Our Strategy

Our strategy
Together we transform

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About our strategy

Our strategy, Together we transform, sets out our plans to support everyone working in the sector by championing the vital role of educators and leaders in transforming the lives of learners aged 14 and over.

The new strategy places sector voices at its heart and reflects the feedback and input from an extensive listening exercise involving sector organisations and teachers, trainers and leaders from across the further education (FE) and skills sector.

Our four strategic goals are to:

purple certificate icon for drive professionalism
Drive professionalism
green lightbulb graphic for improving teaching and learning
Improve teaching and learning
blue hands in a heart shape icon for 'champion inclusion' strategy goal
Champion
inclusion
orange cog icon for enable sector change
Enable sector change

Drive professionalism

What does drive professionalism mean?

Supporting educators and leaders to excel through the very best development opportunities, and championing the professionalism of our diverse and vibrant sector has always been – and will continue to be – central to our work. For ten years we have played a leading role in driving the professionalism of the sector through our professional standards and professional designations to develop and enhance practice, providing educators with a pathway of progression throughout their careers.

How we will drive professionalism:

  • Raise the status of the profession and champion teaching and training quality across the sector. 
  • Develop and enhance the professional standards for teachers and leaders to build a culture of professionalism within FE and skills and provide a roadmap for professional growth and career progression. 
  • Develop in partnership with the sector a robust framework of CPD aligned to our standards and a range of professional development activities. 
  • Enhance professional practice through Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills status (QTLS), Advanced Teacher Status (ATS) and other progression routes through membership of the Society for Education and Training (SET). 
  • Convene communities of practice, enabling networking and collaboration opportunities for practitioners across the sector. 
Daniel Jones, Walsall College

“I want to be the best teacher I can be. The better I am, the more opportunities I create. The better I am, the more of my students succeed.” 

– Daniel Jones, Walsall College

Learn more about the importance of driving professionalism in Daniel’s case study

Improve teaching and learning

What does improve teaching and learning mean?

The world of education is undergoing unprecedented change with the shift to hybrid and flexible learning, the growth in use of artificial intelligence in learning and business settings, changes in assessment as well as the rising mental health challenge. We believe that the key to high quality learning experiences for learners is to support educators and leaders to excel. By providing the very best professional development and training opportunities we are supporting educators to transform the lives of learners aged 14 and over.

How we will improve teaching and learning:

  • Provide a wide portfolio of high quality, innovative professional development to grow professional skills, enhance teaching practice and aid career progression. 
  • Design and deliver, in partnership with sector and industry experts, leadership development and governance support that equips leaders at every stage of their career with strategic planning, system leadership and change skills. 
  • Offer resources and support to cultivate effective leadership and governance capability across the sector  
  • Through membership of the Society for Education and Training (SET) we champion excellence in teaching and training, providing support, training and collaboration opportunities to educators from across the sector. 
Penny Taylor – Lincoln College Group

“We ensure we’re growing professionally and teaching the skills that employers want. We need to help our students be work-ready and prepared, and relevant CPD plays a big part in that.”

– Penny Taylor, Lincoln College Group

Learn more about the importance of improving teaching and learning in Penny’s case study

Champion inclusion

What does champion inclusion mean?

We want everyone within FE and skills to feel included and that they belong. This calls for inclusive spaces and learning environments that enable all learners to thrive. Embedding inclusive practice into our work, and championing inclusion across the sector and through society will open up opportunities for social mobility and ensure that our workforce and the curriculum reflect the learners and communities our sector serves. 

How we will champion inclusion:

  • Embrace equity, diversity and inclusion, treating all professionals we engage with respect and embedding an inclusive approach across our portfolio of programmes and activity. 
  • Actively promote and advocate for an inclusive approach across our CPD programmes and pilot approaches to create sustainable change.  
  • Promote inclusion and sustainability, addressing environmental and social impact and contributing to social equity in FE and skills. 
  • Draw on global insight and share innovation globally to address challenges and work together to create a more sustainable and equitable global community. 
Kooner Singh, Workpays Derby

“Listening is really key – our goal is to make every learner feel empowered, comfortable and supported so we can make the environment the right fit for them.”

– Kooner Singh, Workpays Derby

Learn more about the importance of championing inclusion in Kooner’s case study

Enable sector change

What does enable sector change mean?

Rapid technological innovation, shifting economic landscapes and demographic change, are all influencing national and global education agendas. Against this backdrop, the role of the FE and skills sector in England has never been more critical.  

Securing economic growth and social progress for the future will rely upon a thriving and proactive FE and skills system that can respond to the complex challenges and emerging opportunities that lie ahead. To equip learners with the skills they need to meet local and national skills requirements, we need a FE and skills system that enables and connects educators and providers with employers, provides an innovative, future-facing inclusive curriculum – and leads to a coherent workforce development strategy to support staff retention and recruitment.  

How we will enable sector change:

  • Collaborate with sector leaders to explore systems thinking in FE and skills, convening debates and discussions to inform positive change to policy and practice.  
  • Support research on workforce development and professionalism through collaborative research networks, training and thought leadership to build an evidence base for future policy change. 
  • Work with Government, regulators and other decision makers to inform policy and practice in collaboration, using the evidence gathered from our work with the sector. 
Headshot of Bill Jones, Leeds City College

“System change is really important because we are able to understand our regions and our communities very well. The more people that input into key, fundamental decisions, the better and more workable policy is likely to be, and ultimately the skills system is going work better for everybody.”

– Bill Jones, Leeds City College

Learn more about the importance of enabling sector change in Bill’s case study

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Together we transform

To delve deeper into the initiative and further stories from across the FE and skills sector, explore our Together we transform page.

Learn more about the stories and case studies behind our strategy