Ofsted inspection reports from the 2024/25 cycle show increased scrutiny of apprenticeships, adult skills, and alternative provision. In this blog, we explore where the inspection spotlight is falling, what inspectors are prioritising, and how ITPs and FE colleges can prepare with confidence.

As the 2025/26 academic year begins, providers across FE, ITP, and HE have a chance to refocus on leadership. This blog unpacks what 2024/25 inspection reports revealed about leadership impact — and what actions providers can take now to shape a stronger, inspection-ready future.

Achieving Good in an inspection is a milestone. Maintaining it — or progressing to Outstanding — requires continuous quality, governance, and leadership focus. We explore the common pitfalls that cause providers to slip, and the strategies that consistently Good providers use to sustain success.

Governance is essential to the success of independent training providers. This blog explores how governance impacts Ofsted inspection outcomes, DfE expectations, curriculum design, and funding compliance. We examine why good governance goes beyond oversight — and how ITPs can strengthen their structures in 2025/26 to drive quality, sustainability, and learner success.

Inspection outcomes in 2024/25 highlight a consistent theme: governance and leadership are decisive in determining grades. We explore the most common governance weaknesses in ITPs and FE providers, what strong governance looks like, and how strategic governance reviews can support Ofsted success.

The latest data from 2024/25 shows a clear shift in the apprenticeship landscape: while overall starts are up 2%, higher-level apprenticeships at Levels 4–7 have surged by 11%. In this blog, we break down the drivers behind this trend, the implications for Further Education providers, Independent Training Providers, and Higher Education institutions, and how strategic planning can help you stay ahead of the curve.