The Department for Education has published its 6,500 Additional Teachers Delivery Plan, part of it's latest white-paper.
While much of the national conversation focuses on schools, further education is explicitly included and, in several areas, prioritised.
Here’s a clear breakdown of what matters for FE colleges and providers.
FE Is Central to the 6,500 Teacher Pledge
The government has confirmed that further education colleges are included within the 6,500 additional expert teachers’ commitment, alongside secondary and special schools.
This reflects growing recognition that:
- FE plays a critical role in skills delivery, social mobility and economic growth
- Persistent teacher shortages in FE are holding back learner outcomes, particularly in technical and vocational subjects
In short, FE is no longer an afterthought in workforce planning.
FE Workforce Numbers Will Be Tracked Separately
For the first time, progress against the teacher pledge will formally include FE workforce data.
Key points:
- The FE baseline currently sits at around 38,800 full-time equivalent teachers
- Progress will be measured using the Further Education Workforce in England dataset
- Updated figures are expected to be published in May 2026
This gives the sector clearer visibility and accountability around whether promised improvements are delivered.
Recruitment Incentives Target FE Shortage Areas
The delivery plan outlines several FE-specific recruitment levers, particularly for hard-to-fill subjects.
These include:
- Tax-free bursaries, scholarships and salary grants for FE teachers in priority areas
- Continued investment in the Taking Teaching Further programme to attract career-changers into FE
- Expansion of mentoring and early-career support to improve retention
Construction, engineering, maths and digital skills are repeatedly flagged as high-priority areas (no surprise there…)
New Routes into FE Teaching
The plan recognises that traditional teacher training routes do not always work for FE and sets out alternatives.
Notable developments include:
- Expansion of Level 5 FE teaching apprenticeships
- Increased focus on attracting industry professionals into FE teaching
- Increased funding to support technical experts transitioning into the classroom
There is also specific funding aimed at recruiting construction professionals into FE, reflecting acute skills shortages.
Retention and Working Conditions Matter Too
Recruitment alone will not solve FE workforce challenges, and the plan acknowledges this.
Measures aimed at retention include:
- Extension of retention incentives to FE teachers in shortage subjects
- Funding to support flexible working, wellbeing initiatives and improved employment practices
- Support for enhanced maternity and family-friendly policies within FE providers
This is a welcome shift towards long-term workforce sustainability rather than short-term fixes.
Significant Funding Commitments for Colleges
The government has linked workforce reform to funding, with several figures directly relevant to FE:
- £590 million allocated to colleges and 16–19 providers in 2025–26
- A longer-term ambition of £1.2 billion per year by 2028–29 for skills and FE workforce investment
How this translates into pay competitiveness and staffing capacity will be critical.
Early Signs of Movement
The delivery plan reports a 2 percent increase in FE teacher FTE numbers between 2022–23 and 2023–24.
While modest, it is presented as an early indicator that targeted interventions may be starting to have an effect.
What This Means for FE
For FE colleges, training providers and HR teams, the message is clear:
- FE is now explicitly included in national teacher workforce planning
- Recruitment and retention pressures are recognised at policy level
- Funding and incentives are coming, but competition for talent will remain intense
Colleges that move early, communicate clearly, and present strong employment offers will be best placed to benefit.
At onlyFE, we’ll continue to track how these commitments translate into real-world recruitment outcomes for the sector.