Post-16 White Paper: The key changes to further education
The government released the Post-16 Education and Skills white paper on 20 October 2025, which sets out key changes to Further Education (FE). The changes aim to see two-thirds of young people participating in level 4+ education or training by the age of 25.
In this article, trainee solicitor in our sport, education and charities team, Thalia Agoglossakis Foley, discusses the changes outlined by the government.
Within the four key areas below, the government emphasises a collaborative approach to ensure consistency across FE institutions, all whilst maintaining a focus on the government’s priority sectors.
Pathways into jobs
'V Levels' are proposed to be introduced, sitting alongside A levels and T levels, to become a form of vocational qualifications at level 3. They will be offered in a standardised range of vocational subjects, covering different employment sectors. The government also aims to develop two clear post-16 pathways at level 2.
New maths and English preparation courses will be developed for GCSE level 1 qualifications, alongside other measures which will be introduced to prevent students from resitting exams when underprepared.
Technical Excellence Colleges
To strengthen employer collaboration with education and training, the government is introducing Technical Excellence Colleges (TEC), ten of which are already under construction. These will be FE colleges which have demonstrated excellent provision in one of the government's priority sectors.
TECs will develop specialist curricula and teaching within a sector through collaboration with other organisations. TECs will support the curriculum development of local colleges and form regional and national specialist networks with other TECs. Colleges can also be appointed as TECs, for which the selection process will start by the end of 2025, and the delivery is planned to begin in April 2026.
Investment in FE colleges
The government plans to review its funding formula, with the aim of having a simpler revised formula for the 2027/28 academic year.
The government also plans to make the following investments:
- £200 million into the new Skills Mission Fund.
- £375 million to accommodate additional individuals entering the system.
- £1.7 billion from the 2026-27 financial year until the 2029-30 financial year for colleges to maintain their estate.
The government will also explore measures for FE colleges to take loans from local or strategic authorities and will encourage colleges to use their collective power to drive down pricing. Further updated guidance on this area is expected to be released by the government.
Quality of teaching
The government plans to provide £1.2 billion of additional investment per year by 2028-2029, which will be used by colleges and other 16-19 providers to enable the recruitment and retention of teachers.
The government will also focus on raising the quality of teaching through better initial teacher education programmes, improving teachers' early careers, professional development courses, and better leadership.
Staying up to date with changing regulations
The changes have been introduced to ‘boost opportunity for disadvantaged students, hold universities to account and put the sector on a firm financial footing' according to the government.
It's essential to stay up to date with reforms outlined in the white paper to meet regulatory changes and higher standards for education provision.
For further information on the changes outlined in the white paper, or any other area of education law, you can contact Joanne Davison at [email protected] or 0191 211 7958.