FE Governance

Diversity of Provision

Colleges may only do those things either which the Further and Higher Education Act, 1992 empowers them to do, or exceptionally which the Secretary of State has empowered them to do under the "Power to Innovate" in the Education Act 2002. Their principal power is to provide learning and skills and, while the Act allows them to do other things, these must clearly support the exercise of this principal power.

Post-compulsory learning is delivered through a range of different organisations and institutions e.g.

• FE colleges (the largest provider)
• sixth form colleges
• specialist colleges
• private training organisations
• employers (workforce development)
• voluntary organisations
• adult education institutions
• school sixth forms

  There are 356 colleges in England with a total annual budget of around £7 billion.

  FE colleges provide education and training to over 3 million learners participating in post-statutory education and training, offering lifelong learning opportunities for school leavers and adults over a vast range of academic and vocational qualifications. Levels of study range from the basic skills needed to remedy disadvantage, through to professional qualifications and higher education degrees.

  The FE system employs around 250,000 staff in colleges whose size varies considerably. Some small colleges may cater for only a few hundred learners whilst the larger colleges may cater for over 50,000. Budgets may vary from around £1 million to over £50 million.

  Different types of colleges address the diverse needs of the FE system e.g.

• General further education colleges offer a wide range of academic and vocational courses both full and part-time
• Tertiary colleges provide courses for people over the age of 16 in areas where there is no sixth form provision
• Sixth form colleges offer GCE 'A' level and GCSE courses with many also offering a variety of vocational courses
• Agricultural and horticultural colleges offer courses for land-based industries
• Art and design colleges offer courses in art and design
• Specialist designated colleges established to serve particular purposes, usually serving an area beyond the immediate locality of the college often nationally.