Further Education Update

Statement

Today my honourable friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Higher and Further Education (Alex Burghart) made the following statement:

Today I am announcing details of the government’s capital investment of £83 million in 2021-22 to help eligible post-16 education providers[1] accommodate the expected demographic increase in 16 to 19-year-olds.

Thirty-nine post-16 education providers have been awarded a share of the multi-million capital funding for projects that will enable them to add extra capacity where there is a pressing need to ensure there are enough places in their local area to absorb an increase in 16 -19 learners. This investment will lead to providers being able to accommodate an extra 14,000 learners. We launched a bidding round for the funding on 18 May 2021. These post 16 education providers will be able to develop new high quality flexible buildings and facilities, to ensure there will be sufficient places for 16 - 19 learners in their areas to gain the skills they need to progress and help the economy to grow.

The 39 education providers which will benefit from Post 16 capacity funding are:

This investment should be seen in the wider context of our reforms to further education. The White Paper ‘Skills for Jobs Lifelong Learning for Opportunity and Growth' sets out our vision of enabling everyone to get the high-quality skills employers need in a way that suits them. The reforms set out plans to transform technical education, boost UK productivity, build back better from the Coronavirus pandemic, and create a more prosperous country for all.

[1] Eligible education providers that could apply to this fund were: FE colleges, designated institutions, Sixth Form Colleges, 16-19 academies, including free schools, UTCs, Studio schools and Maths schools.