• Find an adult learning and skills inspection report
• Understanding an adult learning and skills inspection report
• Types of adult learning and skills Ofsted inspects
• Inspecting adult learning and skills
  • Inspecting further education and skills
  • Inspecting residential provision in colleges
  • Inspecting initial teacher education
• About our survey reports
• How to complain

Inspecting further education and skills

When we visit employers to inspect further education and skills provision we gather evidence on how well a provider is performing and produce an independent assessment of their quality and standards. The inspection may take place in the work place and the classroom. Ofsted evaluates the efficiency and effectiveness of the education and training provided and look at how it meets learners’ needs. We value feedback from employers.

When we inspect, inspectors use a framework to guide them through the inspection.

• Different inspectors may look at one or more aspects that relate to areas covered in the Common Inspection Framework for Further Education and Skills 2009. 

Inspectors look at the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, the effectiveness of the care, guidance and support learners receive, and how well the provision meets their individual needs. They talk to learners to discover their views.

A full inspection normally lasts between three and five days. The number of inspectors varies depending on the size and type of provider, how many learners they have, the geographical spread and range of the provision.This may involve, for example, an inspector looking at the type of provision for learners aged 16 to 18 and 19+, which may be apprenticeships, Train to Gain or programmes to help people get into work. Inspectors talk to employers and learners, visiting classes and inspecting learning in the workplace.

We look an employers’ self-assessment report which gives inspectors a starting point. For further information, please go to The self-assessment report.