Skills And Post-16 Education Act 2022

Part 2: Quality of Provision

Initial teacher training for further education

99. The Government aims to secure and improve the quality of initial teacher training for the further education sector ("ITT (FE)") as committed to in the white paper. This enabling section will give the Secretary of State powers to introduce measures through secondary legislation, designed to improve the quality of ITT (FE) provision. It is not intended to place requirements on trainee teachers, either individually or collectively.

Section 17: Initial teacher training for further education

100. This section provides a power for the Secretary of State to make regulations to secure or improve the quality of ITT (FE) in England. 
101. Subsection (1) enables the Secretary of State to make regulations to secure or improve the quality of ITT (FE) courses.
102. Subsection (2) provides examples of measures that such regulations may provide for, for example requiring the governing body of an institution that provides ITT (FE) courses to have regard to statutory guidance; or setting up an accreditation system for providers of ITT (FE).
103. Subsection (3) provides further context for subsection (2)(c); a prohibition under subsection (2)(c) may relate to (among other things) accreditation requirements, whether or not the Secretary of State has given approval for the provision of specified ITT (FE) courses, or a failure to meet conditions set under subsection (2)(d).
104. Subsection (4) contains general provision for regulations made under this power. 
105. Subsections (5) and (6) provide that the first time regulations are enacted under this power, the affirmative procedure will apply, but subsequent regulations under this power will be made using the negative resolution procedure. 
106. Subsection (7) provides definitions for key terms used in this section. 

Quality assessments of higher education 

107. This chapter makes explicit the ability of the OfS to assess the quality of higher education, provided by registered higher education providers in England, by reference to student outcomes. It clarifies the OfS’s ability to apply minimum quality thresholds by reference to expected levels of student outcome which may apply to all English higher education providers in the same way. It also makes clear that the OfS is not required to determine different minimum expected levels to take into account student characteristics and other specified matters. 

Section 18: Office for Students: power to assess the quality of higher education by reference to student outcomes

108. This section amends section 23 of HERA 2017, which makes provision for the assessment of the quality of, and the standards applied to, higher education by the OfS. Specifically, the section adds new subsections (4) to (9) to section 23 as follows:
     1. Subsection (4) provides that the OfS may take into account student outcomes when assessing the quality of higher education provided by a registered higher education provider. 
     2. Subsection (5) provides that student outcomes can be measured by any means that the OfS considers appropriate, including by reference to course continuation rates, completion rates and progression of students to further study or employment. 
     3. Subsection (6) provides that the OfS may determine and publish minimum expected levels for particular measures of student outcomes which all institutions are expected to meet. 
     4. Subsection (7) makes clear that the OfS is not required to determine and publish different levels to reflect differences in student characteristics, different institutions or types of institution, different subjects or courses, or any other such factor. 
     5. Subsection (8) provides that when considering the student outcomes of an institution, the OfS may take account of whether the institution has met the minimum expected outcome level which is applicable to it. 
     6. Subsection (9) provides definitions for key terms used in this section.