yes. AoC Sport and AoC will support promotion and engagement through national and regional networks, communications and direct college relationships. This support may include making introductions to colleges, supporting initial engagement, and helping to facilitate access to participants where appropriate.

Suppliers should still outline their own approach to maximising participation.

Q8. Can AoC Sport help facilitate access to specific colleges or stakeholders for qualitative research?

Response:

AoC Sport will support engagement, including helping introduce suppliers to colleges or stakeholders, for example through communications or initial outreach. Suppliers are encouraged to propose approaches that have worked effectively in similar projects.

Q9. What format should proposals be submitted in?

Response:

There is flexibility in format, and PowerPoint submissions are acceptable. The priority is clarity and accessibility of the proposal. 

Q10. Has anything changed since the ITT was published?

Response:

No. All requirements, timelines and expectations remain as set out in the ITT.

Q11. What is the estimated population of FE students across the colleges?

Response:

AoC Sport works with over 200 further education colleges in England, representing a large and diverse national student population. As a broad indication of scale, there are approximately 693,000 16-18 year olds studying in FE colleges in England.

We have not specified a required population coverage for this research. Suppliers should propose an approach to sampling that is proportionate and capable of delivering credible national insight, while reflecting the diversity of the FE student population.

Q12. Are participation incentives available?

Response: 

Yes, AoC Sport can support with appropriate use of participant incentives where this forms part of the proposed approach.

Q13. What format is expected for college-level data returns?

Response:

College-level data returns should be:

• Standardised
• Clear and accessible
• Data-only outputs (no bespoke narrative required)

We have not prescribed a fixed format. Outputs should be practical for colleges to use, and suppliers may propose an appropriate format (e.g. tables, dashboards or other structured outputs) within their submission.

Q14. Are there expectations for the scale of the qualitative element?

Response:

We have not set specific targets for the number of qualitative participants of colleges. The qualitative phase is expected to be targeted and insight-led, rather than large scale. Its primary purpose is to build on the quantitative findings by:

• Exploring emerging themes
• Providing a depth of understanding
• Supporting the development of actionable insight

The focus should therefore be on depth and quality of insight, rather than volume, with the scale of activity proportionate to the overall budget.

Q15. How does AoC Sport intend to use the research findings?

Response:

The research will play an important role in shaping AoC Sport's future strategic direction, programme development and partnership activity over the coming years. While AoC Sport's core audience remains FE students, the research is intended to help refine how and where interventions can have the greatest impact. This includes improving understanding of:

• The environments in which young people want to be active
• The partners and systems AoC Sport should prioritise working with
• The most effective levers for increasing physical activity among FE students
• How AoC Sport can best influence policy, provision and participation opportunities across the wider system.

AoC Sport has a clear ambition to increase physical activity levels among FE students. This research will help inform the delivery approach, investment priorities and partnership strategies needed to achieve that ambition over the coming years. Suppliers are encouraged to generate insight that not only improves understanding of FE students' experiences, but also supports practical decision-making and future strategic development.

Q16. How does AoC Sport intend to share and use the findings beyond the organisation?

Response:

AoC Sport intends for the research findings to have value both within the FE sector and across the wider sport and physical activity system.

The findings will be used to inform AoC Sport's own strategic planning and programme development, but there is also a strong emphasis on sharing insights with external partners and stakeholders. This includes organisations such as Sport England, Active Partnerships, National Governing Bodies and other system partners who can help influence opportunities for young people to be active.

AoC Sport expects to disseminate findings through existing networks, events and communications channels, helping partners understand the needs, experiences and behaviours of FE students and how these relate to wider sector priorities.

The research should also generate insights that can be shared with college leaders and principals, recognising the significant role that colleges play in shaping students' opportunities to participate in sport and physical activity.

Suppliers are encouraged to consider how findings can be presented in a way that supports both strategic decision-making and wider dissemination across the sector, helping to influence policy, practice and provision for FE students.

Q17. Is the emphasis of the project on breadth of coverage or depth of insight?

Response:

The primary emphasis of the project is on generating robust national insight through the quantitative survey, with the qualitative phase being used to explore and contextualise key findings in greater depth.

We expect the qualitative element to be focused and targeted, rather than large scale. Its purpose is to investigate emerging themes from the survey findings, particularly where additional understanding is needed to explain unexpected results, significant trends, or important student experiences.

The qualitative phase should therefore be designed to provide depth and context to the quantitative findings, helping to strengthen interpretation and support actionable recommendations, rather than acting as a standalone research exercise.

Suppliers are encouraged to propose an approach that achieves an appropriate balance between breadth and depth, while recognising that the qualitative component is intended to build directly on the quantitative findings.

Q18. What do you mean by 'clearly justify' the proposed sample size?

Response:

We are not prescribing a specific statistical approach or methodology for determining sample size. However, suppliers should provide a clear rationale for why their proposed sample is appropriate for the aims of the research.

This should demonstrate how the sample will:

• Support robust national-level insight;
• Enable meaningful analysis of underrepresented groups;
• Be achievable and realistic within an FE context; and
• Manage potential challenges such as uneven participation, response bias, or under-representation of particular groups.

Suppliers may draw on a range of recognised approaches to demonstrate robustness, including considerations such as confidence levels, margins of error, weighting, oversampling, subgroup analysis, or other relevant methodologies.

AoC Sport recognises that participation in a large-scale voluntary survey cannot be controlled entirely by the supplier. We will support engagement through our networks, communications and relationships with colleges to help maximise participation and improve representativeness across priority groups.

Suppliers will not be disadvantaged for adopting different methodological approaches, provided they clearly demonstrate that their proposed sample size is fit for purpose and capable of supporting the intended use of the findings.

Last updated: 1 July 2026

New questions are added to the bottom of the page.

Please continue to submit clarification questions via email by Tuesday 30 June. Questions received after this date may not be answered.