Ofsted has now released its new Further Education and Skills Inspection Toolkit (September 2025). This framework sets out the evaluation areas, grading standards, and evidence expectations that inspectors will use when visiting providers. While some changes represent a shift in emphasis, many of the principles will feel familiar to those already running strong provision.

This article unpacks the main areas of the new framework and considers what they mean in practice for providers outside of the college sector.

Gathering Evidence

Inspectors remain focused on first-hand evidence of how a provider operates. That means observations, discussions with staff and students, and reviewing documentation that you already use in the course of business. Importantly, the handbook makes clear:

• Providers are not expected to prepare bespoke documents purely for inspection.

• Inspectors are interested in impact — how systems, processes and decisions affect learners and apprentices.

• Proportionality is built in: inspectors weigh strengths against areas for improvement to form judgements.

In practice, this should reassure providers that inspection is not about compliance paperwork, but about how well your daily work serves students.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding remains a whole-provider evaluation area. Inspectors will look at:

• Whether an open and positive safeguarding culture exists.

• How effectively leaders take a whole-provider approach to safeguarding.

• How well concerns are recognised, recorded, and acted upon.

• The confidence of learners in reporting issues and the trust they place in staff.

Key expectations include:

• All staff are well-trained, vigilant, and empowered to act.

• Systems for safer recruitment, managing allegations, and fulfilling the Prevent duty are robust.

• The provider works effectively with multi-agency partners.

Safeguarding will be graded simply as met or not met. Any serious or widespread failures are likely to pull down the overall effectiveness grade.

Inclusion

Inclusion is now a standalone evaluation area. Providers must demonstrate how they identify and support:

• Disadvantaged learners.

• Learners with SEND or high needs.

• Those known to social care or youth justice services.

• Learners facing wider barriers to participation and well-being.

Inspectors will look at:

• High expectations for all students.

• Early and accurate assessment of needs.

• Reducing barriers and adapting provision where necessary.

• Monitoring the impact of strategies on achievement and well-being.

The handbook makes clear that lowering expectations is not acceptable — support should raise outcomes, not reduce ambition.

Leadership and Governance

Leadership and governance are judged on how well leaders:

• Ensure every learner can belong and thrive.

• Maintain an accurate understanding of strengths and weaknesses.

• Take effective, timely action for improvement.

• Balance accountability with staff well-being and workload.

• Engage stakeholders, including employers and community partners, where appropriate.

Inspectors will also assess governance:

• Do governors and those with oversight understand their duties?

• Do they provide effective challenge and support?

• Do they monitor the quality of subcontracted provision?

Strong leadership is characterised by clarity of vision, sustainable improvement, and decisions that are demonstrably in the best interests of learners.

Curriculum, Teaching and Training

This remains a central focus of inspection. Inspectors will consider whether:

• The curriculum is ambitious, well-sequenced, and aligned to local/national needs.

• Teaching and training are high quality and build learners’ knowledge, skills, and behaviours effectively.

• Teachers and trainers have strong subject and pedagogical expertise, including current industry knowledge where relevant.

• Assessment is used effectively to check understanding and close gaps.

• The curriculum is inclusive and adapted appropriately for disadvantaged groups, those with SEND, and those with other barriers.

Provision will be judged on whether the curriculum delivers meaningful outcomes, not just whether it is planned well on paper.

Achievement

Achievement looks at how well learners:

• Make substantial and sustained progress from their starting points.

• Achieve qualifications and personal targets.

• Develop English, maths, and digital skills.

• Are prepared for their next steps, whether education, training, employment or independent living.

Achievement is not just about qualification rates. Inspectors will also consider:

• The quality of learners’ work.

• Progress against learning goals and curriculum intent.

• Progression to positive destinations.

Low or declining achievement rates, or slow progress through the curriculum, will weigh heavily against providers.

Participation and Development

This area brings together attendance, behaviour, wider development, and preparation for next steps. Inspectors will look at:

• High expectations for attendance and participation, with swift action where issues arise.

• Behaviour and professional conduct in both study and workplace settings.

• Opportunities for wider personal development, including British values, diversity, and respect for protected characteristics.

• Access to appropriate careers education and guidance.

• Preparation for progression routes and employability.

Strong provision is marked by inclusive culture, high levels of motivation and participation, and a broad programme of personal and professional development.

What This Means in Practice

For most providers, the new framework is less about wholesale change and more about alignment and evidence. Key points to consider:

• Impact matters most. Inspectors want to see how your decisions and systems benefit students — not just that they exist.

• Clarity and consistency. Providers need to be able to show not only what they do, but why they do it, and how consistently it plays out across provision.

• High expectations for all. Disadvantaged learners, those with SEND, and others with barriers remain at the heart of evaluation.

• Culture, not compliance. Whether in safeguarding, inclusion, or participation, inspectors will look for embedded culture rather than paper compliance.

Final Thoughts

The new framework brings some sharper definitions and new standalone areas like inclusion and participation, but it also builds on principles that many providers already recognise: clarity of intent, strength of teaching, consistency of impact, and unwavering focus on learners.

For providers, the task now is to reflect:

• How well do our systems translate into day-to-day impact?

• Can we show, through evidence and practice, that every learner is supported to belong, progress and succeed?

At WorkplaceHero, we’ll continue to analyse the framework in detail and share practical insights. Our aim is always the same: helping providers feel confident and prepared, not overloaded.