“Thank you, you made everything seem less scary”
Richard Stubbs, Head of Maths, Abbey Park School
Delivering an Ofsted Ready Curriculum & Teaching in FE: Strategic Leadership for Inspection Success
Purpose of the CPD
This session empowers FE leaders to lead curriculum and teaching with confidence under the current Ofsted framework. It reframes inspection as an opportunity to demonstrate strategic intent, curriculum strength, and learner impact—rather than a process imposed on the college.
This course could be offered as one to one or small group mentoring.
JMC Mentoring can be either face to face or online.
We have an extensive range of Primary/Secondary/Independent and International school leaders ready to act as your mentor or critical friend.
See Mentoring & Coaching
FE Curriculum vision
In Further Education, the curriculum is more than a sequence of qualifications—it is a strategic tool that shapes learners’ futures, responds to local and national skills needs, and reflects the values of the institution. A well-designed curriculum in FE must balance academic rigour, vocational relevance, and personal development. With Ofsted placing increased emphasis on how curriculum intent, implementation, and impact are realised across diverse pathways, senior leaders must be equipped to lead with clarity, coherence, and confidence. This CPD session supports leaders in making inspection work for them—using it as an opportunity to showcase their curriculum vision and the difference it makes to learners.
CPD Objectives
- Understand the strategic role of FE leaders in delivering an Ofsted ready curriculum.
- Prepare curriculum areas and teaching teams for subject-level scrutiny.
- Strengthen self-evaluation and curriculum narrative across departments.
- Use inspection as a leadership tool to drive improvement and showcase success.
CPD Outline
Leading an Ofsted Ready Curriculum in FE
- Articulating a clear curriculum intent across vocational and academic pathways.
- Ensuring progression, relevance, and employer engagement.
- Embedding cultural capital, inclusivity, and learner ambition.
- Aligning curriculum design with local skills needs and strategic priorities.
Understanding the FE Inspection Landscape
- Overview of the current Ofsted framework for FE and skills.
- Key shifts in focus: from qualification outcomes to curriculum quality and learner experience.
- How inspectors triangulate evidence across intent, implementation, and impact.
Preparing Your Teams for Ofsted Ready Teaching
- Supporting curriculum managers and lecturers to articulate their curriculum rationale.
- Anticipating inspection themes and lines of enquiry.
- Building confidence in responding to lesson visits, learner voice, and work scrutiny.
Strengthening Ofsted Ready Self-Evaluation
- Using internal QA and performance data to inform accurate self-assessment.
- Aligning SARs and QIPs with inspection expectations.
- Preparing evidence portfolios that reflect curriculum strength and learner progress.
Empowering Leadership Across the College
- Building capacity in curriculum and quality leads.
- Coaching teams to take ownership of their curriculum areas.
- Creating a culture of reflective practice, continuous improvement, and inspection readiness.
Are you a Principal in an FE College, Sixth form College or a Specialist College? You may find our GFE College Improvement Reviews are what you are looking for. Find out more here
JMC Inspection Team
Testimonial
“This session helped us shift our mindset—from fearing inspection to using it as a platform to showcase our curriculum strengths. It gave us the tools to lead with confidence and clarity.”
— Vice Principal, Curriculum & Quality, FE College
Discover more from JMC INSET
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
One Reply to “INSET: Delivering an Ofsted Ready Curriculum & Teaching in FE”
Comments are closed.