Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper published – Key implications for further education employers

The Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, published on 20 October 2025, sets out an ambitious reform programme aimed at strengthening the further education (FE) sector. It prioritises improving teaching quality, expanding access to high-value technical education, and aligning skills provision with labour market needs. Central to the reforms are increased investment, enhanced professional development for teachers and leaders, the introduction of new qualifications — such as V Levels — and stronger partnerships between education providers and employers.

Key implications for FE employers:

Tackling unsuitable leaders and poor provision

Barring unsuitable leaders: Legislation will be introduced to give the Secretary of State powers to bar unsuitable individuals from management roles in FE institutions, safeguarding staff, learners, and public funds.

Tackling poor provision: The Office for Students will be empowered to identify and address low-quality teaching swiftly. Its enhanced quality assurance regime will drive continuous improvement, with potential legislation enabling recruitment limits where growth risks quality.

Training for FE staff

Professional development pathways: A career-long professional development framework will be established to ensure systematic, high-quality training for FE teachers.

Initial Teacher Education reform: Initial Teacher Education (ITE) will be overhauled to raise standards, embedding evidence-based principles. Statutory guidance will ensure consistency and quality, and all ITE providers must register with the Department for Education for greater scrutiny.

Industry-to-teaching transition support: A pilot training offer will support professionals transitioning from industry into teaching roles.

Employer placements for staff: FE staff will gain hands-on experience through employer placements and CPD, ensuring teaching remains aligned with current industry standards.

Strengthening partnerships: Targeted support will enhance collaboration between industry and education, enabling professionals to share expertise directly with students and staff.

Recruitment and retention 

Funding boost: Increased funding for colleges and other 16–19 providers will support the recruitment and retention of expert teachers in high-value subject areas, with targeted interventions to retain top teaching talent

Incentivising excellence: Providers are encouraged to align staff incentives with long-term strategies, ensuring pay and performance assessments reward teaching excellence on par with research excellence.

Technology and wellbeing: Colleges are urged to adopt new technologies to support teaching and sign up to the Education Staff Wellbeing Charter. A renewed focus on workload and wellbeing will be supported by digital tools and stakeholder collaboration.

Retention incentives: The Targeted Retention Incentive will continue into the 2025–26 academic year, offering eligible early-career FE teachers in key STEM and technical subjects up to £6,000 after tax annually for their first five years.