OfS 简化了对继续教育学院的要求，以尽量减少监管负担

Further education colleges that provide higher education courses and are registered with the OfS are subject to regulation by both the Department for Education (DfE) and the OfS. To reduce unnecessary duplication where the DfE already has robust regulatory oversight, the OfS is disapplying five of its initial conditions of registration and four general ongoing conditions of registration.

FECs will also no longer be required to publish an access and participation statement, as the DfE already requires colleges to demonstrate how they will address barriers to participation, support disadvantaged learners, and improve outcomes for underrepresented groups

Today’s announcement follows wider reforms to the OfS’s registration process, to enable it to register institutions that are well-prepared to enter the regulated higher education sector more efficiently. The reforms were announced in August 2025 and include new initial conditions of registration relating to treating students fairly and effective governance.

Interim Director of Quality and Access at the OfS, Jean Arnold said

‘With the changes we have announced today, we’re making it simpler for FECs to take up their crucial role in the regulated higher education sector. In doing so, they will be able to give their students confidence that they will meet the same high expectations we have for all institutions to deliver high quality teaching and learning, student protection, and support.

‘It’s important that we have high standards for every institution that wants to register with us and access public funding – but the way we regulate shouldn’t get in the way of further education colleges offering students a flexible and diverse route into higher education.