New college support teams unveiled to raise standards and drive growth

Around 70,000 college students will benefit from new Regional Improvement Teams in a new standards push. This initiative aims to help break the link between background and success through the government’s Plan for Change.

Major investment into 16-19 education

The government plans to also invest nearly £800m extra into funding for 16–19-year-olds next year (2026-7). This funding, coming from the existing Spending Review settlement, is expected to support an additional 20,000 students.

This builds on ambitious reforms announced in the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper. It strives to ensure young people get good jobs and create better futures. It includes measures to support all colleges in raising standards. These consist of new structured professional development for FE teachers. Colleges must deliver at least 100 hours of face-to-face English and maths teaching for students who haven’t passed those GCSEs, using targeted funding for support.

Raising standards and supporting local needs

The new Regional Improvement Teams will work to analyse colleges’ performance in delivering on the priorities of a local area. This includes the skills local people need and improving outcomes for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The government believes that these changes will help tens of thousands of young people achieve and thrive.

The plan is for all colleges to have access to best practice guidance and performance data. The DfE claims that those with identified problems will get targeted support, including peer mentoring.

Made up of sector and industry experts, the teams will strive to offer support and advice for improving individual college performance. There should then be a stronger collaboration between colleges and universities in responding to local skills needs.

The government wants to roll out the teams nationally by the next academic year. It believes that this initiative will break down barriers to opportunity for around 70,000 young people. It plans to reach underperforming colleges across the country.

Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said:

“Every young person deserves a brilliant education, and these new teams will help to drive improvements and share best practice in colleges across the country.

“By providing targeted support where it’s needed most, we’re delivering on our commitment to break down barriers to opportunity and give young people the best possible start in their careers.

“This is about raising aspirations, improving outcomes and building the skilled workforce Britain needs for the future through our Plan for Change.”

Future plans

The government is also changing the rules. For the first time, Ofsted can trigger formal intervention to change a college’s leadership if it judges that the college’s contribution to meeting local skills needs requires ‘urgent improvement’.

These changes are a key part of plans to drive up the standard of further education across the country. It aims to put colleges on an equal footing with universities. The DfE believes it will also help to deliver the Prime Minister’s new target for two-thirds of young people to participate in quality higher-level learning by age 25.

Last week, the education secretary visited City of Sunderland College, part of Education Partnership North East, to launch the new North East Construction Technical Excellence College (TEC).

The colleges in the partnership faced significant financial and performance challenges. However, with the support of advisers, including incoming FE Commissioner Ellen Thinnesen OBE, the group has implemented a ‘Changemaking Curriculum’. It aligns with regional and national priorities and focuses on preparing students for employment, further study, or independent living.

This regional collaboration as part of the Government’s TECs programme is an example of the work to raise standards and outcomes. The goal is for Regional Improvement Teams to supercharge this as they roll out across the country.

Chief Executive of Education Partnership North East, Ellen Thinnesen OBE, said:

“Regional Improvement Teams will enable us to have a more structured approach to raising standards and meeting area need in every part of England.

“I am hugely looking forward to starting as Further Education Commissioner and working with sector colleagues across the country to drive improved outcomes for young people.”

Targeted support and new guidance

Similar to the support offered by new RISE teams in schools, new guidance published 10 November 2025 outlines how support will be matched to the level of need in colleges. Those falling the furthest below expected standards are set to receive intensive intervention including regular monitoring visits and mandatory action plans.

The changes follow the move away from single headline Ofsted grades for colleges, with intervention now based on where Ofsted assesses that ‘urgent improvement’ is needed at provider level. The government believes that this will retain high standards of accountability.